investing in postage stamps

mumbles_one

Is it a good time to buy all the stamps you can afford??? then sell them on after the price increase ??? seems logical to me as there is a 30% markup on the stamps and from what I can remember of postal orders the stamps can be used as legal tender .

lincroft1710

Try paying for anything in a shop with 1st/2nd class stamps and see how far you get.

soolin

mumbles_one wrote: »

Is it a good time to buy all the stamps you can afford??? then sell them on after the price increase ??? seems logical to me as there is a 30% markup on the stamps and from what I can remember of postal orders the stamps can be used as legal tender .

I'm not sure the mark up is really there to make it worthwhile. You'd have to sell at a discount otherwise why would people bother. Very few people buy in bulk- except us mad MSErs (obviously) so you'd be selling a few at a time. Then you would of course be a business so would have to pay tax and NI on the little you did get.

InsideInsurance

Stamps aren't legal tender any more and even if they were that is only applicable to enforced debts and not day to day spending.


Certainly there is a benefit to be had to bulk buy now but the challenge will be where/who to sell to after the rise in price. Obviously if you have a plan for that bit then you could have an easy quick buck (that obviously needs to be declared for income tax etc)

[Deleted User]

I did that when first class were 24p, I bought several rolls of 1st and 2nd class direct from the RM site. Great tax free investment and I weigh and add to these for packets and large letters. Also good for presents to our grown up children. I have no intention of selling them. I don`t know the exact cost of 1st and 2nd now but it beats cash in the bank and they are easy to pass on

AdamKels

Seems a little time consuming! Sorry to echo what everyone else is saying, but for the money that you might gain from reselling it seems a little pointless!

rosie383

The cost of a first class stamp will jump by a massive rise of 14p making it 60p!!! And second class will be 50p. definitely worth buying in some before the 1st of April for personal use, especially for those who ebay a lot.

MarillionFan_2

Actually the OP is correct, there is a very good opportunity. A quick search on completed auctions on Ebay shows there is a good market in bulk stamps at a slight discount to the existing price(Not allowed to post the links I had)

So,

Head down to Tescos. Buy £2000 worth of 2nd class stamps. Use 5% Cash Back card from Capital One. Use Tesco's Clubcard.

Made £100 on card
2000 Clubcard points worth £20, redeem for £80 worth of Pizza Express vouchers. Sell on Ebay for 65% = £52
Make 39% on the stamps = £780

Total £932 before Ebay costs & a little discount. You can up that by taking the 5% discount at Superdrug instead of Tesco £980.

I reckon you're on 20-25% though after costs/discount to price.

fwor

Don't they change the colour of the stamps when they put the price up, and then force you to add extra stamps to make up the difference between old and new price (or surcharge the recipient)?

It's never happened to me, but I've heard anecdotally of that happening recently...

MarillionFan_2

fwor wrote: »

Don't they change the colour of the stamps when they put the price up, and then force you to add extra stamps to make up the difference between old and new price (or surcharge the recipient)?

It's never happened to me, but I've heard anecdotally of that happening recently...

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24/News/Local-News/219065-Pushing-the-Envelope-of-Stamp-Prices

No. You're thinking of tax discs.

Even Martin recommends it.:D

Sally22_2

Stamps dont go up til the 30th April just so you know! And if a stamp says 1st/2nd on it, it will always be worth 1st/2nd. Us Post Office people have too much else to worry about without having to work out how much you paid for different coloured stamps lol