Did you know this ?

ROYAL mail? Really? It is now owned by a foreigner. How long before we get offered an alternative run by another company or hedge fund just like the water companies. My GGC in OZ will get 3cards in one envelope . I expect there will be a weight limit.

Most of my friends are abroad and I probably send 20+ cards each Christmas. Last year I read an article that said if you caught a cheap flight somewhere in Europe (can't remember exactly where) and posted around 50 cards to UK and Europe then you would still save money in spite of the cost of the flight. Says a lot!!

I cut my Christmas card list by half this year- stamps now cost more than the cards. Ridiculous. And I detest those stupid online cards and won’t be sending any of them,either. I don’t bother opening the stupid things.

Crossstitchfan

What’s the point of mentioning or complaining? No-one ever listens.
I don’t send anything by mail any more, unless it is unavoidable. The stamp costs are ridiculous now, and recipient of the card probably isn’t bothered anyway. Online, there are some very good e-card sites and the subscription cost is reasonable, certainly a lot cheaper than sending a ‘proper’ paper card by post. The Post Office/Royal Mail are on their last legs unless they put their charges down.

Royal Mail was taken over in April and whilst it may eventually transform into a rather different entity it does look like it has a positive future (given the chap who now owns it - can't spell his name). Post lockers are the way to go and RM will be increasing them from 1500 - 20000. Plenty more investment in the pipeline. Hopefully our wonderful Posties have a future.

My DD is waiting for a wedding card to be delivered. Posted 2 weeks ago. Luckily no money nor vouchers enclosed. But I think if it looks as though it could be a celebration card it could well be opened somewhere along the line and the contents stolen...and the card chucked.
Such a shame when we all know how wonderful it was to get a birthday card with a 10/- note in it. An e gift voucher isn't the same, but that's what I send now.
Let us know Multicolour if the £20 arrives and cheer us up!

Well let’s hope your £20 gets delivered Multicolours?
So you think it’s worth £3.20 to send a birthday card to Ireland then ?
By the way who is Syd ?

Well I mentioned as it might help someone who didn’t know and I m complaining because I think the service is a disaster now Crosstitchfan should I just have kept my mouth shut and not have posted on here I thought it was a discussion group !

I think it is amazing that it costs £3.20 to send a card to say rural France from say the north of England. Think how many people are involved in moving said card from A to B and they all have to be paid. A cup of tea out often costs £3.20. I wouldn't like to try and run the post office with the dwindling amount of physical post. Youngsters don't send birthday cards.

My local post office has a banking system now due to the local bank closing down - well done Syd

I receive mail every other day and I’ve just posted a birthday card to my dg who will love to receive it especially as I’ve popped £20 into the birthday card I remember those days when I was a youngster, so exciting and well worth a stamp 🤣👌

I posted an RSVP to a wedding. It took six days to travel eighteen miles.

What’s the point of mentioning or complaining? No-one ever listens.
I don’t send anything by mail any more, unless it is unavoidable. The stamp costs are ridiculous now, and recipient of the card probably isn’t bothered anyway. Online, there are some very good e-card sites and the subscription cost is reasonable, certainly a lot cheaper than sending a ‘proper’ paper card by post. The Post Office/Royal Mail are on their last legs unless they put their charges down.

I remember the days when newsreaders would announce an increase of 1p. on postage stamps and there would be an absolute outcry. Now the prices go up in leaps and bounds with hardly a mention.

But local most of us can do ourselves or get a friend or neighbour to do it’s the ones away and definitly overseas that is such a shame HekterSkelter

Such a shame for all the card companies/shops and charity cards. Maybe the boy scouts will have to set up a card delivery service for local cards. Make a change from packing shopping.

I know my son in NZ was told that within a year or so they will have no deliveries to the house as it is they seem to have fewer deliveries than we have had previously but maybe it’s getting about the same now

It is outrageous, but I think Royal Mail are set on destroying themselves.

The service has worsened, but they seem to raise their prices on a whim; letters often take days to arrive, (when they don’t go astray), are frequently delivered to the wrong address (at least where I live, many a time I’ve had to deliver mail posted to me meant for someone on a different street, only our house number being the same).

It is soon to be only alternate delivery days for 2nd class mail and no deliveries on Saturday, and post offices are closing left right and centre.

It’s appalling really, but nothing will happen to change it because they argue that people increasingly use the internet for communication, letter writing is a rarity in their view, and other carriers are increasingly used for parcel delivery. It’s as if they’ve just rolled onto their stomachs and given up.

Do other countries face the same issues with their mail system or is it just here?

Really?
That settles it then. I'm sending all my European friends Christmas cards from France while I'm here now. A bit early, but they'll forgive me if I explain the cost.
Thanks for this revelation.

I know there is , all the world.
Pretty sure though, the price seems to have gone up since Christmas. By quite a bit.

The man behind the counter said a family on holiday went to the PO to send ten postcards cards to Europe it was going to be over £30 so they said forget it

I usually receive and send 6 Christmas cards to southern Ireland but I think an email will suffice.

RM is closing itself down on its own with little help from us.

I will use the money saved by buying a treat in Waitrose or M&S.

WOW. Glad I don't know anyone abroad to send cards to. I expect our Christmas card list which has dwindled over the years will lessen even more this year. Our own postage cost have increased ridiculously. My brother in law sent a card for my birthday a couple of years ago and I had to pick it up from our local depot because he'd put an old stamp on it. It cost me nearly £4. So between the cost of the card and the petrol to get it wasn't worth the bother.

Yes, we did know as most of our friends live overseas. The cost is OUTRAGEOUS. No wonder the RM is losing money/business. With easy access to cards of various descriptions on the internet, people now tend to send these on line. We have cut down from 60+ Christmas cards, through 30 and now send 3. Shame on you Royal Mail [and the service deteriorates monthly too]