Prices seem to be climbing across the board lately—and unfortunately, that trend is hitting another part of your everyday life.
Yes, mailing a letter is about to cost you more.
Since 2000, this marks the 20th time stamp prices have gone up. And if you’re wondering why this keeps happening, the answer is simple: we just don’t send as much mail as we used to.
According to Axios, the steady decline in traditional mail is a major reason behind the rising costs. Meanwhile, the USPS has been grappling with serious financial struggles, losing over $100 billion since 2007.
And it’s not stopping there. Reuters reports that more price hikes are already on the calendar—for January and July in both 2026 and 2027.
The Postal Service says this is all part of a “long-term financial strategy” to stay afloat and keep the system running.
Interestingly, just last month, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stepped down. Throughout his time in the role, he consistently pushed for price increases, calling them necessary to fix what he described as a “deeply flawed pricing model.”
Despite receiving some serious help, like a $50 billion relief package under President Biden and an additional $10 billion in loan forgiveness from Congress, the USPS is still expected to lose another $80 billion over the next 10 years.
First-class mail volumes are projected to keep shrinking, and unless something major changes, we can expect the price hikes to continue.
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