Stamp prices rise (again)! October 2nd.

Yes quite right GSM it was indeed Vince Cable.

My MiL always insisted on birthday cards being sent 1st class and we have continued the tradition - might be time to start a tradition of our own!
Post here is pretty goo don the whole and we are grateful for it.

I was chatting about this to a friend just a while ago . I had many fewer C cards last year as there wasn’t any point in sending due to the strike. I got some at the end of January and some never arrived . C cards are dead I think now with the price rise too . I will send a few to my very elderly friends and relatives but the rest will get an emailed card this year .

I suppose this means that I will receive even more e-cards from now on. Can’t stand the things.

Me too I paid signed for for an important letter and it took 8 days!! I was/ am appalled !

I remember the days when letter postage was 1d. One penny. If you posted a letter to a local address in the morning it would arrive in the afternoon.
I received a Christmas card in April posted in Barbados the previous November.

But think of all the posters on Fb, GN etc. who no longer send cards (saving paper) or write letters (email or WhatsApp). The PO has to make its money somehow, and charging more rather than improving the service seems to be the choice.

This is because they prefer to do parcel deliveries and are trying to compete with Evri. In march my birthday cards arrived seven days after my birthday. Apparently postmen were told to prioritise taking parcels out before letters

Ah well, NO Christmas cards then. This is ridiculous!

Apparently the price of second class stamps is remaining unchanged at 75p so Christmas cards are saved.

The Post Office management have no idea how to run the company. Constantly raising prices will in the long run will lead to less income.

I suspect they are hoping to lower expectations (and service) by getting fewer people to pay for first class stamps.

Germanshepherdsmum

I remember when it cost 3d to post a letter, there wee two deliveries a day Mon-Fri, one on Saturday and even one on Christmas Day.

In our county there was always big competition between the returning Uni students to do the extra Christmas deliveries especially the parcel post on Christmas day as they usually got a tip.
My gran used to send her sister who lived in the Midlands the weekend paper with all the BMD's I seem to remember she got special labels that went around the rolled up paper and it was really cheap.
Now we will be thinking twice about sending Christmas cards, I noticed we got a lot less last year and think I will be cutting the list this. I'm no Scrouge but the cost of the stamp makes me think twice or maybe I'm getting to be a Scrouge.

Georgesgran

Just as well it’s against my religion to use first class!!

Are thee a Non Conformist like me lass? Chapel bred and Chapel led, don't squander thy hard-earned brass.

What do people use 1st class post for?
I know I only use it if I've forgotten to post a birthday or other greetings card in good time for 2nd class. And two 1st class stamps will take a letter to most of Europe.
Even legal stuff can be done by email nowadays.

I sent some keys to a friend on a Thursday in a padded small envelope using 2 first class stamps. It was not heavy. It was one small key and a plastic keyring. After a week it hadn't arrived. On the Monday they got a card from the PO telling them it was waiting for collection and had a 50p charge plus the standard handling charge of £1.80. I looked into DPS and other companies also checked Recorded Delivery prices. All would have been cheaper and safer in the long term.