Get Ready to Dig a Little Deeper the Next Time You Send a Card or Letter—because Stamps Might Be Going Up Again This Summer
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is asking to raise the price of a first-class “forever” stamp by five cents—from 73 to 78 cents. If approved, this change would kick in on July 13 and bump up the price of other mailing services too, like postcards, metered mail, and international letters—about a 7.4% increase overall.
If you’re thinking “Didn’t stamps just go up?”—you’re not wrong. The USPS has been steadily increasing rates over the past few years in a push to stay financially afloat. Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy had warned the public that more hikes were coming, calling past pricing models “defective.”
Now, here we are—one step closer to seeing a single stamp cost nearly a full dollar. Think about that for a second: did you ever imagine you’d be alive to see mailing a letter cost close to $1?
DeJoy, who resigned this past March, had been a big part of these rate adjustments. Meanwhile, talks within the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have raised questions about the future of the USPS—everything from leadership changes to talk of privatization and moving the Postal Service under the Commerce Department.
Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino is currently filling in while the search for a permanent replacement is underway.
But for now, if you’re a fan of snail mail, stock up on those forever stamps while they’re still 73 cents. Because come July, mailing a birthday card might just cost you a bit more than you expected.
