USPS Increases Prices

The United States Postal Service announced new postage rates for mailing and shipping products. After previously being only 47 cents since last April, first-class letters in the U.S. will now cost 49 cents again. According to the International Business Times, the decrease last year was the first in 97 years.

"Given our precarious financial condition and ongoing business needs, the price reduction required by the [Postal Regulatory Commission] exacerbated our losses," Postmaster General Megan Brennans said, according to the International Business Times.

Postcard rates will stay the same (34 cents), letters and packages mailed internationally will stay at $1.15, but each additional ounce will cost 21 cents.

Over the next year, Priority Mail Express prices will increase 3.4 percent, and the average Prioity Mail price will increase 3.9 percent. First class packaging will increase 4.1 percent on average over 2017, and first class mail parcels will start at $2.67 for a 1 oz. package.