By By Lydia Grimes – features reporter
Prices for gas and groceries continue to rise and prices for other items are sure to follow. The cost of mailing a first class letter is also going up with a one cent increase coming May 12, 2008.
The only option available to help keep the cost of mailing a letter at the current rate is to purchase the “Forever” stamp.
The price increase in the cost of a first class stamp is a part of the United States Postal Service's new pricing system. Officials with USPS have said the increase is meant to bring its rates in line with other shippers.
Adjustments for all services, such as Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Parcel Return Service, and international mail will be made by USPS.
New pricing will include commercial volume and contract prices, rebates, online price reductions and other incentives.
The most visible part of this new pricing, which will affect almost everyone is the price of the postage stamp.
The Forever stamp will still be available until May 12. The 41 cent selling price of the stamp is the current cost to mail a first class letter through the USPS. Forever stamps purchased prior to May 12 can be used indefinetly.
According to the USPS, they will have a stockpile of five billion Forever stamps, and they will be readily available at any post office until May 12.
Although the local post office has already received the new 42-cent stamps, they will continue to sell the others up until that date.
The Forever stamps have a Liberty Bell likeness on them while the new stamps will have the signature U.S. Flag.