U.S. Stamp Prices Drop: Sending Letters Gets Cheaper

By RENEE SCHIAVONE (Patch Staff)

Postal customers throughout the United States are paying a new rate to send out mail. And for once, we're not talking about an increase.

As of Sunday, it now costs you less to mail letters and postcards.

Here are the new rates, effective April 10:

• Letters (1 oz.): current price is 49 cents; new price is 47 cents
• Letters additional ounces: curent prices is 22 cents; new price is 21 cents
• Letters to all international destinations: current price is $1.20; new prices is $1.15

The reason behind the decrease is that the United States Postal Service is mandated to remove a surcharge that was put in to place in January of 2014. The Postal Regulatory Commission, or PRC, had allowed the agency to implement the excess fees following the recession, but they were only approved through April 9.

Though you may be rejoicing at the savings, postal officials are not happy about the new rate structure and say the reduction will cost them an estimated $2 billion per year.

“Given our precarious financial condition and ongoing business needs, the price reduction required by the PRC exacerbates our losses,” said Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and CEO. “This unfortunate decision heightens the importance of the review of our ratemaking system which our regulator is required to conduct later this year.”

A complete listing of the new prices is available at www.usps.com.

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