The Top Regular Savers Discussion Thread

WillPS

masonic said:

WillPS said:

dcs34 said:

friolento said:

Mansfield don't have a Freepost address but to save a couple of pounds, you might be able to use the information from their return envelopes

I've tried the Freepost address posted recently here, today, so will see if that works!

Thanks for posting. Royal Mail have a generator on their website to draw up a business response envelope artwork, but it doesn't draw the same line pattern. Does anyone know what this is used for and whether it matters?

It seems to be a barcode of some sort, but not a standard format. It is not a unique identifier (like what we now have on stamps) as the pattern on my envelope is identical to friolento's

It's a codified version of the 'format', delivery speed and first 5 digits of license number. Mansfield must have put in a slightly different version of their address to the one printed on the envelope. I've found some documentation so I'll try to decode if I can...

flaneurs_lobster

WillPS said:

masonic said:

WillPS said:

dcs34 said:

friolento said:

Mansfield don't have a Freepost address but to save a couple of pounds, you might be able to use the information from their return envelopes

I've tried the Freepost address posted recently here, today, so will see if that works!

Thanks for posting. Royal Mail have a generator on their website to draw up a business response envelope artwork, but it doesn't draw the same line pattern. Does anyone know what this is used for and whether it matters?

It seems to be a barcode of some sort, but not a standard format. It is not a unique identifier (like what we now have on stamps) as the pattern on my envelope is identical to friolento's

It's a codified version of the 'format', delivery speed and first 5 digits of license number. Mansfield must have put in a slightly different version of their address to the one printed on the envelope. I've found some documentation so I'll try to decode if I can...

The barcode is unique to Royal Mail (Royal Mail 4-State), even found an online generator 

https://barcode.tec-it.com/en/RoyalMail?

gt94sss2

Can I suggest that people use a stamp rather than a business reply/barcode which is a specific service offered by Royal Mail (or just ask Mansfield for an envelope).

I know the aim of this site is money saving, but all it will ultimately do in the long run is encourage more organisations to refuse postal applications and/or offer less attractive products.

Hattie627

gt94sss2 said:

Can I suggest that people use a stamp rather than  use a business reply/barcode which is a specific service offered by Royal Mail (or just ask Mansfield for an envelope).

I know the aim of this site is money saving, but all it will ultimately do in the long run is encourage more organisations to refuse postal applications and/or offer less attractive products.

Good point. Presumably not offering online applications must be to avoid an avalanche of applications for a new product with attractive terms. But postal applications must be more expensive to process, particularly if incoming postage is paid for by the Society as well as outgoing postage, as well as stationery and staff time. This could well tip the balance in favour of non-online application accounts being limited to branch opening.. The branches are open and staffed already, so no real additional cost involved, and branch staff time meeting face-to-face with customers is probably regarded as a positive.  Living in Scotland, we have very limited access to branches of the English/Welsh building societies other than the big ones like Yorkshire, and then only in Glasgow/Edinburgh, so this particularly would affect those north of the border. 

flaneurs_lobster

Hattie627 said:
  Living in Scotland, we have very limited access to branches of the English/Welsh building societies other than the big ones like Yorkshire, and then only in Glasgow/Edinburgh, so this particularly would affect those north of the border. 

OTOH, applications for a RS at the Scottish BS (which gave rise to pages of comments here over their postal application service) can be processed in 30 minutes and include a cup of tea and a biscuit.

friolento

gt94sss2 said:

Can I suggest that people use a stamp rather than a business reply/barcode which is a specific service offered by Royal Mail (or just ask Mansfield for an envelope).

I know the aim of this site is money saving, but all it will ultimately do in the long run is encourage more organisations to refuse postal applications and/or offer less attractive products.

They are happily posting an application pack to you, complete with a reply-paid envelope and lots of glossy information that some people bin straight away. It costs them less if you print the application form yourself and use your own envelope, even if you use their reply-paid information on your envelope.

masonic

gt94sss2 said:

Can I suggest that people use a stamp rather than a business reply/barcode which is a specific service offered by Royal Mail (or just ask Mansfield for an envelope).
I know the aim of this site is money saving, but all it will ultimately do in the long run is encourage more organisations to refuse postal applications and/or offer less attractive products.

I think we do need to be mindful that asking Mansfield for an envelope results in them incurring a £3.30 postage charge (in my case) to send it with the other bumpf they include. Hence, asking for one has the greatest cost impact to them of the options being discussed.

Kim_13

gt94sss2 said:

Can I suggest that people use a stamp rather than  use a business reply/barcode which is a specific service offered by Royal Mail (or just ask Mansfield for an envelope).

I know the aim of this site is money saving, but all it will ultimately do in the long run is encourage more organisations to refuse postal applications and/or offer less attractive products.

As someone living rurally I would agree. Travel to branch will cost a lot more than a stamp (even in time terms for those lucky enough to be in a position to access the branches with a travel pass) if postal applications are refused. 

I would have approx 30% fewer RS if not for postal applications and have benefitted from other postal products in the past. 

The use of this generator has been mentioned before and flagged as potentially illegal.