Posting can be a costly business, particularly if you have heavy packages. So is there any way of cutting down on sending out? We take a look.
Whether you want to get in touch with a friend or send a gift long-distance, using the postal system can sometimes be costly. But is there any way to slash the price of posting? We look at the various options available.
When should I use the Royal Mail?
Though the Royal Mail may have caused some upset in recent times with strikes and disrupted delivery, when it comes to simply sending a letter or small package they still offer the best service.
By ‘small package’ we mean less than 2kg (about the weight of a mini dumbbell weight), as anything heavier than this is likely to be cheaper to send by web courier. If you send post regularly and aren’t sure of its weight, it may be worth investing in a basic pair of scales to make estimating the weight of your package easier.
As of 2006, the Royal Mail price packages by size as well as weight, so this is worth taking into account. Costs can be cut by as much as half simply by making your post as small as possible – this doesn’t mean folding your letters so many times they resemble origami, but folding an A4 letter so that it fits into a C5 envelope (240mm x 165mm, max 5mm thick, the maximum size for a standard postage stamp) will certainly make postage cheaper.
Royal Mail’s online price finder is a useful way to check how much your letter will cost, as well as this size guide which lists all the measurements you’ll need to get your letter as small as possible.
What are my other options?
Web couriers
As packages weighing over 2kg start to become rather costly when sent by Royal Mail, it’s worth getting a delivery quote from a web courier if you’re thinking of sending heavy post.
There are a number of web-based delivery companies available that will give you a quote for your package based on its weight, dimensions, where you want it to be collected from, and where you want it sent. It’s worth comparing quotes from several different couriers depending on what, when and where you want to send, and going with the cheapest.
For example, Parcel 2 Go uses well-known couriers such as Parcelforce and FedEx to find you the cheapest estimated price for delivery of the kind of package you want to send.
My Hermes works in a similar way, offering cheap collection and delivery by comparing price quotes from various different companies. You can also easily track your parcel’s journey from collection to delivery and ensure it arrives at its destination safely. As these sorts of couriers use reputable, well-known companies you can trust that your parcel will be delivered successfully.
Parcel Monkey is worth a look as it offers cheap next-day delivery for heavy packages. Other web couriers worth trying are Interparcel, Collect My Parcel and Send It Now.
Sometimes you may prefer to go to the courier direct, for example Parcelforce and DHL if you want particularly quick service, though is likely not to be the cheapest option.
Reverse-auction sites
For particularly large deliveries such as furniture that would usually require a delivery van, you can use reverse-auction sites to find the lowest possible price. Sites such as Shiply and Boxby allow you to list your package for free. Couriers then bid on the collection and delivery of the package and you choose the lowest price – it works for couriers because they are simply using empty space in lorries and only bid on packages that need to be taken to a destination that they would already be travelling to.
The courier of your choice will then collect your heavy packages at a price and time convenient to you and deliver them to your specified destination – usually for a snip of the price of a hired delivery van.
How else can I cut down on costs?
When it comes to simply sending a stamped letter, it may be worth considering using second class stamps rather than first class. Though first class stamps aim to get your post delivered in one working day, while second class aims for 2-3 working days, these are still only estimates and first class post will often take as long as second class post to get to its destination.
What’s more, if you are sending post within your local postal district a second class stamp will often get your post there as quickly as a first-class stamp because it doesn’t have far to travel. As such it may be more cost-effective to simply opt for second-class stamps unless your post is particularly urgent and being sent outside of your local postcode area.
Finally, it’s worth noting that while stamp prices are likely to rise, their value will stay the same; i.e. if you bought a stamp in the 1990s, you could still use it to send post today. As such you might want to stock up on stamps now if you anticipate continuing to send post in the future, when stamps may be more and more expensive to buy.
