DaveN 1,118 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Stamps are increasing in price later this month - only 1p - but if you use a lot especially at Christmas it may be wise to buy some now! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35612268 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 It's quite rare I post a letter these days Usually Christmas/birthday cards & I sent my mother a mother's day card on Saturday. If I want to contact family/friends there is the computer or telephone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Good job I've a load left from Christmas then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Same here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barclaycon 569 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 It's ridiculous they keep putting the price up. It's now a third class service and since they made 1st class stamps 64p. hardly anyone uses them. There's been a dramatic fall in use since the cost went up and the reliability went down. I had several cases where birthday cards didn't get delivered because the size wasn't right and they imposed all kinds of fines and the intended person had to go to the sorting office. Such things don't force you to pay the ridiculous prices, you just stop using it. And parcels..... don't get me started ! All the Christmas cards to my neighbours I delivered by hand. Friends and family I gave them personally. No use blaming the internet. It's the crappy, expensive, unreliable service that's to blame. The rot was started by that loathsome git Adam Crozier - who made himself a millionaire by being the 'hatchet man' who dismantled a respected institution. Just one final point. What's the last stage when you've ordered something off the internet ? That would be delivery. They managed to lose most of that business to couriers by being so rubbish. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 As we live in Italy, we stopped sending xmas cards as they turned out very expensive to send and were usually the wrong size and what do you do with them afterwards, they usually go in the bin or sometimes to nursury and infants school. We try to make a point of tele phoning friends and relations living in uk. We have a contract with vodafone that permits us to ring local, national, north America and all europe for 29.00 per month. The only country that concerns us that isnt covered is Australia but with charges like that we can phone every week. Forgot to say too that the postal service in Italy is ............ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 I agree with the previous posts but 1p on the price of a stamp isn't going to break the bank. These days, most people keep in touch by e-mail, text or Internet sites like Facebook. It's instant and convenient. The alternative is to write your letter, walk to the post box, wait a day or so for it to arrive at it's destination, then wait another couple of days for the postman to deliver the letter of reply. The parcels that have come to my home have all been delivered by private couriers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 This will only give you postal rates 1966- 2006 http://www.gbstamps.com/gbcc/gbcc_rates1.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barclaycon 569 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Most of my friends in Italy used to use Skype, but apparently there's a feature on iPhone that lots of people use now. (I don't own an iPhone myself). Yes, it doesn't sound much - 1p on postage, but it's relentless in the same way that they continually increase line rental on phone lines. Always a reliable earner to get a few extra million in. Legal documents are still the preserve of the postal system. Not everything has been usurped by the internet. Like I say, greeting cards were always a staple for the postal system, but they managed to mess that up and change people's habits. Ditto parcels. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 People are not using Royal Mail so much nowadays due to the points mentioned. This is why you will get the "Hard Sell" in the PO these days, trying to flog a service you don't need. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Some organizations still use the mail. Every week without fail an A4 envelope comes through the door advertising Virgin broadband. I know they will get bulk savings but it must cost them a bit; and if you're a Virgin customer, that's where some of your money goes. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gem 1,430 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 I run a small online business and I can cover a 1p rise but they have also put 5-6p on small parcel this I will have to pass on. Royal Mail are rubbish but other couriers drop off points are not near to me, so rubbish or not its still post office. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
banjo48 928 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 If it's like here in Oz, they don't want your letters anymore, it costs too much for them to handle , they love parcels as they are far more lucrative. I recently was going to order an item from the uk, it was a good price and a quarter of the Australian cost, 100 pounds plus freight, they calculated the freight at 90 pounds ! you can imagine what I told them. Anyway got the same thing direct from China via Ali-Express, same price including DHL courier in 7 days ! Back to the thread, we stopped sending cards at xmas years ago, wife still sends the grandkids birthday cards though as they love to get stuff from "traveling nan and grandad" often money enclosed too as we never know what to buy them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BilboroughShirley 1,120 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Text messages, phone calls, Skype, Google Hangout, email and Facebook have over as my means of communication most of the time. At Christmas I do like to send cards with hand written personal notes inside. It is a special time and the cards are so nice. I always send them early and second class. The electronic communication is OK for most people but there are still those who cannot access computer facilities easily and these are the people who are likely to be affected most by increase in postal charges. