USPS Mailing Prices Are Changing Next Month
By: Suzanne Blake (Newsweek)
Must be time for the TEA Party nimrods to cut a few worthless pennies and Save the American Way of Life.
definition: nimrod (nimräd) -- In modern North American English slang, the term "nimrod" is often used to mean a dimwitted or a stupid person. This usage is often said to have been popularized by the Looney Tunes cartoon character Bugs Bunny sarcastically referring to the hunter Elmer Fudd as "nimrod" to highlight the difference between "mighty hunter" and "poor little Nimrod", i.e. Fudd. However, it is in fact Daffy Duck who refers to Fudd as "my little Nimrod" in the 1948 short "What Makes Daffy Duck", although Bugs Bunny does refer to Yosemite Sam as "the little Nimrod" in the 1951 short "Rabbit Every Monday". Both episodes were voiced by Mel Blanc and produced by Edward Selzer.
See related Bugs Bunny idiom "what a maroon" -- mispronunciation of the word "moron".
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The United States Postal Service is updating its mailing prices next month.
While shipping services price changes will take effect January 18, 2026, the price of a First-Class Mail stamp will remain unchanged.
Why It Matters
The price changes will increase costs for everyday Americans, despite stamps remaining stagnant.
The USPS has been dealing with staffing shortages affecting several regions, resulting in package and mail delays across Maine, Texas, Kentucky and Alabama.
What To Know
The USPS update will see prices rise 6.6 percent for Priority Mail service, 5.1 percent for Priority Mail Express service, 7.8 percent for USPS Ground Advantage and 6.0 percent for Parcel Select.
The new rates were selected to keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the organization with needed revenue, according to the USPS.
"As part of the Postal Service's network modernization and transformation plan, these proposed changes will support creation of a revitalized organization capable of achieving its public service mission — providing a nationwide, integrated network for the delivery of mail and packages at least six days a week — in a cost-effective and financially sustainable manner over the long term, just as the U.S. Congress has intended," the USPS said in a release.
Previously, Postmaster General David Steiner recommended not to raise prices in January 2026 for 'Market Dominant products,' which include First-Class Mail. The governors of the United States Postal Service accepted this recommendation.
"We continually strive to balance our pricing approach both to meet the revenue needs of the Postal Service and to deliver affordable offerings that reflect market conditions," Steiner said at the time. "We have therefore decided at this time to forgo a price change for First-Class Mail postage and other Market Dominant services until mid-year 2026."
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "The proposed changes that would take effect on January 18, 2026, wouldn't equate to much for customers who only or mostly use first-class stamps through USPS, but for most other services, the increase in price will range from five-to-seven percent per service. The highest uptick is for Ground Advantage at 7.8 percent, which has become popular for being a more affordable but fairly fast option compared to other priority services.
"While no one likes to see price increases, the mixture of demand for USPS to be more profitable and the rise in online commerce in virtually all industries makes it difficult for greater shipping costs to not be more routinely passed along to customers."
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek: "Pricing is going up, and by more than normal inflation. The Postal Service has seen a significant increase in volume due to online shopping, with Amazon in particular relying on USPS as its last-mile delivery provider, especially in unprofitable rural areas. As a result, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, Ground Advantage, and Parcel services will all see rate increases of 5% or more starting in January 2026."
What Happens Next
The Postal Regulatory Commission will review the changes before they take effect.
"As demand continues to grow, I would expect pricing to change again in the future," Thompson said. "The hope is that these increases translate into better service and outcomes as USPS modernizes its fleet and invests in technology to better support customers and handle higher volumes."
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