The U.S. Post Office will increase the cost of first class stamps from 78 cents to 82 cents, effective Sunday, July 12. This means that the price of stamps has doubled since 2007. Other mail services products will increase by 4.8%, including postcards. Mail volume has declined by nearly half in the last 19 years, from 213 to 112 billion pieces of mail annually, while the USPS posted a $9 billion loss for the last fiscal year. Meanwhile, everyone can make their own conclusions on the quality of service.