US Postal Service seeks to hike cost of a first-class stamp to 78 cents

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

Updated 4:19 PM CDT, April 9, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is seeking a rate increase this summer that includes hiking the cost of a first-class stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents.

The request was made Wednesday to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which must OK the proposal. If approved, the 5-cent increase for a “forever” stamp and similar increases for postcards, metered letters and international mail would take effect July 13.

The proposed changes would raise mailing services product prices approximately 7.4%.

The Postal Service contends, as it did last year when it enacted a similar increase, that it’s needed to achieve financial stability.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/price-of-a-stamp-increase-post-office-usps-0afe8e82a4c9a7df95e78efe33cb0c6c

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. And at that, postage stamps are a huge bargain in this country.

A quick search gives the average stamp cost in Europe as about $1.75 US.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. About $2.15 in the UK now

(£1.70) Under the new Royal Mail owned by a Czech billionaire.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/03/royal-mail-takeover-deal-czech-billionaire-finalised-daniel-kretinsky

[Jacson6]

5. When I lived in Germany in the 80's Postage Stamps were 2 DM or about $1.25

Sending a package was very expensive even with the DHL private service.

[Wonder Why]

7. If you look deeper, it is an even better deal. Most European countries charge higher rates to other

European countries than the do within their own country. That's like the USPS charging higher rates from NY to Delaware than within NY. We get a huge bargain in that the same rate applies between Bangor, ME and Hawaii, Alaska and California as it does within Maine. So instead of just putting the mail on a train, one gets a letter flown thousands of miles and delivered to a mailbox for the same price as sending a birthday card to a neighbor.

We pay less and our lower price is good for far more territory than the whole continent of Europe.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Exactly. And thank you for clarifying what I was

trying to say.

[RoadRunner]

3. Are they going to claim it's because of the tariffs?

[maxsolomon]

4. When did it go to 73 cents?

I think I missed that increase...

[IronLionZion]

6. Last July

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_postage_rates#Historical_rates