$3.65 to mail 1 book!!!  Unless pbs makes some changes, this may be my last year joining!  Getting expensive!

I feel lucky that books can still be sent for under $4 at all. If I get a PB at FoL bookstore for $1, then Pay $3.65 to mail it, I am still getting a credit to pick my own book for under $5.  Most trade size cost $15 plus tax at a brick and mortar store. Even Amazon has seen PBs go up unless you buy used-- when there is a long WL for a book my bookclub chooses, I have to search on used book sites online. 
 

PO clerk confirmed they expect stamps to go up again this summer.....said we should plan on twice a year stamp increases as long as postmaster keeps up his management strategy ( run PO into ground, make it non- competitive so as to push it into privatization)

that is also what our postmaster mentioned as well. January and again each July. each service effected will only go up once a year but they are splitting the service increases between Jan & July. 1st Class stamps will go up in July with Priority & other shipping services up in January. It should be announced on the USPS web page in April for what the increase will be in July with the final approval announced in June. it's been this same routine for the last few years. Then in Oct thru Dec will be the "holiday package" increase as well. Stock up on Forever Stamps to keep up with the annual increases for the years to come. 

proposed rate increases are; 1st class from .63c to 66c  and postcard from .48c to .51c starting July 9th. (just a few weeks away.) 

our postal lady is still waiting to confirm but heard that these rates will be going up twice a year; each Jan & again each July. 

nothing said about media mail but it wasn't in the proposal to increase. 

buy those Forever's now! saving $$s today for all those increases to come. even if 3c each time twice a year, savings are savings. 

Thank you dear Nancy for giving us advance notice of yet another (like you, you know I pray one day this will end) rate increase. I appreciate you aIways and all you do to encourage kind mail to continue. I got extra stamps of both types. May the ponies deliver faith and cheer on! :)

someone posted a new board with the NEW media rates starting July 9th so I'm not reposting here.

I got notice of the new rates this morning that media was going up 7% in rates, just a few pennies shy of $4 now. 

pondering what PBS will do now for their value of a credit, just $3.

I noticed more of the books I read now have gone up in price also~ I miss the 'old' days 

I do, too, Nancy! I posted in the other thread already. Extra thanks to you and everyone else who continue to send books and other mail of faith and cheer. 

USPS is hiking the price of a stamp to 66 cents on July 9 — a 32% increase since 2019.  The July 2023 price hike will represent the fifth increase since early 2019, when a Forever stamp cost 50 cents. Postcards sent within the U.S. will rise to 51 cent, from 48 cents currently, while international letters will rise by 5 cents to $1.50.  A year ago I bought the postcard stamps bulk.  

That was very smart of you, Towana! Thank you for doing that also as I so appreciate all the kind faith and friendship you encourage and spread through happy mail :)

Just checking to see if any of you know when rates may go up this year! I seem to remember October being when that happened last year. Trying to get a couple last packages of the year out before then! Thank you! :)

this came out 2 days ago but I've not seen anything on USPS but they could of buried it on their web page. 

USPS has gotten so much negative feedback along with DeJoy that maybe he decided to hold off on the increase this year! who's knows. time will tell. 

USPS holiday rates 2023: Postal Service won't have peak surcharge (axios.com)

oh wait.. I think I found USPS announcement after the media got wind of it too. 

U.S. Postal Service Ready to Deliver for America During the Holidays - Newsroom - About.usps.com

oh I see a false statement here, cause I could surely assure him that our area is not getting our mail in that time frame. haven't been since before covid. his statement; 

*****

Due to the ongoing implementation of the Delivering for America strategic plan, 98% of the nation’s population currently receives their mail and packages in less than three days. With approximately 40% of first-class mail and packages getting delivered a day in advance. 

Thanks again so much, dear Nancy. As I said, I still will be mailing any last envelopes/packages asap! I will be sending any Christmas gifts either directly from here or Amazon! Gift cards/E gift cards are always a great option, too :)

4.67 today to send a media mail paperback.  1 lb 7 oz.  Hmmmmm.....

Yeah, Steve , that was the price increase that went into effect in July. 
 

DeJoy is contradicting his previous new rules he set when he began and started implementing them. He set Florida with a 5 day delivery window for first class mail for out of state destinations. Anything to CA takes 7-8 days!

Before his changes, first class typically reached Chicago ( over 1000 miles away) in 1-3 days.

--and got a shock in Sept when an envelope for my sister in illinois took 7 days to reach her from just 20 mins down the road!

This is my email notice from the service I prefer using instead of the lines at USPS counter; THIS is the reason I'll continue to use Pirateship with it's deep discounts for shipping, both for USPS and UPS. 

of course we all knew some rates would increase tho DeJoy can call them what he chooses to, USPS had to increase something to help off set the package increases that happen annually at this time of year and likely every year to come!  

