Starting Monday, it costs more to mail

[Refugee]

CNN) -- Unless you've got a stash of Forever Stamps sitting around, it might be time for a trip to the post office. The price of mailing a letter jumps 2 cents Monday.

First-class mail will now cost 44 cents for the first ounce. Large envelopes cost twice that, 88 cents. Mailing a postcard will cost 28 cents.

The Postal Service said the price increase, announced in February, is necessary because of rising production costs.

Under law, the price of stamps is not allowed to rise faster than the U.S. consumer price index, which measures inflation.

Forever Stamps allow customers to effectively circumvent price hikes.

Sold for the rate of a first-class stamp, they can be used at any time for a one-ounce letter. The Post Office says it has sold billions since introducing the stamps two years ago.

[nurktwin]

production costs....lol. they have or will eliminate most jobs and probably only deliver your mail mon til fri. and what's the stuff about inflation? the gov say's there is NO inflation. but that's because they took out the prices of food, durable goods, utilities and everything that we pay for that keeps going up!!!! once again, it's all bullshit. never vote for the same man/woman for a 2nd term, pick someone new. maybe the idiots will get the idea and stand up for us!

[LizzieB]

I suppose I should have bought those Forever Stamps at Costco today.

[nurktwin]

lol, lizzie. maybe you should buy the forever stamps tomorrow for the new price, before they go up to 50 cents!!!

[PumpkinBumpkin]

Yeah we bought forever stamps. Good thing.

[agirl]

I have a ton of those forever stamps. I so seldom mail anything anymore.

[Echosoftom]

Otto told me they're planning another price hike before the year is out. Thanks to him I have enough forever stamps to last a lifetime. The only thing I ever mail anymore are an occasional card and packages.