“Just dropping a line” will be more expensive starting Sunday.

U.S. postal rates will increase across the board Sunday. A 1-ounce first-class letter, will increase from 25 cents to 29 cents, DeKalb Postmaster Richard Silverman said. Each additional ounce will cost 23 cents, he said.

The cost of sending a postcard will rise from 15 cents to 19 cents, he said.

“DeKalb residents should also be aware that the cost of sending an 8-ounce, express mail letter will increase to $9.95 and a 2-pound letter will now cost $13.95,” Silverman said.

The rate increase followed a three-step process. The Postal Service first determined what their costs are and used that to decide on a 30-cent rate last December.

The proposed rate was sent to the Postal Rate Commission, Silverman said. After review, the commission came up with 29 cents for a first-class letter in early January, he said.

The modified rate then was sent to the U.S. Postal Board of Governors, Silverman said. The board accepted the modified rate on Jan. 22, he said.

In order to facilitate the rate increase, people can purchase a “make-up stamp,” Silverman said. The make-up stamp can be placed next to the old 15-cent or 25-cent stamp.

The stamp costs four cents but there is no numerical value on the stamp, he said. The reason is that when the stamps were printed, the rate increase was unknown, he added.

During the transition, the standard 29-cent postage stamp is called an “F(flower)-stamp” and also does not have the numerical value printed on it, he said. The F-stamp has a picture of a tulip on it and states “for U.S. addresses only,” he added.

The new 4-cent and 29-cent stamps are being printed and should be available sometime soon, he added.

Postal rates for Canada and Mexico will increase as well.

“The cost of a 1-ounce first-class letter to Canada will now be 40 cents,” Silverman said. Sending a half-ounce first-class letter to Mexico will now cost 35 cents, he said.

Postcards to either country will cost 30 cents, he said.

The price of sending a letter to a soldier stationed in the Middle East will be the same as a first class letter, 29 cents, Silverman said.

The increase is the first in two years. The last increase was from 22 cents to 25 cents in 1988.

NIU student reactions to the increase were not positive.

“If they have to do it, why not just make it an even 30?” sophomore pre-business major Dan Spung said.

“I wish it would stay the same,” Charles Klusman, a freshman pre-business major said. “Who wants to deal with a penny?” he added.

Freshman accountancy major Dionna Walker said, “I’m totally against the increase because they had an increase two years ago. I don’t see any additional services we’re receiving.”