Royal Mail’s latest round of price changes came in on 31st March 2017. How much have first and second class stamps gone up by? The price rises have seen the cost of a first class stamp rise to 65p. In 2016 the price was 64p, which is a rise of 1p per stamp. The new price of a second class stamp is now 56p, a rise of 1p from the previous 55p. First Class Stamp is £0.65 Second Class Stamp is £0.55 What about prices for other stamps? Other commonly used services include the large letter first and second class …
One of the most complex and expensive operational costs businesses deal with is the merchant processing fee, yet you cannot do away with a merchant account. Having a merchant account contract is what stands between you and a cliff. So how can you get lower credit card fees for your business? Many business owners will tell you that gross over-payments in credit card processing fees are part and parcel of their lives. They lose thousands of pounds in excessive fees and when they try to switch providers and reduce costs before the expiry of their contracts they get buried under …
It has long been the case that doing accounts means buying and becoming familiar with either Sage or QuickBooks. These companies have been the dominant suppliers of accounting software packages for so long that familiarity with one or both of them has become a prerequisite for anyone who needs to file accounts, even owners of very small businesses and the self-employed. But times have changed, and recent years have seen an increase in the number of online accounting systems, some of which look set to rival Sage and QuickBook’s hegemony. Offering simpler interfaces and easier access, the best of the …
Whether you are a small start-up business or an established brand, it is essential for you to have an online presence. It might be that you are a retailer, for whom a fully functioning e-commerce website is essential to the success of your business, or it may be the case that your day to day operations happen away from the World Wide Web; in which case, it is still important for your business to have a website – a destination that people can go to in order to find out more about your company, something that adds value to your …
Every business should have its own website but there are a number of ways this goal can be achieved. WordPress is one of the best, most versatile and user-friendly platforms to use for your website. According to the most recent usage stats published by W3Techs in December 2017, WordPress accounts for almost 1/3 of all websites on the internet, that’s over 100 million websites running WordPress as their CMS. Of course one of the key questions many people have concerns cost. What is WordPress? Before we delve into the subject of cost in more detail, let us explore what WordPress …
There are photocopiers to suit every type of business, from home-based freelancers to major multi-nationals. The fact that there is such a vast range of models available, with considerable differences in size, capabilities, print quality and functionality, means that business owners are faced with almost too many choices when it comes to sourcing a new photocopier. So the question How much do photocopiers cost? is not an easy one to answer. The truth is that some companies will get everything they need from a machine that costs little more than £50, whereas other organisations will be looking in the £5,000 …
Emails and faxes may have resulted in a decrease in the amount of letters that needs to be sent, but the old-style postage system is by no means irrelevant. With the rise of eCommerce in the last 10 years the postman has never been busy making sure we get our latest purchases from Amazon and the like. If your business involves sending lots of mail then you’ll be well aware of the the costs involved, but did you know you could get lower postage rates with a franking machine? Frank your mail and save money on postage While franked mail …
Business phone systems have evolved massively in recent years. If you are thinking about getting a new phone system installed for your business, you will need to decide which type of system you think will suit your company best. This decision will be based on costs, but also on the nature of your company’s telephony needs and the extent to which this is likely to change in the future. The simplest distinction between telephone systems is that some of them are analogue, whereas others rely on the internet to connect receivers, as opposed to telephone lines. Each type has multiple …
Starting a new business is one of the most exciting and challenging experiences you can have. Turning your cherished ideas and dreams into a successful enterprise requires hard work, dedication and a never say die attitude. Needless to say, in order to get your project off the ground and moving in the right direction you will also need the appropriate level of funding from the very start. So what are your options when financing a business? There are many possibilities, pitfalls and hazards when it comes to financing a small to medium business enterprise. But with a considered and realistic …
All companies want to maximise their profits and keep overheads to a minimum. To that end, business owners and purchasing managers work hard to find the best deals available to them on a wide range of products and services. Whether it is high-tech machinery, a fleet of vehicles or the office stationery or supply of coffee and tea, the best deal for any business is the one that is the most cost effective and sustainable in the long-term. If the franking machine or photocopier can be got more cheaply elsewhere, or if a competing supplier is offering better rates on …
