Hi Ted!
On the plus side though:" Beginning early next year, the Postal Service will introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp. The new stamp will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10, and is among new mailing and shipping services filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission today."
Thus, it will be a lot cheaper to send our cards. For example, I am sending a card to Cuba this week - cost: $1.85. So the new flat rate will save a bunch
If you paid $1.85, either too much postage was put on the envelope, or what you were sending did not meet the requirement to send up to one ounce to the "rest of the world" (anywhere except Canada and Mexico). The current rate is $1.05 for up to one ounce in an envelope that is not too thick or outside the size limits for that airmail rate.
The $1.10 Forever stamp will be good for sending mail to most of the world. I have not found if there will still be a lower rate for airmail to Canada and Mexico. If not, then the rate increase is almost 30% over the current rate to those two countries (85 US cents for one ounce from the US to Canada and Mexico).
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/