************************************

USPS is increasing some rates on November 18th

While the Postal Service is not adding any Holiday Surcharges this year, they are increasing Priority Mail rates everywhere you can buy postage online ð¢

• Priority Mail Flat Rate is increasing up to 6%, because USPS is removing this service from the Connect eCommerce program that provided deeper discounts, so the rates are returning to the Commercial Pricing levels.
• Weight-Based Priority Mail is increasing up to 10% in zones 1-4, but it'll still have discounts that are cheaper than Commercial Pricing ð
• Dimension-Based Priority Mail Cubic is increasing up to 23% in zones 1-4 for tiers 0.40 and 0.50—so the largest package sizes for this service are getting more expensive in the lowest zones. But the rates are still cheaper than Commercial Pricing ð
• Ground Advantage is decreasing up to 16% in zones 1-5, depending on the size and weight of your package.

Rest assured Pirate Ship will continue passing through the cheapest shipping rates available for USPS with no hidden costs or monthly fees ð

I love Pirateship! And now that I have a thermal label printer, shipping is doubly awesome!.

USPS announces new shipping rates for ground advantage and priority mail services in 2024

The U.S. Postal Service will raise shipping prices starting on Jan. 21, 2024.

The Postal Service governors approved the change last week, the company announced in a news release on Wednesday.

The First-Class Forever stamps cost $0.66, but would increase to $0.68 in January 

And come January 2024, yet another one.

https://pe.usps.com/resources/PriceChange/January%202024%20Price%20Change%20112223%20-%20Notice123.pdf

Media Mail goes from $3.92 to $4.13.

And a "credit" is still only $3.00 - something's wrong here...

And a "credit" is still only $3.00 - something's wrong here...
You are right , Larry.

I just stocked up on discounted forever stamps......took me forever to find a US vendor still selling them. Etsy closed all pages sellling these on their site early in the year due to discovering some fake stamps being sold (a lot were coming from China). The 2 online shops I had been buying from in past 2 years are no longer selling discount stamps-- one shop disappeared from the internet and the other just stopped selling them. 
I did try buying the old stamps where they sell you a selection of priced stamps at a discount that add up to the amount you want (now 66 cents for first class envy), but found it was a lot of work and the stamps ( sometimes 4-6) take up a lot of room on the envelopes. I chatted with the vendor and was told they buy up unused old stamps at estate sales then sort them and combine several to reach the current postcard or first class stamp cost. Also, with multiple postage increases per year, I had to keep buying 1. 2, 3, or 4 cent stamps to make up the difference.
 

when I first started buying the discount forever stamps, I would take them to the PO to verify they were real before using them. And I will do that again when I get the new ones since it is a new to me vendor I ordered from. 

weirdly, under the search ' discount forever stamps ' on Amazon, the stamps are actually over-priced! They are mostly showing books of stamps at $1 per stamp!  I sent problem reports on several of these items but have not heard back yet from Amazon. It's like Amazon doesn't know what stamps actually cost at the PO!

$4.13!!!

Another reason I am reconsidering joining again.  When I first joined it was approx $2 to mail a book and no membership fee.   I used to participate in about 4 - 6 games at one time, but can no longer because I am low on credits.  I can't remember the last time a book was ordered from me thru fifo.  I offer deals, but no takers.  Last year or so I have to buy postage because even at $3, can't sell credits when I do have them but now it's selling at a loss when it costs more that a dollar more to mail.  I have a tbr of over  900 and out of room for more.  Problem is I am addicted!!!

PBS should do something to offset these problems.  Whether its changing the minimum on selling credits to $4.00 or adding One courtesy $0.55 Printable Postage Fee per month for limited and 2 courtesy postages per month fo standard.  SOMETHING!!!

Adrienne, I mailed one (1!) book last month for $6+. I hadn't heard that Media Mail was going up again, and so drastically! 

On the other hand, I know that the US has (or did have) the lowest domestic mailing rates anywhere, so I feel guilty to complain. 

As far as I can calculate it, the only thing that would fix this is making orders a 2-book minimum. 

I suspect they'll let the site die before they'll do that, though. 

I'm off to check the wishlisted multiples and buy credits now. 

Happy New Year everybody!

another January, another postage increase~  starting January 21st 2024

this was in the National News report this morning; Oh Joy! 

**************************

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service signaled plans Tuesday for a rate increase that includes hiking the cost of a first-class stamp from 68 cents to 73 cents, part of an overall 7.8% increase to take effect this summer.

The request was made to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which must approve the proposed increase that the Postal Service contends is necessary to achieve financial stability. If approved, the 5-cent increase for a “forever” stamp and similar increases for postcards, metered letters and international mail would take effect July 14.

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy previously warned postal customers to get used to “uncomfortable” rate hikes as the Postal Service seeks to become self-sufficient. He said price increases were overdue after “at least 10 years of a defective pricing model.”

In its filing, the Postal Service said it’s also seeking price adjustments on special services such as money order fees and certified mail. But there will be no price increase for post office box rentals, and postal insurance will be reduced by 10% when items are mailed, the postal service said.