Stamp prices are set to rise

jonmimir · 31 December 2008 at 12:37PM

Don't know what people here think of Costco (where you have to pay to join their club to shop) but thought I'd mention they sell First, Second and Large First stamps at about 10% off the face value. They come in multi packs (6x12 first or 10x4 large). Costco only accept debit cards or cash, so no cashback credit cards... but if you use stamps in bulk like I do due to eBay it's well worth a look. You can combine stamps to make up the postage for heavier items if you can work out the prices, and a Large stamp covers postage of letters to Europe too. I also bought a bulk pack of 2p stamps from Royal Mail (£30 order to avoid postage cost of course, and got free Air Mail stickers) and with a mixture of first, large and 2p stamps it's easy to pay for postage for anything up to a couple of quid, with a 10% discount thanks to Costco.

colin_tomlinson · 31 December 2008 at 12:53PM

catmiaow wrote: »

Custardy right. You have to live in Wales to qualify.

No, you don't. The pharmacy needs to be in Wales.

So, posting to your friend in Wales would work, BUT consider the cost of posting the items. Not bad if it's tablets, but ointments and so forth would be just as expensive.

There's also the issue that it's illegal to post medications (pharmacies simply won't do it), but then, who is going to know?

I'm English, but lived in Wales for four years. There were TV programmes about Welsh people who lived near to a pharmacy, but over the English border, and needing to drive miles to the nearest Welsh one. Also, in the same programmes, stories of English people living near Welsh pharmacies and coming over the border to "take our free prescriptions" (presenter's words).

If you have prescriptions regularly, and you're presumably are not in any of the exempt categories, consider a prepayment certificate. When you go to the pharmacy, ask for an FP57 - this is an official NHS receipt, for prescription charges. IT CAN BE GIVEN ONLY AT THE TIME OF PAYMENT, not when you collect the items or later. The receipt from the till is NOT sufficient. You can then take a little while to decide whether or not you want a prepayment certificate. If you decide to go for one, then you can ask for it to be backdated up to a month and reclaim any FP57s you have in that time.

As for the cost, prescription items currently cost £7.10 each. A 3-month certificate costs £27.85 (saving on 4+ items in that time), or a 12-month certificate costs £102.50 (saving on 15+ items in that time) AND you can pay by (10) monthly direct debit, interest-free.

More info at http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx

Who knows what they'll cost form April? Get a prepayment certificate NOW at the OLD rate!

misterthrifty · 31 December 2008 at 4:35PM

Its also worth looking online for discounted stamps, dealers regularly sell them well below the face value. Just do a search for discount stamps or similar and you will find there is a choice. Buy them now and you will save about 25% on the price after it has gone up.