Postal Rates Increase
As of May 14, 2007, the postal rates have increased. With the amount of information that Extension distributes to Coloradans on a daily basis, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the new rate for nonprofit flats, which were hit hard with a 64 percent increase (Figure 1.) When possible, you can save if you keep your mailers smaller than 6 1/8 x 11 1/2 when the item weighs less than 3.3 ounces.
Also, the requirements/standards for flexibility and "droop", otherwise known as deflection have changed. If a flat-size mail piece does not meet flexibility or deflection standards it will be considered not-flat machineable and will cost $.902. For more information on the rate increases, contact Korina Brim, manager of Mail Distribution & Mail Production. (970) 491-6709, or email Korina at Korina.Brim@colostate.edu.
A more detailed explanation can also be found in the following PowerPoint presentation put together by Korina.
Figure 1: First Class Postal Rates
Other Postage Saving Tips
- Keep first-class postcards to a maximum of 4 ¼" x 6"
- Fold items normally placed in a 9 x 12 envelope in half and mail in a 6 x 9 envelope
- Redesign mail pieces to meet letter-mail dimensions
- Letter and flat-mail pieces should be rectangular, not square
- When designing letter mail, the length divided by the height should be between 1.3 and 2.5 to avoid a surcharge
