While I was writing Easter cards on the one clear space on my desk I wondered whether anyone out there has suffered like me with the UK's Royal Mail's Pricing In Proportion rules. I got fed up taking cards to the Post Office to check their thickness and this is my solution:
The blue ruler is a Pricing in Proportion ruler which has saved me a lot of trips to the Post Office! I got this one from the internet but that was before I found a much cheaper and every bit as good one made by Helix which Staples stock (normally beside their wrapping paper and such) - cost is about £3 to £4. OK, maybe everyone has these but I've pointed three friends to them so perhaps not?
Despite this wonderful 'gizmo', sometimes excess postage has been charged when I know full well that the item was definitely not in the 'Large Letter' category....grrrrr. So, I set up and printed off a load of labels saying 'Please note: This item has been checked using a Pricing in Proportion gauge prior to posting to ensure that the correct postage has been used' and I just stick one of those onto anything I think might be potentially a problem. It sounds a bit officious I know, but guess what, not one single problem with Royal Mail overcharging now! There was a news item just this week where people were complaining that they were being wrongly overcharged so it shows that Royal Mail might not be as careful checking as they should be.
I finally finished making Easter cards........think I need to start on Christmas ASAP!! I just know that when my time here is over I'm gonna skid into the Pearly Gates late as ever, clutching a glass of wine (or perhaps some crafting kit), hanging onto my hat and squealing 'Phew - what a ride! That's my plan anyhow :))
This card was good fun to make - I used an Elzybells stamp set and layered the sheep so that I could run their woolly coats through the Cuttlebug using a dotty embossing folder. The 'Group Hug' sentiment and the fence came with the same Elzybells stamp set and I added an Easter greeting to the insert. The grass background is KanBan card and the teeny flowers and gems are from my stash.
Now I'm going to hop over the Julias and see what everyone else is up to - time for a cup of coffee and a nice browse................aaah, don't you just love Wednesdays!
Di
x
Afternoon Di, I usually put my mail measurements & weight onto the PO prepaid site, then it gives me an exact price - touch wood it has always been okay up to now!!
ReplyDeleteAnother fab Easter card.
Have a lovely WOYWW and enjoy the sunshine :)
What a very tidy desk!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, I frequently use the Royal Mail website too as I sent out a lot of school asssociation stuff but it's the thickness that seems to trip folk up, or am I missing something here? Duh?! Isn't this weather just great! Let's hope it continues for Easter weekend. Your gorgeous stamped images just arrived - thank you soooooo much honey! Hugs, Di x
ReplyDeleteThe post is so unreliable these days. First class can take days to get a few miles away and yet I have a brilliant company I use for sewing suppiles that always get things here to me next day with no problems....frustrating!
ReplyDeleteThink we all need group hugs,
A x
Hi di,
ReplyDeleteYou go girl, there's no messing with you is there? That's a fabulous idea. I bet the postman just took one look and thought whoooaahh, no point messing with this one!
I made all my Christmas cards last year -a smallish size thinking of the new post rules. I spent hours making about 60 of them and writing them all out. When I took them to the post office I thought this will be fine, they will all be standard first class - but NO, apparently because I had embellished the card with a small needled brad - they were no longer standard as the brad stopped the envelope from going straight through the frame Thingy !!!! So each of my cards cost me 63p to send. I swear that my misfortune and bewilderment just made his day!!!!!!!!
Oh well, rant over, hope your enjoying the weather!
Happy WOYWW
Rebecca xx
card arrived safely no problem with postage and really lovely
ReplyDeleteI am off to Staples for that ruler. I am fed up with Royal Mail. They returned 3 of my Christmas cards, saying extra postage was due. It was their fault that they did not empty the post box before the printed postage ran out. Love your sheepy card.
ReplyDeleteI love the group hug!! Postage pricing is getting ridiculous for us crafty card makers. If anything stunts creativity, its the thought that you might be doubling the price of the stamp just by creating something beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely card. Specially the sheep.
ReplyDeletexFranka
What a fun card. Love the little sheep, and who could not love a group hug. The background grass is perfect and your fence and flowers seem to have been growing there forever. Great Idea you had!
ReplyDeleteYour card is so cute! Same thing is going on here in the states with the mail. I think it is just a gimmick to get more money. I made cards last year that had a small brad and it cost double to mail it and some came back insufficient postage. I think we share the same plan for making it through the Pearly gates! Thanks for sharing. Vickie #28
ReplyDeleteHewo Di!!!!!!!!!1
ReplyDeleteTHANK for luvly wagon stamp!
Dilly mayke card wiv wagon stamp!
Be luvly wagon.
THANK!!!
COme Dilly blog, see!
Fnar!
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What a Sweet Card!!! To Cute!
ReplyDeleteThe USPS and I have had an ongoing battle for years. My cards kept going missing. I started using repositionable double sided tape to seal my envelops, no more missing cards. Humm Why is that? I need to get one of those gizmos and some of those ‘please note’ labels. One of the gals at the PO never holds the card and the gage properly. I swear she can get a single sheet of paper hung up in that thing. If she is there it’s a forgone conclusion I will pay extra postage. What’s worst is she seems to delight in it.
Hugs Bernie
Oh ladies, I seem to have struck a chord here re. the postage business. Interesting to know it's not just in the UK either :) Sorry I haven't been hopping around - life got in the way the past few days, will catch up ASAP - meanwhile - Happy Easter!! Hugs, Di xx
ReplyDeleteLike you Di, it really annoys me that the post office charges you the unpaid postage and then has the audacity to charge you a further pound for the privilege of going the sorting office to collect it yourself. I wouldn’t mind but it cost me a further 65 pence to park the car.
ReplyDeleteSorry rant over.
I think I’ll invest in one of those gismos and nick your label idea too!
Happy Easter and Crafting!
Sue
x
Mm, Di I agree with you those labels are the way to go to stop officialdom in its tracks great idea! Happy WOYWW! an God bless your Easter too,
ReplyDeletelove Shaz.xx
aw...love the sheep!! Great idea!
ReplyDeletethanks 4 the snoop Happy late WOYWW
(Lyn)
...and I was going to add, but pressed the wrong button...'post' I've posted loads of stuff with the wrong postage, Large letter when it only needed the ordinary. So they've made loads more profit out of me, they don't say, oh sorry you've been charged too much here's some money back, oh no! I think they just make it up on what the weather's like that day.
ReplyDelete