The U.S. Postal Service announced this week it plans to cease Saturday mail deliveries beginning Aug. 5, a cost-cutting move officials say will help ease the pain of losing $16 billion in revenue in 2012.

The decision to cut Saturday services could save the agency $2 billion annually when fully implemented, according to Postal Service spokeswoman Enola Rice, who added that she was unsure about the number of jobs the cutbacks will affect in Sarasota and Charlotte counties.