Bad news: US Postal rates going up in May.

Stamps will go to 41 cents. The problem for me and other eBayers is the rumors of dramatic increases in the costs of packages. They are adding extra charges for size. The lady there told me today that my $18.00 charge for today's shipment would be dramatically higher next month. What's so sad is that the $18.00 I paid today is fucking double what I paid a few years ago to ship the same fucking item! Plus, I have to use 2-3 bucks worth of gas to drive to the Post Office and ship the item. No wonder a pair of worn-out Levis goes for $20.00 on eBay. The hits just keep coming.

out of the stamp machine at the PO...:)

At least I'll get some use from them now...:silly:

The postal rates for boxes is absurd, I have to agree w/that.

UPS, FedEx, and the other carriers are just too expensive. Now, USPS increases prices on packages.

people. Something that would bring in more business for the PO, and at the same time, help out small business people.

I still haven't used all of my old 37 cent stamps. :shrug:

And the post office is competing with e-mail and on-line bill paying. Meanwhile they have to serve every location in the United States.

Not complaining about the USPS, but instead about the rising costs of shipping in general. I will still use them until they are more expensive than the competition. I'm sure Bushitler would love to privatize the USPS and turn over their work to one of his big campaign contributors, who would then charge $10.00 to mail a letter.

...and they were increased after one year of Bush coming into office from 35 cents 1st class letter. So that will be a rate increase of 35 cents to 41 cents or 6 cents or 17.2% in six years. I typically use about two dozen stamps per month for personal bill paying and letters and mail out holiday cards and so forth. Looking at this objectively now I use about 600 1st class letter stamps a year, so when the new postal rates take effect my postage stamps will cost $246.00 annually, not counting typical shipping costs for mail order purchases and so forth.

I gave up smoking 45 years ago when cigarettes were 33 cents a pack and I was smoking a pack a day which I figured at that time was costing me $120.00 per year.

This week gasoline is $2.91.9 per gallon here in orlando FL and when I filled up my car with 17.2 gallons the total came to $50.21. I have pretty much bottomed out on my gas use at 35 gallons per month which limits me to drive about 700 miles a month.

Inflation is most definitely hitting those of us on limited fixed incomes pretty hard especially where essentials for fuel, transportation, food, utilities, basic housing and health care are concerned. It is the economy stupid!