The price of licking a stamp is becoming astronomical. Who knew the costs of human saliva would cost a minimum of 78 cents a swipe. And they’re not self-sticking. They’re human-sticking.
In your letter mailed to Grandma from Smithville-to-Smithville, it has to go to Nashville for processing first before it is then returned to Smithville and delivered.
Hence, if I mail a letter from Smithville, Tennessee to anywhere in Smithville, Tennessee, this letter won’t remain at the local Post Office. It will be transferred to Nashville, then back to Smithville for distribution. This is crazy – not to mention, more expensive.
Adding more grief to these topics are the internet costs of personally corresponding by computerized email. It isn’t free. It is included within your computer’s internet connection, which could cost $1 for 10,000 emails. Personally, there is nothing more special than receiving a handwritten note through the mail. Using email correspondence is the laziest and most non-personal way of telling someone you love, admire, appreciate, or thank them.
As of Sunday, July 13, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is raising the costs of its Forever first-class stamps and other products from 73 cents to 78 cents. This action further negates sending and mailing holiday and/or greeting cards. At this rate, it won’t be long before it will cost $1 to mail one family Christmas card. I, along with my friends and family members, have stopped sending cards, which is blamed on the exorbitant mailing price. Following the pricing deadline, mailing 50 Christmas cards will cost the consumer $39. For 100, the cost is $78. These prices don’t include the pricing of each purchased card, especially Hallmark photo cards.
You might want to currently invest in Forever stamps before the increase date, especially if you want to send correspondence following the July 13 deadline.
As of today, the last postage increase in DeKalb County was in July, 2024. Since the usage of postage stamps began in New York City on July 1, 1847, there have been 49 price increases in this country. And, according to the USPS, “Its prices remain one of the most affordable in the world.”
USPS said the price adjustments were needed to achieve financial stability sought by the Delivering of America 10-year plan.
The price changes include:
· Forever stamps or mailing a 1-ounce letter has increased a nickel per stamp.
· Mailing a metered 1-ounce letter has increased from 69 cents to 74 cents.
· Additional ounces for letters are now 28-29 cents each.
· Postcards 56 cents to 62 cents each.
· 1 ounce letter or postcard mailed to another country $1.65-$1.70.
In continuation regarding the mailing of the Smithville-to-Smithville letter, it generally will follow these steps:
· COLLECTION: A local postal carrier collects the letter from the mailbox or the post office and brings it to the local post office.
· TRANSPORTATION TO PROCESSING PLANT: The collected letters, along with other mail, then are transported by truck to a mail processing plant, which serves the Smithville area and which is located in Nashville, Tennessee – 65.5 direct miles.
· SORTING: At the processing plant in Nashville, machines sort the mail based on the delivery address. Barcode sorters are used, which may involve adding a barcode representing the address if one isn’t present. If the address is unreadable by the machine, manual sorting may be necessary.
· SORTING FOR DELIVERY: Sorting machines then read the barcodes and sort the letters by carrier and into the order that the carrier delivers mail on their route.
· TRANSPORTATION TO DELIVERY POST OFFICE: The sorted letters are then transported by truck back to the local post office in Smithville.
· DELIVERY: The carrier loads the mail into their vehicle and delivers it to the appropriate address in Smithville.
“The USPS receives no tax dollars for operating expenses,” said a member of the USPS, who asked not to be identified. “It relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations.”
You can’t stomp on it to make the pricing of a stamp go away. It’s here to stay, whether you like it or not.
In conclusion, a USPS mail carrier’s yearly average salary in Tennessee is $39,445 to $57,653. Hourly rates are from $19 - $28. Most mail carriers work at least 40 hours weekly or more, depending on the situation.
