U.S. Postage Stamp Prices Increase to 82 cents Today
By LooeyVille
@LooeyVille (46)
United States
July 12, 2026 10:30am CST
Let's face it, the United States Postal Service has no clue how to run their business.
They are a unicorn - an odd blend of private business and government business.
They are always facing bankruptcy.
Their customer service is non-existent.
Their mail delivery service is pitiful.
I'd like to see UPS or FedEx take over the U.S. Mail.
USPS is crazy with increasing postage stamp prices by a few cents every few months. Maybe there's a regulation that they can't raise it by more than a certain percentage within a certain time frame - I don't know. But I would just raise stamps to $1.00 apiece and get it over with.
For those of you in the USA, what, if anything, do you think could save the USPS?
6 people like this
6 responses
@FourWalls (87594)
• United States
3h
The funny thing (in a very sad way) is that it was infinitely more efficient with minimal technology and 25c stamps back when I worked there. (Yeah, blame me for leaving. 
)
Marie Coyle sent me a card a couple of weeks ago. It took a week to get from Illinois to Kentucky. You should see what JJ posted about the route an album he ordered took. 
Can anything save the post office? I think only getting the people who run the Chick Fil-A drive-thru to manage it. A not-so-secret secret: I worked at the post office from 1986 to 1994, and even back then there were calls to privatize it. I can’t help but think that the horrible “service” is intentional to get that privatization enacted.
)
Marie Coyle sent me a card a couple of weeks ago. It took a week to get from Illinois to Kentucky. You should see what JJ posted about the route an album he ordered took.
Can anything save the post office? I think only getting the people who run the Chick Fil-A drive-thru to manage it. A not-so-secret secret: I worked at the post office from 1986 to 1994, and even back then there were calls to privatize it. I can’t help but think that the horrible “service” is intentional to get that privatization enacted.2 people like this
@FourWalls (87594)
• United States
3h
@Juliaacv — yep, he finally got it. I posted that they’d delivered it to ME and he said “don’t jinx it.”
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56754)
• Canada
1h
@FourWalls You really wanna push his buttons the next time, tell him that Canada has it. He always referred to me as that, although he was really helpful to me from the day that I joined.
Sure do miss his humour and sarcasm on the site.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (122681)
• United States
3h
I don’t know, but after the post office opened my Christmas cards thinking gift cards were in there at Christmas then dumped the cards (I got the cards without envelopes back three months later all beat up), I now send card through Amazon with messages sent that way.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56754)
• Canada
3h
As you know, I am not in the US, but our Canada Post is just as terrible as far as deliveries go.
And they are a Crown Corporation.
But, in their, and your USPS defense, they have been around for decades, and today's world, and for decades, has been very computerized. I have to think that is the main downfall. The two mix like water and oil.
Our service severely declined in 2020, when we were all in the lockdown due to Mr. Covid.
But unlike Mr. Covid, who has left town, their ways have not returned.
One of our nephews and his wife are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary next week. I have already dropped the ball on this one. I always send them an anniversary card, but I haven't picked up a card, nor a stamp, which are over a dollar here, nor put it into the mail.
It may just turn out to be an end of summer card at the rate that the mail moves.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (87594)
• United States
1h
@LooeyVille — I don’t know what’s changed. When I went to work there, it was THE coveted job. High pay (I started, in 1986, at nearly $10 an hour!), government retirement benefits, and you know what they say about government jobs (“how many people work for the government? About half.” 
). Now they can’t find people who can pass the simple civil service exam. I had a supervisor tell me they’ll hire anybody. I had to go through a background check almost like my Navy entrance.
). Now they can’t find people who can pass the simple civil service exam. I had a supervisor tell me they’ll hire anybody. I had to go through a background check almost like my Navy entrance. 1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56754)
• Canada
1h
@LooeyVille They probably do not do the volume of processing to validate getting the 'best' software out there, which I can only presume would be very costly.
Here, Canada Post also owns a courier company called Purolator Courier, possible replacement?
1 person likes this
@LooeyVille (46)
• United States
2h
@juliaacv @FourWalls Well that brings up a good question. How is the postal service LESS efficient now with modern technologies available AND the fact that fewer people send snail mail?
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98956)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
Just now
I have no idea but I do know in the days when shopping with catalogues was the thing to do my mom and I could not have gotten along without UPS they delivered all our orders,
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91498)
• United States
3h
The raise in the cost of a stamp is ridiculous when the service is sub par
1 person likes this
