Letters and greeting cards are initially easy to calculate the postage for. Anything under one ounce, for example, requires just one Forever stamp. But what if you include letters from a few people in one envelope?
That heavier envelope might come out closer to two ounces. How many stamps for two ounces do you need? You need more than one Forever stamp. Don’t just guess – I’ve got the answer you need below!
How Many Stamps For 2 Ounces In [currentyear]?
Two ounces of letter mail amounts to $0.78 of postage and requires just two stamps, a Forever stamp and a $0.20 extra-ounce stamp in [currentyear]. You can use two Forever stamps and overpay. Two ounces for a Flat requires $1.36 in postage, two Forever and a $0.20 stamp, or three Forever stamps.
I’m going to break down the postage for a letter, Flat, and even a package that weighs two ounces, so stay with me and keep reading!
What Stamps Do You Need For A 2-Ounce Letter?
To send a two-ounce letter, you need a certain amount of postage; confusingly, that postage is different than if you sent a two-ounce Flat.
That said, the difference is the size and thickness of the envelope. Further, the specific dimensions for a letter are:
- Minimum: ⅗ inches high; 5 inches long; .007 inches thick
- Maximum: 6 ⅛ inches high; 11.5 inches long; 1/4-inch thick
Also, letters max out at 3.5 ounces; anything more than that, you will incur Flats charges. Now, for a single Forever stamp to work as postage, your letter must be one ounce or less.
When it rises above one ounce, you need additional postage; the USPS currently charges an extra $0.20 per ounce (but that will change to $0.24 per ounce in July 2022).
Therefore, a two-ounce letter currently costs $0.78 in postage ($0.58 for one ounce, plus $0.20 for the extra ounce). As I mentioned above, you can stamp the envelope two ways.
First, give exact postage with a Forever stamp and a $0.20 stamp.
Or, if you don’t have a $0.20 stamp and don’t feel like a trip to the post office, you can use two Forever stamps ($0.58 + $0.58 = $1.16).
As you can see, this is overpaying, but when you have a sheet or a roll of Forever stamps, you can save time and avoid the trip to the post office.
But what if what you’re sending constitutes a Flat? Flats are larger than regular business-size envelopes and thicker, too.
Further, these are the specific dimensions for a Flat:
- Minimum: 6 ⅛ inches high; 11.5 inches long; 1/4-inch thick
- Maximum: 12 inches high; 15 inches long; 3/4-inch thick
As you can see, the thickness for a Flat starts where the max thickness for a letter ends. Additionally, Flats go by a totally different postage scale.
For example, they start at $1.16 for an envelope that weighs one ounce or less; then, the price scales up by $0.20 for every additional ounce (like with letters, just a higher starting price).
So, a two-ounce Flat costs $1.36 to mail.
Also, you could hit exact postage by using two Forever stamps ($0.58 x 2 = $1.16) and one $0.20 stamp ($1.16 + $0.20 = $1.36).
Or, as with the letter example, you could overpay with three Forever stamps ($0.58 x 3 = $1.74).
What matters is what postage you have on hand and whether or not you’re willing to make a trip to the post office if you need more because you don’t want to overpay.
How Many Stamps Do You Need For A 2-Ounce Package?
If you’re sending a two-ounce package, you can still use First-Class mail; it’ll just be First-Class Package, which is still highly affordable.
Now, First-Class Package is priced differently from both letters and Flats because now distance comes into play, as well as weight.
For example, a two-ounce package ships to Zones 1 and 2 for just $4.50. From there, the price rises in $0.05 intervals up to Zones 8 and 9, which both cost $5 to ship.
Fortunately, you can use stamps for this shipping method, as long as you have enough. That said, you would need nine Forever stamps ($0.58 x 9 = $5.22).
Also, you could meet the amount with eight Forever stamps ($0.58 x 8 = 4.64) and two $0.20 stamps ($0.20 x 2 = $0.40), which works out as $4.64 + $0.40 = $5.04.
But in my opinion, once you start sending parcels, it’s best to skip the stamps and buy a shipping label.
Not only is it easier (though you will have to go to the post office for the label because a First-Class Package isn’t available through Click-N-Ship), but you get USPS tracking.
With that, you aren’t sending your parcel out into the world and hoping for the best; you can follow the little package on its journey to the destination.
Will Two Forever Stamps Cover 2 Ounces?
Two Forever stamps will cover two ounces if the item being sent is a letter. Remember, a two-ounce letter costs $0.78, and two Forever stamps equal $1.16 in postage.
However, two Forever stamps will not cover the postage if you send a flat or a package.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on does USPS buy back unused stamps, do Forever stamps expire, and how many stamps for a card.
Conclusion
A two-ounce letter requires $0.78 of postage, a Flat $1.36, and a package, at least $5, all of which you can cover with enough stamps.
However, in some cases, depending on your mobility and, frankly, desire to make a special trip to the post office, it can be most convenient to overpay with Forever stamps.
