今８５円のはがきは、１９９２年には４１円だった。でも初任給は1.3倍くらいしか上がっていない
日本年金機構から、加給年金がほしければ、生計維持確認届（ものものしい名称だ！）のはがきを出せと言ってきた。
去年も言ってきたので、今年もそろそろ来るかなと思っていた。この年金がもらえるのは今年で終わりなので、来年はもう言ってこないだろう。
生計維持確認届のはがきには、年金受給者が自分で切手を貼らないといけない。はがき代も値上がりして、８５円だ。手持ちの切手を探していると、１９９２年の年賀状お年玉賞品として、４１円切手を見つけた。
調べてみると、１９８９年から１９９３年までは、はがきが４１円で買えた。
その頃と比べると、はがき代は２倍以上に値上がりした。今更ながら、色々なものが値上がりしたものだ、と思う。
比較のため、初任給の推移を見てみた。
１９９２年の大卒男性の初任給は186,900円、大卒女子の初任給は180,100円なので、２０２４年初任給の倍率はそれぞれ1.27倍、1.32倍となる。切手代の伸びに給料はまったく追いついていない。
男性と女性の間の初任給の格差も大きいのだけれど、どちらの初任給も１９９２年以降の伸びは鈍い。
これから先、初任給の伸び率は高まるのだろうか。
４１円切手２枚と、２円切手と１円切手を生計維持確認届のはがきに貼って投函した。郵便局に切手を買いに行かずに済んだ。
A postcard that costs 85 yen today was 41 yen in 1992. But starting salaries have only increased by about 1.3 times.
The Japan Pension Service said that if I want to receive the additional pension, I need to submit a postcard to confirm that I am able to maintain my livelihood.
They said so last year too, so I thought they would be coming again this year. This year is the last year I can receive this pension, so they probably won't be asking me again next year.
Pension recipients must affix their own stamps to postcards to confirm their livelihood. The cost of postcards has also risen, to 85 yen. While searching for stamps I had, I found a 41 yen stamp that was a New Year's gift in 1992.
After doing some research, I found that from 1989 to 1993, postcards could be purchased for 41 yen.
Compared to back then, the price of postcards has more than doubled. It's only now that I realize how many things have gone up in price.
For comparison, I looked at trends in starting salaries.
In 1992, the starting salary for a male college graduate was 186,900 yen, and for a female college graduate it was 180,100 yen, so the multipliers for the starting salary in 2024 will be 1.27 and 1.32, respectively. Salaries are not keeping up with the growth in postage.
There is also a large gap in starting salaries between men and women, but the growth in starting salaries for both has been slow since 1992.
Will the rate of increase in starting salaries continue to increase in the future?
I stuck two 41 yen stamps, a 2 yen stamp, and a 1 yen stamp on the postcard and mailed it. I didn't have to go to the post office to buy stamps.