Royal mail postal order

A blast from the past!

A Royal Mail Postal Order is a type of payment method that was commonly used in the UK until the mid-2000s. It was a pre-paid order that could be used to pay for goods or services by mail.

Here's how it worked:

  1. You would purchase a Postal Order from a Post Office or a newsagent.
  2. The Postal Order would be pre-printed with a unique number and a fixed amount (e.g. £5, £10, £20, etc.).
  3. You would then use the Postal Order to pay for goods or services by mail. Simply enclose the Postal Order with your payment and send it to the recipient.
  4. The recipient would then cash the Postal Order at a Post Office or a bank.

Postal Orders were popular for several reasons:

  1. Convenience: They were a quick and easy way to pay for goods or services by mail.
  2. Security: They were a secure form of payment, as they were pre-paid and could not be used for any other purpose.
  3. Flexibility: They could be used to pay for a wide range of goods and services, from small items to larger purchases.

However, with the rise of online banking and electronic payment methods, the use of Postal Orders declined significantly. Today, they are no longer widely available and are largely a relic of the past.

If you're looking for a similar payment method, you may want to consider using a postal money order or a bank draft, which are still available at some Post Offices and banks.