It Could Soon Get Even More Expensive to Send a Letter in Minnesota

Better stock up on those Allen Toussaint and Betty White First Class Forever Stamps.

The price to send a letter through the United States Postal Service may be going up in just a few weeks.

Right now, you can send a one ounce First Class letter for 73 cents. But the USPS is asking to raise that 5 cents on Sunday, July 13th to 78 cents.

There are other proposed increases that day, too:

• Letters (metered one ounce), going from 69-cents to 74-cents;
• Domestic postcards, currently 56-cents would jump to 62-cents;
• International postcards cost $1.65 to send now. They would cost $1.70 in mid July;
• And postage on International letters (one ounce) that cost $1.65 now would  jump to $1.70, as well.

The US Postal Service board of governors filed their intent to raise prices in early April. The average increase -- around 7.4%.

The Postal Regulatory Commission has not yet approved the increases.

The proposed increases would also affect Marketing Mail Commercial and Non-Profit rates.

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The evolution of postal rate increases is eye-opening.

Remember when you could mail a letter with a 20 cent stamp in the early 1980s? Well, those days are long gone.

In fact, the price since then has more than tripled.

Here's a graph of the evolution of postal rates since 1863.

Hedging on Forever Stamps? Not a bad idea.

For the uninitiated, the Postal Service offers "Forever Stamps." These are First Class Letter Postage Stamps that are purchased at today's rate -- but can be used indefinitely to mail a letter.

Buy a bunch at 73 cents each before the rate increase and save, regardless of future price hikes.