# What is the cost of a first class letter in the US?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 20, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378 "2010-11-20T23:32:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/21 "2010-11-23T14:17:12Z")

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> [@Rhythmdvl](#):
>
> Why would that be a factor?

Bah. Good one. You almost got me. 😉

**LSLGuy** , **jayjay** : _bows_

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**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/22 "2010-11-23T17:24:36Z")

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> [@Musicat](#):
>
> FYI: A first-class letter for 44 cents is limited to a certain size (standard #10 envelope will do); it can’t be lumpy or square or over an ounce or there is an additional charge.

Or rigid. I mail a lot of DVDs and get hit with that charge. I wonder if Netflix avoids this charge by presorting everything so it doesn’t go through the Post Office sorting machines?

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/23 "2010-11-24T00:22:16Z")

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> [@JoelUpchurch](#):
>
> I mail a lot of DVDs and get hit with that charge. I wonder if Netflix avoids this charge by presorting everything so it doesn’t go through the Post Office sorting machines?

I’ve heard that Netflix is the largest single US mailer, so I imagine they get some special rates, and presorters get reduced rates anyway.

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**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/24 "2010-11-24T01:45:21Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> For that matter, you could have asked almost anybody and they could have told you the answer. The desk clerk at your hotel, your hosts, the clerk in the store where you bought an envelope, etc.

Untrue - it’s changed so often in the last few years most people would have to check, frankly.

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**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/25 "2010-11-24T02:48:53Z")

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I just would have said, “a stamp.”

“Well, how much does a stamp cost?”  
“::shrugs:: Dunno.”

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/26 "2010-11-24T03:39:31Z")

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> [@Zsofia](#):
>
> Untrue - it’s changed so often in the last few years most people would have to check, frankly.

Huh? 4 changes in the last 5 years (39¢, 41¢, 42¢, 44¢) doesn’t seem like that often. And most people mail at least a few letters every month.

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**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/27 "2010-11-24T03:47:34Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> Huh? 4 changes in the last 5 years (39¢, 41¢, 42¢, 44¢) doesn’t seem like that often. And most people mail at least a few letters every month.

I haven’t mailed a letter with a stamp with a denomination on it since before the last rate hike, or maybe the one before that – I got me a passel a’ them forever stamps what don’t say fer how much. I would have known it was something more than 40¢ and less than 50¢.

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**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/28 "2010-11-24T05:24:40Z")

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> [@mbh](#):
>
> And to naval ships at sea, if you use a FPO address.

Huh. I always did wonder what “FPO” was for. But at the same time, I was too lazy to look it up.

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/29 "2010-11-24T05:31:40Z")

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> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#):
>
> US Postal Service’s site is horrible to the point of hair-pulling.

What’s your point? He’s not trying to find it via [USPS.com](http://USPS.com), he’s trying to find it via Google. Here’s the very first website that comes up when you type “cost of a first class stamp” into Google (in the US):

[http://www.usps.com/prices/first-class-mail-prices.htm](http://www.usps.com/prices/first-class-mail-prices.htm)

Care to tell me how that webpage is confusing in the least? It couldn’t be clearer, in my opinion. Mailing a letter? Here’s the per-ounce costs of mailing it. Got a package? Here’s the per-ounce costs of mailing it. Got a large envelope? Here’s the per-ounce cost of mailing it.

And to be clear, I’m not trying to berate the OP for not using good search terms. I’m just curious as to what search terms he used, or why google failed for him. I struggle constantly with friends and family trying to teach them how to think of logical terms to search for when trying to solve something, and it helps me immensely when I can find out what people’s initial search terms are when they come at a problem from a different angle and come up with nothing.

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**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/30 "2010-11-24T14:15:40Z")

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> [@Raguleader](#):
>
> Huh. I always did wonder what “FPO” was for. But at the same time, I was too lazy to look it up.

“Fleet Post Office”. APO is either “Army Post Office” or “Air Force Post Office”, depending on the destination.

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**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/31 "2010-11-24T14:43:07Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> Huh? 4 changes in the last 5 years (39¢, 41¢, 42¢, 44¢) doesn’t seem like that often. And most people mail at least a few letters every month.

