Forever stamps will increase to 50 cents.

A clerk at my p o told me about the stamp going from 49 to 50 cents. She didn't know what the packages would do. Their computer tells them what stuff costs so they don't have to know all that. I guess pbs will have all the new prices in place. I think in the past the p o has usually granted a grace period for a few days after the date of the change to allow people to catch up with the changes.

Sigh, it's easy to say, 'here we go again - up, up, up', but in conversations with persons from several different countries (online book group), we still have one of the least expensive postal services.  Is their service better?  I guess it depends on whether you are currently having a problem or not... 

Charles - there isn't a grace period.  Anything postmarked before the change takes place goes at the current rates.  Anything postmarked AFTER must have the new rates.

I will go to the post office next week and buy some booklet of stamps before the increase. 

Does anyone have the new First Class rates?

http://blog.stamps.com/2017/10/26/usps-announces-2018-postage-rate-increase/

Priority goes up about a nickel for 1st pound.  So, this increase, in general, is quite mild.

First Class parcel rates are going up quite a bit. $0.41 for an 8 oz package so it looks like I'll be sending everything via Media from now on instead.

The post office will now mail books under "library mail" which used to be exclusivly for libraries. The rates are less than media mail.  You still get a tracking number...which shows the delivery date to be about a week or less.  I don't understand why PBS still says 30 days?

Connie C - that clerk was misinformed.  If you use Library Mail rates, you run the risk of the recipient being charged the additional postage for First Class or Priority mail, depending on the weight of the item sent.  posted by Cindy P in other thread

--we need to advocate for ourselves as PBS members who KNOW the proper use of media mail or we run the risk of losing that cheaper category.

another increase coming in January 2019--- get your stamps at 50 cents now!

I think I can afford a few cents more for stamps.   Yes, I realize rate increases hurt a little but I love getting my books in the mail rather than driving several miles to the library.  Also, my time is worth the few cents more and I can forgo a few cups of  coffee at an eating establishment to pay the postage.

I've been buying some sheets of stamps for a couple of weeks now.

Got my handy cheat sheet from my local postmaster (USPS Retail Quick Tip Sheet). just a few pennies more for Media Mail;

1lb old rate; 2.66    New rate; 2.75 (9c)         2lb old rate; 3.17    New rate; 3.27 (.10c)       3lb old rate; 3.68    New rate; 3.79   (.11c) 

Postcards stay the same .35c and letters go up a nickle to .55c  but the added oz. prices went down

she told me that the big changes were priority mail (.60c + per package)

since stamps are now valued at $.55 the media mail rate of 2.75 is exactly 5 stamps. cool. I'm glad I bought a few sheets while they were still 50 cents. wish I had bought more.

The week before the price increase I bought two rolls of stamps hopefully last me for the year.