A Book of First Class Stamps Costs How Much? USPS Raises Rates

By Patch Editor Judy Putnam 

This week, the cost to mail a first-class single-piece letter jumped from 46 cents to 49 cents. The cost of a book of 20 stamps rose from $9.20 to $9.80.

The U.S. Postal Service's 3-cent increase is the largest hike for consumer postage in more than a decade. The cost of mailing a post card will also go up to 34 cents, a 1-cent increase.

The rate increase, announced Dec. 30, is intended to help reverse a budget deficit that the USPS has been dealing with in recent years. It became effective on Sunday, Jan. 26.

An announcement on the USPS website said that "The Governors of the Postal Service voted Sept. 24 to seek price increases above the typical annual increases associated with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI)."

Highlights of the new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan. 26, 2014 include:

• Letters (1 oz.) — 3-cent increase to 49 cents
• Letters additional ounces —  1-cent increase to 21 cents
• Letters to all international destinations (1 oz.) — $1.15
• Postcards — 1-cent increase to 34 cents