A penny earned...

It's official. The postal rate for a 1-ounce letter is going up by a penny on January 22, 2012 ($0.44 to $0.45).  Price for additional ounces remains unchanged at $0.20. Postcard rates are going up by three cents ($0.29 to $0.32). You can download this PDF from USPS for a complete rundown on the rate changes.

Oh, and if you're patting yourself on the back because you're planning to mail out your wedding invitations in the next couple of months, don't assume that you're in the clear. If your RSVP deadline falls after January 22, make sure that you have the correct amount of postage on your RSVP envelopes (or RSVP postcards) so your guests don't have to pony up the extra cents.