Forever Stamp Prices Are Going Up Again: When It’s Happening

Like many, I still purchase stamps and mail out physical letters. There's something special about sending and receiving mail, which is why I'm excitedly preparing to send out baby shower invitations soon. Some of my invitees will receive paper invites, which means I'll need to buy stamps. I had planned on spending 73 cents per stamp, but now the price of Forever stamps is increasing again.

Starting next week, the price of a Forever stamp will increase by 5 cents. This would be the second time the United States Postal Service (USPS) has raised the cost of postage this year. The price of a Forever stamp has steadily climbed since their original cost of 41 cents when the USPS introduced them in 2007. In January, the USPS raised the price from 66 cents to 68 cents.

According to the agency, other postage rates are also set to jump. Mailing a postcard domestically will cost 56 cents, a 3-cent increase, while the price of mailing postcards and letters internationally are both rising by a dime to $1.65. Overall, postage costs are rising 7.8% increase, USPS said in a statement in April. 

"These price adjustments are needed to achieve the financial stability sought by the organization's Delivering for America 10-year plan," the agency said at the time.

If you’re wondering about the price of renting a Post Office Box, that price is not going up. USPS also mentioned that they will reduce the cost of postal insurance by 10% when mailing an item.

Customers also have more Forever options to choose from. USPS in June began offering two new Forever stamps. One that depicts baseball legend Hank Aaron and another that pays homage to Canadian-American game show host Alex Trebek. 

Aaron held professional baseball's home-run record for three decades until it was broken in 2007, while Trebek hosted Jeopardy! until he died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020. 

The USPS this year has also launched Forever stamps honoring former First Lady Betty Ford, University of California Los Angeles men's basketball coach John Wooden, and some of the conductors of the Underground Railroad. 

Not everyone is concerned by the price increase. Some people took to social media to share their thoughts. “It’s actually insane how cheap the regular mail is. Even in today’s economy, I could go to a parking lot and find enough change to pay for postage,” said one person.

Another person said, “People will spend $10 daily for a Starbucks drink but complain about the rising cost of stamps. I love it.”

In November, the agency said it lost $6.5 billion in 2023 and expects to lose another $6.3 billion in 2024, according to Keep US Posted, a nonprofit group.

The new postage rates take effect on July 14.