Martin Lewis tells people to stock up on essential item before October 2

TV finance expert Martin Lewis has advised people to stock up on a household essential before the price is hiked on October 2. First-class stamps – made by the Royal Mail – are currently £1.10 but are set to shoot up to £1.25 at the start of next month, reports Birmingham Live.

That’s more than double what they cost just over 10 years ago. In 2012, a first-class stamp was just 60p. But stamps do not tend to have expiry dates on them – meaning if you stock up now, you can continue to use them in the future – while avoiding having to pay 15p extra every time.

While post is a much less common form of communication than it once was due to the advent of the internet and emails, it still serves a great purpose. Martin reminds people that they might still need to use stamps to send family birthday or Christmas cards.

Mr Lewis said: “For years, every time stamps go up in price I’ve suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance, as provided the stamp doesn’t have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it’s still valid after the hike.”

From October 2, a pack of four first-class stamps costs shoppers £4.40, but from October 2, that same amount will cost you £5. Although other stamp prices are rising up to 40 percent, standard second-class stamps will remain at 75p.

Jon Good, address validation expert at Hopewiser, advised that additionally, Signed-For prices have increased up to £2.75 for a first-class letter weighing 100g as well as Worldwide Next Day and Two Day UK services, to £12.45 for a 5kg parcel delivered in 24 hours and £11.95 for a 5kg parcel in 48 hours respectively.

On July 31, Royal Mail discontinued regular non-barcoded stamps that featured Queen Elizabeth with barcoded versions. If people still have any remaining old stamps, they can exchange them with new barcoded versions. According to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index, the average adult in the UK sends 74 parcels a year.

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