Royal Mail new rates 2 April - save money this week.

david13

Royal Mail have kept this rather quiet.
Having raised the prices once in April last year, then ramped them up in August with "Pricing in Proportion", they are having the cheek to raise them again now!

A 155 gm parcel that I send regularly 2nd Class cost(s):
March 2006 58p.
April 2006 62p.
Aug 2006 109p.
April 2007 120p.

BUT, all "class" stamps are valid indefinitely.

e.g. a "1st class" stamp now costs 32p.
next week this will be 34p. (up 6.25%)
Any you buy now become "worth" 34p. each next week.

Others are:
"2nd"...........23p. to 24p. (up 4.35%)
"Large 2nd"...37p. to 40p. (up 8.11%)
"Large 1st"....44p. to 48p. (up 9.1%)

You can use them in any combination at their then current equivalent value to make up larger amounts.

SO, I can cover my future 120p. by using three Large 2nd stamps which this week cost 111p.


and click on April 2007 price changes.

david13

This has left out my link to Royal Mail

https://www.royalmail.com

AManOfKent_2

Stamps that are marked simply 1st or 2nd are what is called NVI (No Value Indicated) and can be used as 1st or 2nd class for ever as the rules currently stand. In addition to buying in bulk prior to a price rise it is well worth searching for cheap stamps elsewhere. I buy a lot of my stamps via EBay , look under Stamps/Great Britain/Collections the full address is http://stamps.listings.ebay.co.uk/Great-Britain_Collections-Mixture_W0QQfromZR4QQsacatZ65154QQsocmdZListingItemList. A lot of people sell their brand new stamps at reduced prices to exchange for cash. People get stamps as compensation for parcels that go missing or competition wins etc. and want cash instead. You can often pick up brand new stamps at up to 15% discount although bidding can be intense so watch you don't overspend when postage is taken into account. People also sell stamps that have gone through the postage system but have not been franked. They then soak them off and sell them as "Unfranked No Gum" or similar and you can pick these up at a greater discount. I am not sure on the legality of this practice but I am sure there is a philatelist out there who could help. A lot of EBay dealers seem to be the buyers of these type of sets. As usual on EBay you have to make a decision on whether the seller can be trusted.
Away from EBay one of the big stamp dealers called Dauwalders from Salisbury advertise discounts on current postage but you have to ring them for their current rates look at their page http://www.worldstamps.co.uk/stamps.html. In short if you use a lot of postage it is worth looking at other sources away from the Post Office for buying them. Any philatelists out there got any other ideas ?
Regards. Andy

LittleVoice

AManOfKent wrote: »

. . .
. . . People also sell stamps that have gone through the postage system but have not been franked. They then soak them off and sell them as "Unfranked No Gum" or similar and you can pick these up at a greater discount. I am not sure on the legality of this practice but I am sure there is a philatelist out there who could help.
. . .

Andy - I'm not a philatelist but if the stamps have been used to pay for delivery of a postal item, it's not legal to use them again, it's deception (theft).

AManOfKent_2

Since I posted my reply to the original item I have been in discussions with a few EBay sellers and the general consensus is that the law is a bit grey on the use of stamps that have gone unmarked through the postal system. They argue that if you stuck stamps on a letter that you did not post and wanted to use the stamps then the only way to do so would be to soak them off and use Pritt Stick or similar to attach them to the letter you subsequently post. They argue that buying unfranked stamps that fail to be marked by the post office is fair game and it is the responsibility of Royal Mail to make sure they are franked. I have noticed that sellers who are selling unfranked on EBay are very careful in their wording and are simply selling unfranked stamps without saying they are suitable for re-use as postage. It would be up to the buyer and their conscience as to what they are used for. The EBayers I spoke to would use the argument I mentioned above if challenged and say they accidentally put the stamps on the wrong envelope and soaked them off and stuck them on the right envelope and deny they had ever been through the system. As long as they are unmarked who would know any different ? With the use of more automated sorting by the Royal Mail the chances of a re-used and unmarked stamp being spotted prior to being postmarked properly by a sorting machine must be negligible. There are certainly two issues firstly the legality of using the unfranked stamps you know have been through the system and the moral argument as to whether you should be doing it. I personally will always play safe and buy slightly discounted new stamps but I can see why buying the unfranked at a larger discount (and a tube of Pritt Stick ) would be a cost effective option. Regards Andy

barncopxx

Put it this way. Royal Mail are getting hot on re-used stamps now. If they deem stamps on a letter/package to be re-used they will hold the item at your local office and send you a card telling you that there is a charge to pay and to call to pay for and collect the item - but on top of the charge will be a £1 handling fee! So for the sake of 34p for a letter is it worth the risk? What also makes me laugh is how people go out and spend a fortune on a snazzy greetings card for someone (sometimes £2-£3), then do their nut over the 34p to send it!:rolleyes:

pinkfluffybabe

I buy my stamps in Costco - you get 60 first class for £18 - 30p each which is a decent saving on 34p.

In answer to trixybess, I put a return address on my mail but the amount of mail coming to me that goes amiss is frankly astounding. This could be for any number of reasons, and like any area of work, there will be honest and dishonest staff in Royal Mail.