Did you know that in recent years the Postal Service has changed the way First Class Mail is priced? First Class Mail consists of postcards, business-sized envelopes up to 3.5 ounces, large envelopes and small packages up to 13 ounces.
In the past, the price per ounce of mail was different for postcards, but the same for the other three categories. The new pricing structure reflects the different costs the Postal Service incurs for processing each piece of mail. See the table below to view the cost variations.
| Type of Mail | Cost |
| Postcard | $.35 |
| Business-sized Envelope (1 oz.) | $.49 |
| Large Envelope (1 oz.) | $.98 |
| Small Package (1 oz.) | $2.54
|
So how can you save money on postage? Sending information on a postcard versus an envelope will save $.14 per postcard. Sending up to five folded sheets of paper in a business-sized envelope versus a large envelope will save $.71 per envelope.
If you are unsure about the amount of postage needed, it’s recommended that you have the item weighed on a postage scale. Using insufficient postage could result in the item being returned to sender or for the item to be delivered with postage due.
The Postal Service pricing for Domestic Retail First Class postage as well as other postage prices can be found at http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#2682960.
More information on definitions of mailing categories and other subjects regarding mail can be found in our online Mail Services Guide: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/pes/dmms/Documents/MailServicesGuide.pdf.
