LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — If you’re a Michigan resident, now is the perfect time to stock up on stamps. Starting July 14, the cost of Forever Stamps will jump from 68 cents to 73 cents, adding to the string of increases over the past year.

In addition to Forever Stamps, other mailing costs will also rise:

• Letters (1 oz.): From 68 cents to 73 cents
• Letters (metered 1 oz.): From 64 cents to 69 cents
• Domestic postcards: From 53 cents to 56 cents
• International postcards: From $1.55 to $1.65
• Additional ounce price for a single-piece letter: From 23 cents to 28 cents

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However, services like USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express will not see any price increases.

This 5-cent hike is part of a trend of rising postal rates, with the last increase occurring in January when the price went from 66 cents to 68 cents. 

According to USPS, these changes are part of its “Delivering for America” plan, a 10-year overhaul aimed at modernizing and improving mail services. The additional revenue from these price adjustments is expected to fund the updates needed to ensure reliable service in the future.

For instance, the plan aims to replace outdated equipment with modern, energy-efficient alternatives, expand the use of electric vehicles in the postal fleet, and enhance package sorting facilities to better handle the growing volume of e-commerce shipments. Additionally, investments in cybersecurity are being made to protect customer data and ensure the integrity of the postal system.

At the time the plan was implemented, the Postal Service faced projections of losing an additional $160 billion over the next decade. Through the plan’s initiatives, however, the organization is now on a path to achieve break-even operating performance within this 10-year timeframe.