I discovered something yesterday that maybe everyone else knows but just in case….

[CurlewKate]

…if you want to post something and you go to the Royal Mail website and print a postage label, for an extra 30p they’ll collect it from your house. Or from a designated safe place if you’re not in. For some reason I am insanely impressed by this!

I haven’t done it yet, but it’s such a good idea. I have no problems with Royal Mail and think they get a hard time. Apart from the price of a first class stamp. That’s shocking.

I didn't know that and it's really helpful - thanks!!

For some time now when sending a parcel it has been cheaper to buy postage online, have them collect from the house and bring a label.
More expensive to go into a PO and pay for postage over the counter.

They have been doing collections for ages and actually used to collect for free until very recently. 30p is still worth it though for me.

I can’t get past the bastard home printer step

You don’t even need to print a label - they’ll do it for you. It’s brilliant.

Good point-but they will bring the label for you if you want….

It’s now 30p? dammit, been using the free service for ages. I love it. I have learned though that it’s best to get them to bring the label rather than printing it myself, as they tend to forget collections unless they have a label!!

Oooh, didn’t know they’d print it for you! Thanks!

Even if you take it to the PO because it is too big to be collected online, it is still cheaper to
buy postage in advance online.

It all feels a bit Postman Pat-like!

Ah balls, didn’t realise they now started to charge 30p

We don't have a safe space and I wouldn't want to have to stay in, it's easier for me to go to the PO at lunchtime from work (I guess I could get them to pick up from there but I like the walk) so I've never used it but I do prepay before going now.

How do you weigh it? Do they check?

Weigh on kitchen scales.

It is. But the post office you take it to don't get any money for handling it. I've taken to trying to buy cards etc when I do this to compensate, otherwise the post offices will end up closing.

I use Click and Drop around once a month for bulky items I make for a charity, originally it was 60p to collect, then free, now 30p, but well worth it to me.

I’ve used it for a few years now, and the parcels nearly always arrive next day - London to rural East Yorks. I do pay for 1st class post though.

Is it not free any more? Damn! That's annoying. Been having free collections for years, now I'll have to walk to the local PO to drop the parcels off.

Yes, you need scales, a tape measure for the dimensions, and glue for sticking the label on.

(Weight and dimensions are within certain bands.)

Yes, there’s a box to tick if you’d like them to bring the label. Whether you need glue to stick it on I don’t know.

Lost all faith in Royal Mail. Posted a birthday card with a first class stamp on £1.75 on a Friday afternoon.. Didn't get to the address until Wednesday!
For a Tuesday birthday.. So a day late. .

My mum's been doing it for parcels for a few years now. She lives rurally and it makes sense financially as she's not having to drive into town to the post office.

A couple of Christmases ago, I posted a Christmas card to a cousin who lives in London - about 70 miles away from me. She didn't receive it until the following September!!

I've increasingly found that First Class doesn't really mean that any more...

I’m sorry people have been disappointed. My parcel was collected at 1.00 yesterday and my son in law got it at 10 this morning. A tub of Queen’s Park Ranger themed pick’n mix since you ask….

I have been using the parcel pick up for a few years. So much easier than going to the post office.

If they bring the label it is self adhesive.