First-class stamp price to go up 1 penny

Running low on "forever" postage stamps?

If so, you have until the end of the week to buy them at today's 44-cent price tag, as the U.S. Postal Service is increasing the cost of first-class stamps by one penny, up to 45 cents.

A forever stamp is nondenominational and will continue to cover the cost of mailing a one-ounce, first-class letter, regardless of future price increases.

Here are the price changes, effective Sunday:

First-class stamps, most of which are also forever stamps, jump from 44 to 45 cents. That means that, as of Sunday, forever stamps will also cost you a penny more. (Before buying, check for the word "forever" on the stamp.)

The cost of mailing postcards will rise three cents, up to 32 cents.

Letters to Canada or Mexico will require an added five cents in postage, bringing the cost to 85 cents.

And, letters to other international destinations will see a seven-cent price increase, up to $1.05.

"The overall average price increase is small and is needed to help address our current financial crisis," said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in an Oct. 18, 2011, media release. "We continue to take actions within our control to increase revenue in other ways and to aggressively cut costs."

With a decline in volume of first-class mail, the postal service ended its 2011 fiscal year, which ran from Oct. 1, 201,0 to Sept. 30, 2011, with a net loss of $5.1 billion. It's been two-and-a-half years since the price of first-class stamps has increased, according to the postal service.

Learn more about these and other