USPS Postage Increase Begins This Month

Effective this month, the price for First-Class Mail single-piece letters will increase by a penny. The new 46 cent Forever stamps will allow customers to mail letters to any location in the United States. Forever stamps are always good for mailing a one-ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes.

Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan. 27, 2013 include:
Letters (1oz.) — 1-cent increase to 46 cents
Letters additional ounces — unchanged at 20 cents
Letters to all international destinations (1oz.) — $1.10
Postcards — 1-cent increase to 33 cents

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) will review the prices before they become effective Jan. 27, 2013.

Several new Shipping Services products will be available in this month. Free tracking will be offered to all competitive packages, including retail Priority Mail and Parcel Post (recently renamed Standard Post).

Also new, customers shipping Critical Mail letters and flats will now have the option of receiving a signature upon delivery as part of the service offering.

New domestic retail pricing for Priority Mail Flat Rate products include:
Small box — $5.80
Medium box — $12.35
Large box — $16.85
Large APO/FPO box — $14.85
Regular envelope — $5.60
Legal envelope — $5.75
Padded envelope — $5.95

Source: USPS