Better tuck a little extra money in the budget — FedEx is boosting its standard shipping rate 6.9%. Fortunately, you still have a little time to adjust your budget (or plan for the hike in your new budget).

The move, which takes effect Jan. 5, is the company’s reaction to a more demanding marketplace. It’s also a bid to bolster the big carrier’s bank account.

It’s not all bad, from the corporate and customer standpoint: “Stringent” cost management and lower fuel prices have helped FedEx keep rate hikes in check through the year.

There’s even a small silver lining: The fuel price that currently triggers FedEx’s fuel price surcharge is being raised by 2 percentage points. This revised set point for implementing the fuel surcharge should help many customers absorb some of the price of the increase.

On the whole, FedEx remains healthy. Daily volume in FedEx express and ground operations have increased by 1%; U.S. domestic package volume is off by 5%.

Tags: express, FedEx, fuel surcharge, ground, shipping