Signed, Sealed, & Delivered: Changes On The Way For USPS April 1

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is gearing up to launch a series of changes to save money on April 1st. The changes will affect various classes of mail, which may cause longer delays for those sending items through USPS. Here's what we know about the upcoming changes.

Unfortunately, USPS won't stop making changes on April 1st, as they announced two different dates for instituting changes. Here's what USPS told us to expect when some of the changes take effect next week, April 1st.

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The changes you'll see starting April 1st will affect the following services offered by USPS: "First-Class Mail, Periodicals, Marketing Mail, Package Services (including Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail, and Library Mail), USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express."

It's actually kind of hard to see just how much the changes will affect people like you and I, who normally see lots of 'circular' files come with the bills we still get mailed out to us, but USPS created a webpage for you to put in your zip code to see the new delivery standards that will be offered starting April 1st.

I used 56301 as the zip, and here is when you can expect items to be delivered using these various services with USPS.

The changes, which sound like they will affect people differently depending on where they live, are part of the 10-year plan implemented by the United States Postal Service aimed at making the Postal Sevice 'financially sustainable' by 2030.

"Through a combination of cost and revenue improvement strategies and regulatory and legislative actions, we can avoid $160 billion in projected losses by 2030.

Since the launch of the Delivering for America plan, we’ve quickly demonstrated the Postal Service’s commitment to becoming financially sustainable. Even with the unexpected burden of inflation, the organization still forecasts we can achieve break-even operations by the end of DFA’s 10-year period."

A recent press release highlighting some of the changes coming states that these upcoming changes will save 36 billion over time.

"The enhancements are estimated to save the Postal Service at least $36 billion over the next decade through reductions in transportation, mail and package processing and real estate costs. The service standards refinement will occur in two phases to ensure effective operational implementation: the first phase will begin April 1. The second phase will start July 1."

It should be noted that the USPS does not receive tax dollars "for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations."

I feel for our friends delivering in the rain, snow, sleet, and fog, as they are the ones who are going to feel the brunt of it when something doesn't arrive on time. Remember to tell your mail carrier thanks, it might just make their day.