Since when? I’ve only started putting out a bunch of mail since I’ve been doing contests. Even then, I’ve got Forever stamps. Who sends all that mail out? A few checks for medical bills, Netflix which is prepaid, the occasional card, and my grandma died so I don’t write letters to anybody anymore.

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**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/32 "2010-11-24T15:01:20Z")

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Also, I was pretty sure it’s supposed to go up again on the first of January, but am finding nothing about that on the PO pages. Googling “postage increase 2011” yields a lot of pages about proposed increases including first class going from 44 to 46 cents. But they are almost all dated back in July. Is it safe to assume they weren’t approved?

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**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/33 "2010-11-24T15:41:18Z")

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> [@Satchmo](#):
>
> Also, I was pretty sure it’s supposed to go up again on the first of January, but am finding nothing about that on the PO pages. Googling “postage increase 2011” yields a lot of pages about proposed increases including first class going from 44 to 46 cents. But they are almost all dated back in July. Is it safe to assume they weren’t approved?

Some business rate changes were approved (I think) but the price for us regular folk was left unchanged. There’s a story here:[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/09/request\_to\_raise\_postage\_rates.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/09/request_to_raise_postage_rates.html)

I thought the funniest/saddest part was here

> [@](#):
>
> Postal regulators Thursday denied requests by the [U.S. Postal Service](http://www.usps.com/) to raise postage rates in January beyond the rate of inflation, ruling that **the mail agency’s recent financial woes were caused by a flawed business model** and not the recent recession.

(bolding mine)  
Yes, it’s a flawed business model. The company that knows what it costs to run its business (USPS) is told what rates they will charge to fund it (Congress). The USPS is not subsidized by taxes but is supposed to cover it’s operating costs from sales of its goods–but is then told it can’t charge what it needs to! Your government at work

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/34 "2010-11-24T15:51:13Z")

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> [@Lare](#):
>
> Some business rate changes were approved (I think) but the price for us regular folk was left unchanged. There’s a story here:[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/09/request\_to\_raise\_postage\_rates.html](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/09/request_to_raise_postage_rates.html)
> 
> I thought the funniest/saddest part was here  
> (bolding mine)  
> Yes, it’s a flawed business model. The company that knows what it costs to run its business (USPS) is told what rates they will charge to fund it (Congress). The USPS is not subsidized by taxes but is supposed to cover it’s operating costs from sales of its goods–but is then told it can’t charge what it needs to! Your government at work

Could be worse. They could be forced to have their revenue siphoned off to support another organization, like MWR ferinstance. 😛

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**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/35 "2010-11-24T16:00:47Z")

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Thanks **Lare**!

Wow. Flawed business model, eh. That’s pretty harsh. Even worse because they are in many cases being bested by companies like FedEx.

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**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/36 "2010-11-24T18:47:06Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> And most people mail at least a few letters every month.

I’m not so sure that’s true. I mail my rent check\*, which will soon be done online, and I mail a check to my dentist, because they don’t have a computer, much less a credit-card reader.

\*-and my roommate is actually the one who physically mails it, so I have no idea how much a stamp is, anyway.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/37 "2010-11-25T06:33:28Z")

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Okay.  
All USPS postage available to consumers and small business can be quoted here:  
[http://postcalc.usps.com/](http://postcalc.usps.com/)

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**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/38 "2010-11-25T14:21:22Z")

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[First result for how much to mail a letter us](http://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+to+mail+a+letter+us&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a).

Just sayin’

Joe

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/39 "2010-11-25T14:53:22Z")

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> [@wheresgeorge04](#):
>
> [First result for how much to mail a letter us](http://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+to+mail+a+letter+us&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a).
> 
> Just sayin’
> 
> Joe

[Post #8.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13171881&postcount=8)

Just sayin’.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cost-of-a-first-class-letter-in-the-us/561378/40 "2010-11-25T15:44:15Z")

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> [@Munch](#):
>
> [Post #8.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13171881&postcount=8)
> 
> Just sayin’.

Herp derp derp.

Just sayin’

Joe

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