Price of first class stamps to go up 30%

[andygardener]

So when they put the price up they'll issue a new range of stamps of a different colour, or with the price instead of the service level so that the new first class stamps will be distinguishable from the old ones.

 

Then letters posted with the old stamps will be treated as having insufficient postage.

 

If they are going to put the price up by such a large amount you can bet they already thought of people using pre price rise stamps.

 

Not correct, they chose to issue 1st and 2nd class non-monetised stamps to save on printing costs of monetised stamps. The 1st class stamps I bought for relative buttons 5 years ago are still valid. Thery can choose to stop printing 1st and 2nd class non monetised stamps, they cannot fail to honour stamps in issue.

[Harleyman]

I send out birthday cards/anniversary cards.

 

The company I work for send out letters every day - so stamps are still very much required!

 

So do we but very few. Most times we E-mail our own customized greeting cards.

 

Our utility bills are all paid by automatic withdrawal from our bank account and the utility companies just send statements.

 

Post offices here are disappearing steadily and I'm sure they are in the Uk also.

I'm all for a paperless society. Unfortunately the junk mail companies dont think so and all the garbage that's included in our mail is another tree chopped down

[esme]

Stamps have had 1st or 2nd on them now for quite a number of years and they have always been valid after price increases. If the Royal Mail decide due to the exceptional large increase this time to not just put 1st or 2nd on the stamps and to actually put on a value then it will be the first time in quite a number of years.

 

Quite a number of people haven't realised that when stamps have gone up in price that the previous stamps are still valid and that "top-ups" have never been required.

 

I think more people are now aware of this, so maybe Royal Mail may change things this time especially with the cost increasing by such a large amount.

As you say they've never gone up by such a large amount before, especially as everyone and their dog will be hoarding stamps from before the price change hoping they will be able to use them afterwards

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Other than being able to afford the initial outlay are there any reasons why you couldn't buy thousands of pounds worth of stamps now at their current price then sell them in future for 5p less than the new price, making around 15 to 20% return on investment?(As long as they had 1st or 2nd rather than value on them)

Problem: you tie-up your capital. You gain only if the 15-20% return exceeds interest lost on invested funds or paid-out on borrowed funds. Otherwise no reasons at all.

[truman]

Problem: you tie-up your capital. You gain only if the 15-20% return exceeds interest lost on invested funds or paid-out on borrowed funds. Otherwise no reasons at all.

 

1st class are going up by about 30%..not a bad rate of return for you if you have a lot of pre price rise ones ..where else would you make 30% on your cash..

[Jeffrey Shaw]

1st class are going up by about 30%..not a bad rate of return for you if you have a lot of pre price rise ones ..where else would you make 30% on your cash.

Not a 'return' if you yourself have to use the stamps (just a saving).

Nor so much return if it takes you years to sell them to others.