Quick 39% Return On Investment For Those Who Want It

[RecordAceFromNew]

As we all know in under a month's time Royal Mail postage prices are going to skyrocket.

Currently you can still get books/blocks/sheets of e.g. 2nd class stamp from the post office. It has no price denomination, just say e.g. 2nd class. Each is 36p now, but will be 50p next month, that translates to an increase of about 39%. The increase for 1st class is less in terms of percentage, so 2nd class stamps are "better investment".

I use quite a lot of stamps, so it makes sense for me to stockpile enough for a couple of years - I don't know any safe investment with anywhere near the same level of return over the same period currently.

I wonder if we will see people buying bucket loads now and selling them on ebay for a little under 50p next month...

 

[oldfatfool]

Shame they are no longer legal tender.

Given the discounts available to people using Franking machines and bulk posters, not to mention down stream access, stamps are really only aimed at the General Public. Bearing this in mind you could be holding onto 20,000 2nd class stamps for a long time to make £2,800.

Also it only takes Royal Mail to start printing values on all stamps again and declaring that old 2nd class only have a nominal value of what they where last sold at to really screw you over

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Also it only takes Royal Mail to start printing values on all stamps again and declaring that old 2nd class only have a nominal value of what they where last sold at to really screw you over

Firstly I have some pretty ancient 2nd class stamps lying around - while history is no guarantee of what the future may bring, unless they declare/change it before 1st May how will they know what price mine were bought for? Secondly the current stamps have no "used by date", do they? So how can Royal Mail rightfully declare they can no longer be used as 2nd class stamps after the end of the month?

 

[Soltydog]

If you are buying a few its worth going to Superdrug, as they do 5% discount on stamps

 

[oldfatfool]

Firstly I have some pretty ancient 2nd class stamps lying around - while history is no guarantee of what the future may bring, unless they declare/change it before 1st May how will they know what price mine were bought for? Secondly the current stamps have no "used by date", do they? So how can Royal Mail rightfully declare they can no longer be used as 2nd class stamps after the end of the month?

Firstly I said declare they have a nominal value of what they where last sold at ie 36p so your old 'old' stamps would have gained in value, Rm would just need to stop selling stamps marked 2nd class on the date of the increase.

Secondly whilst a stamp as no use by, the fact it says second class on it now doesn't mean it gets you the service, it is still classed as having a value, so for instance if you have a parcel to send that needs £3.60 postage to go first class you can use 10 x 2nd.

If I had to guess I would say that RM only started to print 1st and 2nd on stamps to save money and make it simpler at price increases than having to check the value when more than one stamp was affixed to the envelope. However when the price increase is by such a large margin if RM see a massive run on stamps then they will see it as a long term loss of profit, and may decided to go back to the old method, who knows.

 

[Archie_tect]

Straight from the lady at the Post Office:

They will start printing the price on the new issues of 60p [1st], 50p [2nd and 75p [ist class large letter] but they will always honoiur any old stamps with 1st or 2nd printed on them as stamps worth the relevant 1st and 2nd class value at the time of posting so RecordAce is fully justified in buying in bulk to use later in the safe knowledge that a 1st or 2nd class stamp will be the equivalent value at the time of posting.

There you go, no more speculation required.

 

[Leedsbusdriver]

Being a bus driver i come into contact with money.If i come across an Olympic 50p coin i keep it and shove it on ebay,talk about easy money.

 

[albion]

Give me 6,000.

Though a tardis told me "We will honour stamps for 4 weeks"

 

[srw]

There you go, no more speculation required.

And it has to be said that anyone speculating in stamps must be pretty desperate.

 

[simon.r]

I posted a letter the other day using a left-over Chritsmas stamp from a book of 12 bought in 2010. It got to its destination

 

[Archie_tect]

I spend around £157 on stamps per month in the office- after including the franking machine rental franking woks out slightly more expensive and is less flexible- buying the same stamps after 30 April will cost £200. It really is a no-brainer.

 

[oldfatfool]

I spend around £157 on stamps per month in the office- after including the franking machine rental franking woks out slightly more expensive and is less flexible- buying the same stamps after 30 April will cost £200. It really is a no-brainer.

But will you tie up several grand in stamps to last you 5 years or just get say 6 months worth? Either way its amazing how RM consistently shoot themselves in the foot and strive to minimize profits.

 

[albion]

Obviously Royal Mail will benefit if we all buy big.
Especially if they then create a new clause to sort out those bulk buyers.

Honouring old stamps is not compulsory.

 

[Archie_tect]

Every 'old' 1st/2nd class stamp I've ever had has been useable at the current value.

 

[deanE]

So, bought 100 2nd class stamps on Friday. Now just trying to remember the safe place that I put them.