BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The United States Postal Service, which receives its funding only through sales of stamps and its other services, officially raised the price of a domestic stamp to 46 cents on Sunday.

The post office has tried layoffs, plant closings, and rate hikes to save their business, but they continue to be beaten by technological advancements, and by Congress.

Digital Journal reported that the price of a postcard also increased by one cent to 33 cents. The new Global Forever Stamp for first-class mail sent anywhere will allow customers to mail a one-ounce letter worldwide for $1.10.

Packages using Priority Mail and Parcel Post, now known as Standard Post, now come with free tracking, according to Northville Patch.

Priority Mail rates are now: $5.80 for a small box, $12.35 for a medium, and $16.85 for a large. Regular envelopes now cost $5.60, legal envelopes are $5.75, and padded envelopes cost $5.95.

Fox10tv.com reported that customers sending critical mail letters now may receive a signature upon delivery if they choose.

The Post Office has been hemorrhaging money for years now, mainly since Congress required them to fund health care benefits for retiring employees in advance in 2006.

CNN reported that Post Office officials said the USPS had no debt during 2005. But by last year, the Postal Service defaulted on payments worth $11 billion twice, and used up $15 billion line in credit it had received from the U.S. Treasury.

And according to MSN Money, total mail volume has dropped by 25 percent since 2006.  Reports say the amount of the Postal Service’s single, first-class mail has fallen by 50 percent since 2002.