POSTAGE STAMPS.

[Georgiesmum]

In view of the forthcoming price hike of postage stamps,have you bought loads of stamps before they go up? If so, how many?

[Old_Geezer]

I fairness, if, as claimed, the service is presently being run at a loss, well they aren't a charity. In the marketplace the amount charged has to cover the cost plus a profit. In the days when the market was not opened up to competition then they could cross subsidise and provide a cheap service. Now-a-days, unless the government is willing to fund the service out of the public kitty as a public service, then the cost must be reflected in the price.

[BAKERS DOZEN]

According to the news earlier they are rationing shops to 20% of their usual annual allocation to try to stop people stockpiling but if you go online to the Royal Mail website you can purchase them by the thousand if you need to. Handy to know if you are a small firm that relies on stamps (and of course if you've got the cash to spare).

[poortony]

Yes I bought a hundred this week and one hundred last week, no problems
in the main post offices. Its does not matter if they change the colour of the
stamps ONLY the price, if it states 1st class that is all that matters it goes
1st class immaterial to the colour. the price of postage goes up every year
only difference this time it going up a lot more.
I use a lot of stamps so in the long run I will save.

[chaptazbru]

MarkRae - how much do you want for those stamps ???

[boxtops]

I bought 100 x 1st and 40 x large 1st about two months ago, when they firs announced the price hike, and another 100 x 2nd a couple of weeks later. It's a lot to lay out, but it'll be a big saving which will last right up to Christmas (if not longer)

[commoner]

If it's just cards that worry you the simple way to beat this and I am not joking is to simply pay 15p less for the card......nice cards come in all prices from 5 for a quid up to a few pounds each and all prices in between....not a smidgin difference beteen them in appearence....anyway it's the thought that counts..not the price of the card.....isn't it?

[boxtops]

That's true, commoner - our local Card Factory has very acceptable cards for 10p at the moment, 10 for a £1.

[chaptazbru]

It won't stop me sending cards for birthdays, Christmas and so on. It's far nicer to get a card through the door than an ecard, as nice as ecards can be, but you can't look at them on display and hold them in your hands. I'm going to try and buy some stamps on Monday when I go to town - hope there are some left !

[mike11111]

I am like Mark. Apart from Xmas cards I have used one stamp in the past 14 months. I went to the PO to buy a single stamp in order to send a sympathy card to a friend who had just lost her son. They had no general issue stamps, only one which showed the graveyard scene from Hamlet with him holding a skull. I thought that this was most inappropriate to the occasion. Instead of the one stamp I required I was forced to buy a book of 6 ordinary stamps, of which I still have 5 left. In fact I have more, because I was so annoyed that I complained via email to Royal Mail who apologised and sent me free gratis a book of 12!

[ojread2]

the reason RM are rationing is because they dont have the price on the stamp on the front of the stamp so people are panic buying, and yes, they are panic buying.

They can change the colour of the stamp if they like, but if it says first class its first class
I have some in my purse from about 2 years ago that have 1st class on them, so I guess I'm lucky =)

[Dee Sa]

I bought 20x2nd class stamp books of 12 stamps per book + 2 books of 1st class stamps and did not get much change from £100, thats all I can afford to buy and thats going to make life a bit hard this month.
I do about 8 crosswords over the weekend and like to try for the prize offered, in future I wont be sending the ones that have a pen or dictionary for prizes only the ones with cash prizes.
I have joined Katies Cards for £ 8 per year and can send unlimited e cards, so friends will get these in future and only close family members will get a card sent by post or when I can hand delivered.
I used to love sending and recieving a "proper" letter from friends but sadly this doesnt happen anymore. I dont think many of our younger generation could even compose a letter these days and do you hardly ever get a "thank you" letter anymore ?

[ojread2]

I rarely if ever, send thank yous via the post, always email
It is cheaper now, to buy a card from the on line card sites, funkypigeon has/had free postage