Wow! This is like post-war inflation, just when the European economy can least afford it. When I see 10-!%% increases in gas and electric, i wonder how this will get passed on to the consumer. Already, these charges looked more like the utilities bill of a 6000 square foot house in the United States.
Pre-buying stamps in Europe is always a good investment.
POSTAGE
Buy your stamps today at a bargain — the ones with no monetary amount printed on them, because tomorrow, the postal rates go up (information thanks to Eric Tolbert):
Letters within France increase from 56 centimes to 58.
Letters/postcards to US increase from 85 centimes to 87.
Letters to other European countries increase to 75 centimes.
Pre-stamped envelopes (prêt-a-poster) will be good for whatever rates are in effect when they are used…so stock up on these today, too.
GAS
“Residential gas goes up 4.7% in July following a 10% increase in April. If gas is used only for cooking, the July increase will be just 2.1%. In 2008 GDF cut-off 10,000 customers for non-payment but expects to cut-off 300,000 this year because of the increases.” (Information thanks to Eric Tolbert.)
ELECTRICITY
EDF has received regulatory permission to increase electricity prices this year by 11.4% followed by a 3.5% increase in 2011. There is hope for the future in that EDF is going to increase investment in nuclear energy from 500 million euros per year to 2 billion euros per year.” (Information thanks to Eric Tolbert.)
From Adrian Leed’s very good blog and newsletter Parier Paris.
