Published: May 09, 2008 10:19 pm         

Postal rates to go up by 1 cent Monday

The price of a first-class stamp increases by 1 cent Monday, but the Beckley Post Office also has another increase in the works.

But customers might like this one.

Beginning Monday, the main Beckley office on Industrial Drive will permanently increase by one its daily lobby hours.

“We will change the lobby hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., extending one hour,” customer service supervisor Brenda Holcomb said Friday. “This will help those who need postal services but do not get off work until 5 p.m. We will be open now until 6 p.m.”

On the subject of the other increase — first-class postage’s rise to 42 cents — Holcomb said the Beckley office is ready to help customers who still have a stock of 41-cent stamps.

“We will have plenty of 1-cent stamps for those who still have 41-cent stamps and need to add the additional postage,” she said.

Folks who make it to the post office today can still by Forever stamps at the old price.

Holcomb says Forever stamps can be used after Monday’s price increase without tacking on the additional cent.

Monday, however, it will cost 42 cents to buy a Forever stamp.

The increase means a book of stamps will increase 20 cents, from $8.20 to $8.40, Holcomb added.

The postal service’s Web site, usps.com/prices/welcome.htm, says this year’s changes are broader and include prices that could help customers save when shipping packages. Those changes include reduced Express Mail prices for items shipped to addresses closer to home, lower online postage prices for Express Mail and Priority Mail (domestic and international), Volume Express Mail price rebates for frequent shippers and additional flat-rate box prices for Priority Mail.

According to the Web site, costs for some other commonly used mail services are a 2-ounce first-class mail letter, 59 cents; postcard, 27 cents; 2-ounce first-class mail large envelope, $1; and certified mail, $2.70

— Fred Pace