Going Up: Price of First-Class Stamp

Procrastinators, take note. Neither rain nor snow will stop the post office from raising its stamp price on Monday, May 11 by an extra two cents, giving the first-class stamp a hefty 44-cent price tag. (The post office estimates this price increase will cost the average family an extra $3 a year.)

At least the USPS had the class to wait until after Mother's Day (ahem, this Sunday) for people to send out their cards before jacking up the price of first-class mail. (Though the post office reviews, and usually increases, postage price every year around now.)

And while there's no stopping the march toward the new higher rate, you can at least keep the price of a stamp at its relatively lower rate of 42 cents by running out to snap up "Forever" stamps. Those stamps have no denomination printed on them, so they're honored, well, 'til the end of time—as long as you use them on one-ounce letters. But should you wait until Monday to purchase your Forever stamps, they'll be at the new rate of 44 cents.

Don't say we didn't warn you.