What is the cheapest way to send a letter?
The Royal Mail prices change from time to time, normally once a year with the new prices announced 30 days in advance. To see the current postage prices please see our Royal Mail Prices page, but in order to find the cheapest postage prices you will need to take advantage of postal discounts and use the correct services.
How your business can make postage savings
Postage discounts are available to all businesses big or small and whatever your postal volumes. We can help your business save money when sending your mail, and ensure you find the cheapest postage rates through:
The most expensive way to send a letter is using stamps and is not advised for any business. If your business is sending mail, even just a few letters a day, then we recommend an entry level franking machine (sometimes referred to as a postage meter).
How to make postage savings using a franking machine
Using a franking machine is a great way to access the cheapest postage prices when sending a mixture letters and parcels each day. A franking machine is a device that allows you to weigh your items using a built-in postage scale, select the service (e.g. First Class, Second Class, International, Recorded or Special Delivery) and print that postage onto your mail.
The postage applied is at a rate discounted against the stamp prices, meaning if you send First Class letters you save 41p against Royal Mail’s standard prices. This saving increases even more when sending larger items or using Royal Mail’s tracked and recorded services.
How to make savings using volume related discounts
For customers already using a franking machine that want to save even more on their postage, they can take advantage of Royal Mail’s volume related discount service.
This little known service can be applied to new franking machines and offers a First Class and Second Class service at a reduced rate, saving 38% against franking prices.
How to make postage savings using a mailing service
For businesses and organisations sending bigger batches of mail like invoices, statements, announcements, mailshots or other marketing materials then it is very important to find the cheapest way to send a letter. Using a mailing service like our Discount Mailing Service is a great way of accessing the cheapest postage prices for bulk mail and can be used regularly or just a few times a year.
You process your mailing in the normal way, but instead of running your mail through a franking machine, your post is collected free of charge and processed by a licenced mailing provider. Your post is then sorted and has an indicia applied prior to it being delivered to a Royal Mail Sorting Office or Mail Centre.
The savings made through a service like this is based on volume, but even a small mailing offers savings of 50% against franking prices.
How to make savings by applying a Mailmark barcode
You may already print a Mailmark barcode using your franking machine, but Royal Mail’s Mailmark technology was designed for bulk mailings and makes full use of this 2D barcode’s potential.
Processing mail more efficiently is key to finding the cheapest way to send a letter. Using one of our services, such as AdvancePost to apply this barcode to your mail produces the biggest savings and means your mail is traceable.
The data held in this small 2D barcode includes the service choice, address, and the sender’s details. All this can be read by Royal Mail’s systems at over 50,000 items an hour, making it the most efficient way for mail to be processed. This results in the lowest possible postage prices.
Saving time to find the cheapest way to send a letter
Postage savings don’t always have to be financial, with time savings being just as important to busy businesses; and staff time being extremely valuable. Using mailroom software and automatic letter folding machines can make sending mail efficient and hassle free, saving hours of manual labour.
Processing incoming mail can be made more efficient using an automatic letter opener, and our Internal Mail tracking software enables you to record and track all your incoming parcels.
Our frequently asked questions
Companies that use post to deliver communications to their customers know how important it is to make their mail efficient; they send hundreds of thousands of items everyday so have to use the cheapest postage prices.
These companies are getting the cheapest postage prices by:
- Using automation to save time – not having members of staff manually hand folding and inserting letters into envelopes.
- Using sortation prior to printing their mailing, so it makes it easier for Royal Mail to process.
- Adding a Mailmark barcode meaning Royal Mail’s machines can read the mail at over 50,000 items an hour.
This results in the cheapest possible postage prices.
Even though you may not send thousands of items everyday, please do not think that these savings are only available to the biggest companies. All businesses can make savings on postage by following a few easy steps. To find out in more detail how other companies are getting cheap postage then please give our friendly team a call on 01322 643825.
The Royal Mail has hundreds of services to choose from when sending post. The popular ones are First Class and Second Class, which anyone can access by buying stamps or visiting a Post Office. This availability doesn’t make it the best service for you – especially if you are trying to save money on postage.
To get cheap postage with Royal Mail, you need to understand the services available and select the one that matches your requirements. These additional money saving services are available through franking machines and offer further discounts for bulk mail. Alternatively, you can have your mail collected and by making some small changes to how you show an address, can ensure you get Royal Mail’s cheapest prices.
If you have any questions about which service is best for you, please speak with our mailing team on 01322 643825.
Yes, you can. Cheap bulk rates are available to any business or organisation sending bulk mail. Bulk mail doesn’t necessarily mean thousands of letters; discounts are available if you are sending a few hundred items and makes postage much cheaper.
If you have a question about bulk mail rates, and to see if you qualify then give us a call on 01322 643825. With just a few details about your mail, we can quickly tell you what the cheapest rate will be.