Vacation postcards cost a penny more

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sending those beach postcards back home to Aunt Edna costs another penny as of Sunday, as postal rate hikes approved earlier this year went into effect.

The cost to mail a one-ounce letter first class stayed steady at 34 cents, although rates for each additional ounce jumped from 21 to 23 cents.

Postcards now cost 21 cents to mail, and the price of a pre-stamped card rose to 23 cents.

Businesses will feel the pinch of rising postal rates as well -- business reply mail prices jumped a penny to 18 cents each while the jump for each additional ounce mirrored that of first class, from 21 to 23 cents.

Priority mail costs followed the lead of first class, with basic rates remaining unchanged while rates for packages weighing over two pounds increased by varying amounts. Express mail delivery rose 1.5 percent across the board, with increases ranging from 15 cents to $1.80 per piece.

Priority mail packages under two pounds and first class stamps went up on January 7.

Several other rates and special services were also on the June increase list, including the fee for certified mail, which went up from $1.90 to $2.10; and the fee for a money order, which went up from 75 cents to 90 cents.