When Are The Stamps Going Up

Let's talk about something that actually matters. The price of a stamp. Yes, those little sticky rectangles that live in your junk drawer are getting more expensive. Again.

It feels like a personal betrayal, right? Every few years, the postal service tiptoes in and hikes the price. But when? When are we supposed to brace ourselves for the big number change?

The Great Stamp Hike of 2024

As of right now, the next big jump is scheduled for January 21, 2024. That’s the date the United States Postal Service wants to slap a new price on a First-Class Mail Forever stamp. It’s going from 66 cents to 68 cents.

Two cents. Sounds tiny. But it’s a two-cent betrayal of your trust. Your wallet won’t feel it, but your soul will.

The Postal Service actually tried to raise it to 73 cents earlier. They got denied. The Postal Regulatory Commission looked at them and said, “Nah, you’re being greedy.” So they settled for the gentle two-cent pinch.

Why Does This Keep Happening?

Inflation, baby. The cost of everything is going up, including the price of paper and truck fuel. Your mail doesn’t fly on pixie dust. It rides on diesel.

Also, we send fewer letters. Think about it. You probably emailed your grandma last Christmas. That means the Postal Service has to charge more for the few letters they do carry to keep the mail trucks moving.

Fun fact: The USPS is required by law to deliver to every single house in America, six days a week. Even if you live in a shack on a mountain. That’s expensive loyalty.

What About Those "Forever" Stamps?

You bought a sheet of Forever stamps years ago, right? They were 44 cents back then. Now they’re gold. Literally treasure. A Forever stamp buys you first-class postage forever, even if the price goes up. You can stick a 2010 stamp on a 2024 envelope, and the postal worker will just nod.

It’s the closest thing to a time machine you can buy. If you have a drawer full of them, you are sitting on a financial fortress. Use them now. Thank you, past you.

Price of postage stamps going up soon - stock up now to save money

This is the best financial advice you’ll get all year: Buy more Forever stamps tomorrow. Today, the price is 66 cents. Tomorrow, it’s 68 cents. If you buy 100 now, you just “saved” two whole dollars.

The Quirky History of Stamp Prices

Did you know that the first U.S. stamp cost just 5 cents? That was in 1847. You could mail a letter from New York to San Francisco for a nickel. Of course, it took six weeks by horse, but still. Five cents.

In 1919, a stamp cost 2 cents. In 1958, it was 4 cents. The price didn’t break 10 cents until 1974. That’s when people started getting really mad.

The biggest single-year jump happened in 2023. Stamps went from 60 cents to 63 cents to 66 cents in a single year. Three hikes in twelve months. That’s like getting a paper cut every four months.

When Will It Stop?

Never. That’s the honest answer. The USPS is projecting more hikes every six months until at least 2026. They want to hit 73 cents eventually.

Why 73? Nobody knows. It’s probably a magic number. Maybe it’s the price of a fancy coffee. The Postal Service wants you to choose between a latte and a letter.

Choose the letter. Write to your aunt. Tell her you love her. Use a Forever stamp. Feel powerful.

Is the Cost of Stamps Going Up in 2026? - Men's Journal

Funny Things People Do With Stamps

Some people lick them. Don’t do that. The glue is synthetic and tastes like regret. Use a damp sponge. It’s classier.

There is a guy in Nebraska who owns a stamp collection worth more than a house. A single stamp from 1918, a misprint with an upside-down airplane, sold for $1.5 million. That stamp is worth more than my college education.

You might have a rare stamp in your junk drawer right now. Check the back. If it says “USA” and has a tiny error, you might be rich. Probably not. But check anyway.

The Verdict

The stamps are going up on January 21, 2024. Mark your calendar. Or don’t, because it doesn’t matter if you own Forever stamps.

This whole thing is a little silly, isn’t it? We spend so much time worrying about two cents. But it’s fun to care about the tiny things. It’s the tiny things that stick.

So go buy some stamps. Write a letter. Lick the envelope (just kidding, use a sponge). And remember: You beat the system every time you use a stamp you bought for 44 cents.

The price goes up. The feeling of sending a real letter? That’s priceless.