The other half, fresh from ordering more heating oil, reports that the price has gone up by more than 12p a litre, and we’re not alone.*
I don’t think we’ll be filling the whole tank this time around – he’s ordered enough to see us through till spring when prices should be cheaper. On the plus side, at least we’ve managed to eke almost a whole month more out of a tank of oil than we did this time two years ago, in a much milder year, which just about cancels out the price rise. So we’re running to stand still, really. Which is one way to keep warm…
UPDATE: the other half has just reported that Boiler Juice website is owned by a heating oil company and their prices may not be strictly accurate (we certainly didn’t pay THAT much – although we still paid more than Mr UHDD)
*whereas Mr UHDD clearly drives a hard bargain
Some of the prices are ridiculous – last time I ordered, I was quoted between 60p and 90p per litre.
I, too, have managed to eke the oil out for a month longer than last year, but that’s mainly due to the boiler being out of action for four weeks while our local “engineers” (and I use the term loosely) scratch their heads and forget to order whichever part they guess is causing the problem. It runs sporadically but at least when it’s off it isn’t drinking kerosene.
Our boiler is making horrid noises…. oh dear
Gareth – ooh, now that really is ouch
UHDD – well, think of the savings in oil
Theres a guy somewhere in oxon that went around a lot of small villages and asked people if they would pool their money and together they would buy heating oil in bulk and make a good saving. I don’t know all the details, but the man was on radio oxford telling people all about the idea, and it seems very popular.
John
We’ve noticed the increase as well, although fortunately here you rent your home ‘warm’ and out letting agent deals with the buying of oil, and as it’s a bulk order for three apartments he seems to be able to drive a good price.
How’s the wood burning stove coping with heating the place?
John – I have heard that. We don’t seem to get a change in price if we buy a full tank or a half tank but maybe if they could deliver a full tanker load in one go that might cut costs.
Andy – you must have a different breed of letting agents than in the UK. Our last lot I wouldn’t trust to order a drink in a brewery, let along manage supplying heating oil
Dom – that’s part of the reason we have managed to go a month longer. When we’re in the house to light the stove we don’t run our heating at all in the evening, only for a couple of hours in the morning, with the Rayburn providing background heating the rest of the time. The stove only really heats the sitting room so we need a couple of hot water bottles at night, but it does make the sitting room lovely once it gets going.
We’re having a cold snap here -lows in the ‘teens F/minus teens C — high is only supposed to be around 40F/4C. I have natural gas heat and hot water and electric AC. So far my gas bills have been surprisingly low (touch wood!). I have an all-in one combination unit controlled by thermostat, which is where I switch from heating to cooling. About two years ago, the thermostat went out and I asked my landlord to replace it with a programmable one, which I have set at 68F/20C in the daytime and 65F/18F at night. That has been a real money saver, especially in the summer.
PS, we’ve been having our trials with the white stuff on our side of the puddle, too: http://grundlepod.blogspot.com/2011/01/colder-than-wedge.html
[...] * actually a bit more like ‘eco pellets’ but they’re a by-product from a local joiners so cheaper than the traditional bigger heat logs and, crucially, something that you can just go into a shop and buy. Unlike seasoned hardwood which, it seems, you either have to have been born here and your father and grandfather before you, or know some magic word, or possibly both, before anyone will actually sell it to you. Apart from the £6 bags from the garage which are almost as ruinous as oil… [...]
[...] just under two months ago we thought we’d be really clever and only buy half a tank of heating oil instead of a full [...]