You can continue to use your stockpile of “forever” stamps long past the Jan 22nd deadline. Don’t worry about supplementing them with additional stamps to make up the difference. They don’t expire with each rate increase. It’s always a good idea to purchase a few extra forever stamps before Jan 22nd. If you buy new ones after the 22nd, however, they’ll cost 3¢ more.
According to the USPS, almost everything else is changing though. Overall, “the proposed increases will raise First-Class Mail prices approximately 4.2 percent.”
The chart below shows some benchmark prices.
| Current Rate | Jan. 22, 2023 | |
| Stamped Mail (1 oz.) | $0.600 | $0.630 |
| Metered Mail (1 oz.) | $0.570 | $0.600 |
| 5-Digit Automation Postcard | $0.330 | $0.352 |
| 5-Digit Automation Letter (1-3.5 oz.) | $0.455 | $0.471 |
| 5-Digit Automation Flat (1 oz.) | $0.555 | $0.689 |
For those of you who like to dig a little deeper, you can compare the current rates with the proposed rates. It’s important to note, however, that if you’re using the current rates link after the effective date, the prices will be replaced with the new rates.
If you’re a current HC3 client, feel free to reach out to your account rep with any additional questions. If you’re not part of the HC3 family, we’re still happy to help you navigate this rate increase. We’re fluent in postal lingo.