How Much Do Stamps Cost

Do you need to send a mail through the post office? Then, you have to know how much do stamps cost. They may not be much of a financial burden but it still pays to know the cost of stamps to guide you in most of your postage needs. Especially with the postage rate increases of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from time to time, you need to keep yourself updated in the current cost of stamps.

Typical Cost Of Stamps

The cost of stamps usually varies depending on the kind of shipping service you are looking to take advantage of. The same is true for the weight of the package you are trying to send. Here is a complete list of how much are stamps now for different services effective January 2, 2011 as released by the U.S. Postal Service:

**U.S. Postal Service Mail Class** **Rates**
First-Class Mail letter (1 oz.) $0.44
Postcard $0.29
First-Class Mail flat (1 oz.) $0.88
First-Class Mail parcel (1 oz.) $1.71
First-Class Mail International to Canada (1 oz.) $0.80
First-Class Mail International to Mexico (1 oz.) $0.80
First-Class Mail International to all other countries (1 oz.) $0.98
Priority Mail (1 lb.) $5.10 and up
Express Mail (0.5 lb.) $13.25 and up

Included In The Price Of Stamps

The price of stamps mentioned above include the shipping of the mail or parcel as well as its taxes.

Consider These Factors

  • Weight. The heavier your mail is, the more expensive the postage stamps will be.
  • Location. The distance of the postage address you are sending the mail to has a lot to say with how much does a stamp cost. This is the reason why International mails are priced higher than local mails. Just like the weight, the farther the distance is, the more expensive the postage will become. This is especially true for Priority and Express Mails.
  • Stores. There may be a lot of stores near you that carry stamps for your different postage needs. However, take note that some of them may charge more than the face value of the stamp. This is not illegal, though. So if you want to pay for the face value of a stamp and nothing more, consider buying stamps at the post office or at consigned USPS stores that do not make profit from the stamps.

Why are First Class Stamps More Expensive?

The USPS cost of 1st class stamp is usually higher because they are given priority as compared to other kinds of mail. First class mails are usually delivered the day or two days after postage in exchange for a slightly higher stamp price. Second class mails include newspapers and magazines, third-class mails involve bulk advertisements, and fourth-class mails are books and media packages.

Additional Costs

  • The average price of stamps usually does not include additional ounces or weights in the mail or parcel. For instance, you need to purchase an additional First-Class Mail letter stamp for every additional ounce it weighs. The current price of additional stamps is $0.20 per added ounce from the one-ounce standard of a $0.44 First-Class Mail letter stamp.

  • If you need special services in line with the postage of your mail, additional rates may apply. For instance, a Certified Mail costs an additional $2.85 to postage rates while a Signature Confirmation costs an additional $2.45.

  • Ordering the stamp from the USPS website can mean an additional shipping and handling fee. This usually depends on the location where you request the stamps to be delivered.

USPS logo on packaging display, APC in background Photo by Aranami

Tips Before You Buy Stamps

Check the USPS website for the latest updates on the price of stamps.

Avoid unnecessary things in your mail so you won't be burdened by additional costs that can be delivered to you due to weight issues.

Double check the address of the recipient to ensure successful delivery and to ensure no waste of stamps.

Consider shopping for stamps at the USPS website. Various stamp options are offered in the website. You can purchase a roll or a book of stamps if you use them often for better convenience. You can also consider stamp subscriptions in your choice of terms such as once or twice monthly in a term of six or 12 months.

If you are looking for discounted stamps, there can be a lot of sources you can trust. Check out the Internet for stamp retailers that give off stamps for less the amount of its face value. Discounted stamps are usually items that are bought by collectors in bulk and then sell it for less the price when getting rid of excess stamps in their collection.

Check out Stamps.com for a convenient way to shop for postage stamps online. You can also find good discounts here.