My local post office has been turned into a trendy wine bar for the toffs

The next post office are not so helpfull when it comes to posting 100 club letters which I do on a regular occasion

So I was considering a franking machine to make life a touch easier.

I have a few questions for those in the know.

1. can i put franked mail direct into the post box?
2. Where can i find a cheap rental?

Pitney Bowles are expensive i think.. £20 a month plus a contrct per year.

anyone know of any cheaper companies that are not so expensive?

What about this Steve:

[url="http://www.royalmail.com/link/link;jsessionid=L051HXTGOLMFWCRAZRYEOSQKEDGHCQ2K?catId=500185&mediaId=1400047"]http://www.royalmail.com/link/link;jsessio...mediaId=1400047[/url]

If it doesn't work, go to www.royalmail.com and click SmartStamp at the bottom.

Basically you buy credit and print marks onto the envelope - think of it as a franking solution without a franking machine,

ah man spot on to what i was looking for!!!!!

thanks very much matey! Excellent!

now i dont have to look at the miserable grey haired old geezer at the post office no longer!

you want to go to one that has a guy behind the counter then rather than talking to your reflection..lol


sorry mate but couldnt help it

i wont say any more... i dont want black eyes at gaydon

[quote]1. can i put franked mail direct into the post box?[/quote]

You shouldnt really put franked mail into a regular post box and especially not in that sorta quantity.there should be meter boxes around you,usually located in the town centre and near big business parks,they are a lot bigger than normal boxes and have a pull down hatch,failing that just hand them into you local post office.

thats what i was trying to steer away from... parking is terribble

i live opposit a post box!

[quote name='Steve' date='Mar 11 2004, 11:03 PM']thats what i was trying to steer away from... parking is terribble

i live opposit a post box![/quote]
Well there are a couple of downside to posting prepaid or metered mail in a reguler box.
1. Pre paid and metered postings go through a differant process to stamped mail at the main APC's so your mail will be slightly more delayed than usual because itll go to stamed sorters then have to be sifted out and sent to meter sorters.

2. Bulk postings clog up post boxes and makes the posty very angry and he may even rip your mail trying to get it out

3. Post boxs dont hold as much mail as ppl think so if you post that many items in one box they could end up being visable at the top and sopme little scally could nick it or if ppl post after you it could leave their mail exposed.

now they have changed it to one pick up a day now and sometimes it is full.. so best time is to fill the box in the morning

sometimes I do more but i hand them in to the post office.

i guess the benefit of franked stuff is you pay by weight and pay on the dot

i will evaluate this and see what happens

BTW phunt.. are you a postie by any chance?

[quote name='Steve' date='Mar 11 2004, 11:16 PM']now they have changed it to one pick up a day now and sometimes it is full.. so best time is to fill the box in the morning

sometimes I do more but i hand them in to the post office.

i guess the benefit of franked stuff is you pay by weight and pay on the dot

i will evaluate this and see what happens

BTW phunt.. are you a postie by any chance?[/quote]
HEHE i drive for Royal Mail....and guess what.....I empty post boxes lol

Steve,

When I do a mail run - I weigh one to see the cost, then take the whole lot (unstamped) to the post office and pay for the lot (say 1,150 x 60p) and they sort the lot - apply postage etc. I simply drive round the back, show them my recepit, then pull a trolley up to my car and empty my boot into the trolley.

Got to be easier than franking hundreds of envelopes????

i've just signed up for the royal mail thingy. when i was at my last company we always dumped loads of franked mail in normal post boxes, always got there ok

[quote name='UltraViolet' date='Mar 12 2004, 12:34 AM']Steve,

When I do a mail run - I weigh one to see the cost, then take the whole lot (unstamped) to the post office and pay for the lot (say 1,150 x 60p) and they sort the lot - apply postage etc. I simply drive round the back, show them my recepit, then pull a trolley up to my car and empty my boot into the trolley.

Got to be easier than franking hundreds of envelopes????[/quote]
i used to get that sammy but they have changed and the old bids there wont stamp them for me. The old PO used to.. very helpfull.

I ordered 100 stamps and they gave me the lickable ones.. I moaned and asked for sticky ones.. they wont not give them to me. Miserable lot

checked the royal mail software and it seems they do them on labels too so i can just print out the postage.

Parking is always a pig at the main postoffice.. have to walk a way from the car park... I want an easier option as its hard enough enveloping packs as it is... (soooo boring its hard work)