Mailing a Letter in Illinois Just Got More Expensive

I feel sorry for the mail clerks in Illinois post offices because this will mean their days will include a lot more grief. Don't ask me how I know. In case you're not aware, today is the day that sending mail in Illinois just got more expensive.

I know more about this topic than I want to know as my dad worked in a Missouri post office for more than three decades. I vividly remember that his mood would sour every time something like this happened as the general public would take out their fury on him and his colleagues who had no part in the decision for how much stamps cost, but that didn't matter to whoever was buying them. That's why this day has triggered some unwelcome emotions.

If you are a postal worker in Illinois, brace yourself because USA Today is reporting that July 13, 2025 (today as I write this) is the day that the cost of "Forever" stamps through the USPS will jump from 73 cents to 78 cents. That's not the only mail product that is slated to rise today. Here's the list of changes direct from the United States Postal Service:

Letters (1 ounce) - current price 73 cents - new price 78 cents
Letters (metered 1 ounce) - current price 69 cents - new price 74 cents
Domestic postcards - current price 56 cents - new price 61 cents
International postcards - current price $1.65 - new price $1.70
International letter (1 ounce) - current price $1.65 - new price $1.70

Here's some potential good news. As of this moment, it only shows the price increases under consideration and not active. Could that mean that there will be a delay for stamp and mailing price increases? Don't count on it. From what my dad experienced, USPS postal clerks should prepare to get an earful from unhappy customers. The wrath is coming.