What Are Additional Ounce Stamps in 2022? An Expert Guide
Additional Ounce stamps provide postal customers critical savings on mail pieces weighing over 1 ounce. But what exactly are they and why should you use them? Read on for an in-depth perspective.
Purpose: Covering Costs for Heavier Mail
America loves mail. Even in the digital age, the USPS delivered over 52 billion pieces of First Class letters and cards in 2021. However, envelopes containing more than a simple letter or postcard often incur extra postage fees triggered by weight – adding up to real money for households and businesses.
For example, perhaps you purchased an oversized, embellished birthday card for a loved one. Pop-ups, gift tags, and dimensional elements may boost the weight to 1.5 or 2 ounces rather quickly. Without Additional Ounce stamps to cover the overage, excessive postage fees apply.
According to USPS price schedules, every extra ounce above one costs an additional $0.20 – nearly doubling the postage rate. For a 2 ounce letter in 2022, total postage comes to $0.96 – whereas a 1 ounce letter is just $0.58.
This is where the value of Additional Ounce Stamps shines through. Let‘s break it down.
Making Up Postage Differences
You can think of Additional Ounce stamps as making up the postage difference between the initial 1 ounce covered by a Forever Stamp, and the final actual weight of your mail piece.
Simply combine Additional Ounce stamps alongside Forever stamps to match the total cost.
For example:
| Letter Weight | Postage Rate | Stamps Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz letter | $0.58 | 1 Forever stamp |
| 1.5 oz letter | $0.82 | 1 Forever stamp + 1 Additional Ounce stamp |
| 2 oz letter | $0.96 | 1 Forever stamp + 2 Additional Ounce stamps |
Postage rates current as of July 2022
As you can see, Additional Ounce stamps provide an accurate, flexible solution for overweight mail without the guesswork.
Key Historical USPS Rate Changes
How did we get here? Let‘s analyze a few key postal rate modifications over the last decade that made Additional Ounce stamps essential:
- 2012 – USPS increased the First Class Mail letter rate to $0.45 and introduced the Additional Ounce rate of $0.21
- 2014 – Rates rose again to $0.49 for 1 ounce letters and $0.21 per additional ounce
- 2016 – Accelerating delivery speed created a two-tier letter rate system – Forever stamps up to 1 ounce and Additional Ounce rate lowered to $0.15
- 2019 – With postage hikes, the 1 ounce Forever Stamp letter rate hit $0.55, with Additional Ounces up slightly to $0.15 per ounce
- 2022 – Most recent increase set Forever Stamps at $0.58 each for 1 ounce, and Additional Ounces up to $0.24
As you can see, while Forever Stamp rates fluctuate with postage hikes, the Additional Ounce Rate loosely correlates – making combination stamps a reliable long-term solution.
When Are Additional Ounce Stamps Needed?
You will need supplemental Additional Ounce Stamps in the following common situations:
- Oversized greeting cards with extra weight from bows, ribbons, etc.
- Wedding invitations packed with multiple enclosures
- Thick envelopes containing too many pages
- Small lightweight boxes and poly mailers weighing over 1 ounce
And without the right postage, USPS automated equipment could reject these items from processing – meaning delayed delivery. Additional Ounce Stamps prevent this headache.
Final Take: A Value to Consumers
With billions of mail pieces subject to intricate postage price tables each year, Additional Ounce Stamps simplify the system for Americans. Their flexibility and stability deliver real economic value to postal customers.
Next time you visit the Post Office, be sure to stock up on this essential product. Your wallet will thank you later.
