To think 60p is too much for first class stamp?

It's diabolical. I like sending little bits and pieces to the grandsons. It's getting unaffordable though.

They've just announced that the Royal Mail is to be allowed to fix its own prices in future, although they've kindly agreed to cap the price of a second class stamp at 55p! Goodness knows what a first class stamp is going to cost by Christmas.....

OMG we will be buying books of stamps for presents soon.

Oh !!! just had a good thought maybe we will receive less junk mail now ?

It might just stop the junk mail, especially if we send it back to them so they have to pay the postage twice.

I bought 100 second class stamps a couple of weeks ago to stock up for later - Christmas cards perhaps. May get some more and also a few first class ones before they go up (60p!!) on 30 April.

I think junk mail senders have a special deal - they don't pay per piece of mail.

Junk mail is paid for in bulk - I know political parties had a deal on general election leaflets. When I send letters on behalf of CAB clients, I now prefer to fax them if possible - it's considerably cheaper than posting. Email would be free, but, I think, easier for the recipient to ignore.

Oh, now I remember, the election leaflets were freepost. That's some kind of arrangement for general elections. My mistake.

60p first class is definitely too much -especially when it doesn't guarantee next day delivery.
My Mothers day card from DD posted Fri morning arrived Tues!
I very rarely use 1st class.Must stock up on 2nds tomorrow if they haven't sold out.

I think back to when I used to have about 6 penfriends it would cost me a fortune now

It's very cynical they way they're upping the charge for 2nd class out of all proportion - they know a lot of people don't buy 1st class stamps any more because delivery is rarely any quicker...

Just heard on the news that at 60p our stamps would still be less than half the price that they pay in Germany. Can this really be true?

Apparently post is delivered ANYWHERE in the UK for the price of a stamp. This could all change if Royal Mail becomes privatised. It's reported that they are hiking up the price to ensure future stability . However IF RM becomes privatised then they can charge anything they like and need not deliver to more difficult places. Devil and the deep blue sea it seems to me. So, is it still a bargain or not? Ebay sellers will suffer alongside other small businesses and of course charities as, someone said, noone will want to donate to help postage! It seems that the CEO of Royal Mail is American - or is it Canadian?

I shall definitely be thinking twice about posting Christmas cards this year, we send almost a hundred cards, not all of them through Royal Mail, this year our scouts delivered for a small charge locally which was brilliant but still sent a lot of cards through the post.
Would be cheaper to phone and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

This is big business's answer to everything, isn't it? Losing customers - put the price up. As a consequence they lose more, and put the price up again!

12 shillings to post a letter - what would our parents have to say

Stamp books as presents wouldn't be anything new. My Gran used to send my Mum a present of stamps when we were evacuated during the war so that Mum could write to Dad. Stamps must have seemed an expensive luxury to people during the war.

I think we should have expected this.

E.mail has taken over a great proportion of business post, the older people who always communicated in writing are dying and the younger generation turn to technology.....they are trying to make up the shortfall.

Then you have e cards so you now dont even need to go out to purchase and post birthday cards.

Whats that saying...... if you dont use it you loose it. Or in this case it becomes out of reach of the pocket of most people who will think twice before buying a stamp

It really was inevitable, wasn't it. So many people now-a-days use e-mail, and I feel rather sorry for the older generation who do not have computers (we rather take it for granted that everyone does), so do not receive letters that way, and may have even fewer things coming through the letter box with the increase in the price of stamps; there really is nothing quite like picking up an envelope from the door mat is there - the expentancy even if you know it is only a bill, 'How much is it?' , and sitting down reading a letter written by a friend makes it more personal. I think e-cards are really good value for money too, but I am loath to use them except as thank you's because again, the personal touch has gone. However, we just can't have everything in life.

You have a point there PRINTMISS. Maybe the lack of real letters is one reason why so many people respond to those junk mailings that offer them ridiculous prizes from lotteries they have never entered. Unfortunately the rise in the cost of postage won't deter these exploitative crooks.

I am just completing forms for Inland Rev.(their error!). They have now sent me 9 new tax code forms, but no prepaid envelope to return the info they require to confirm THEIR mistake!!
So I'm paying for the stamp! Whilst they have just used up another tree!

More email is in use now, but I would have thought that the Royal Mail was offsetting that loss by the amount of junk mail that they are now paid to deliver - all of which I think is inappropriate for them to be doing - I only want real mail from my postman.

Superdrug usually have reduced price first class stamps, I think I shall have to stock up.