Still Use Snail Mail? Prepare for a Price Increase in May

In all likelihood, this will be a yearly reminder. The US Postal Service is no longer required to go through a lengthy approval process to raise postage rates if the increase is below the “inflation rate.” That presents a good chance that each May, we will be required to pay about one cent more for sending a letter.

In May 2008, the rate for mailing a standard letter will increase from $0.41 to $0.42. The “forever stamps” purchased at $0.41 will still be valid, however. So if you’re crazy enough to stock up to “beat the price increase” and use inflation to your advantage, then start hoarding stamps now.

This won’t affect most of the people I know. E-mail has been the main form of communication for me for 18 years or so. USPS hasn’t yet announced the increase for Express Mail and Priority Mail, most likely my only use for the postal service.

Snail mail gets more expensive [CNN Money]

If you perceived a painful sting each time you opened a wallet in a grocery store or at a gas station last year, it wasn’t just you. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has informed the public that the Consumer Price Index for 2007 is 4.1%, the highest inflation rate since 1990. The increase is due to higher costs of energy (up 17.4%) and food (up 4.9%). Without energy and food, the core inflation rate is 2.4%. [BLS: Consumer Price Index Summary]

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