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OrphanAnnie 296 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I never put money in birthday cards nowadays - too many have landed in the hands of rogue postmen. I still post the cards but transfer cash into bank accounts, most kids seem to prefer the money anyway. I used to love getting cards from my gran when I was little - she always put four tanners in them! When I got older she put a half crown postal order in, I felt really grown up going to the post office to cash it. I think when the two tier postal system came in it was 4D for 1st class and 3D for second? We were encouraged to have penfriends at school and I still write to some, there's still something about a handwritten letter 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I'm still in touch with my penfriend after 60 yrs. I did actually meet her in 1966 and the following year she exchanged the visit. Lovely frienship. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 #11. CT. I too was plagued with Virgin Media junk mail, for three years. I eventually got a magnifying-glass and looked at the large amount incredibly small print and found an email address to contact and tell them not to send anymore. It worked; never had one since, but it took some finding. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I will try that next time I receive junk from Virgin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Little story from the time of introduction of the two tier post... My brother was a regular with a Newcastle bookies...fixed odds on the results of a footy match. Nothing over the top just a few quid winnings now and then. He was late posting that week but sent it anyway......And they paid out!! For the next 3 weeks he posted his bet on the Sunday morning. They must have thought it was a new two tier system cock up and paid him accordingly....That's the way to gamble...the day AFTER the results are published.(WONDER IF I CAN DO THE LOTTERY SUNDAY MORNING?) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Didn't the same thing happened with the pools & Australian rules football in our close season People were phoning the results in from Oz before the coupons had to be in at Littlewoods Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parmitage 127 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Hi there As a good old Postie I would like to defend both the service and the company. It has certainly changed over the years and done its best to change with the times despite the Gov hiving off big chunks to the private sector and making it impossible for us to compete on a level playing field. As for the comment about money and rouge Postmen - what can I say in any big organisation you always get the few and hence we are all tarred with the same brush. Do not forget we have our own Investigation Branch and we are watched. You get people having a real go if we deliver a letter that has been found hidden away and found very many years later. I say despite all that we completed our contract and still delivered it!!! The firm is exceptionally generous in supporting charities and schools and has won many awards for this being the top company for this type of thing. I have always found them good to their staff too. Reminds me of the story of the Postie who one day had one letter for a house across and lake and two miles down a dirt track. Off he went it was hot and tiring walking down the track. He got to the door, knocked and a dear old lady came out and took the letter. "Oh you shouldn't have brought this letter you could have posted it" she said. Best wishes Peter 9 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 Our posties in Caithness have always been a good bunch but even they are now complaining about the service they are able to offer, given the lower staffing levels and extra duties they have to perform in order for the share holders to take profits. I say: Don't blame postie, blame the privatisation of the service. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 Our post arrives any time between 09.00 & 15.00.................................Well at least it arrives Only problem the postie brings lots of "junk mail" too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 We heard the other day that the price of stamps will be coming down two cents. (Approx one P) over the next year. First time in about eighty years apparently. One wonders why? Must be summat funny going on! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barclaycon 569 Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Re#21 I have no problem with posties. It's not their fault that the service has gone downhill and the prices have sky-rocketed. It's the government and, dare I say it, the EU - who determined that private companies should be allowed to step in. Music to our governments ears as they were desperate to aquit themselvs of responsibility for the postal service. I mean, Royal Mail ? What's royal about it ? I wonder how the Queen feels about being connected to the biggest distributor of junk mail in Europe. I used to know our postie by name and what time he was likely to arrive. Now it's a different person each week and they could deliver at ANY time (if at all !) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.