We just called our oil delivery company to see what the price of fuel oil is right now so we can fill up our oil tank for the winter. I figured it might be a little cheaper now than when the snow starts flying. The price is $1.349. I thought that sounded like a pretty good price given the way things went last winter. We are going to go ahead and get our tank filled. But, this just made me wonder what the price is in other parts of the country right now.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), August 24, 2001

Answers

Colleen, where are you located? I'm in western NY. Last year I paid $1.17 for heating oil, got it last week for 99.9. Its a special deal will only last for two weeks. Then it will go to $1.09.9.

-- Toni (dontoni@iinc.com), August 24, 2001.

I just went last week to contract for the entire winter, and right now here in northern Vermont it is going for $1.39 a gallon. My cap is at $1.40. Last winter the last tank that I bought was $1.85 a gallon and the girl at the gas company told me that rumor floating in the business was that this winter it would go even higher. Good thing I'm getting that wood stove installed in a couple of weeks. Good luck.

-- Julie (rjbk@together.net), August 24, 2001.

We called today and were told that if we prepay, we can prepay for up to 500 gallons at $1.25. When we bought fuel oil last year it was $1.89. We were told that the price is expected to go up again this year.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), August 24, 2001.

Here in eastern NY (upstate), we paid up to $1.79 last winter. I had the tank filled last week for $1.17. When I had checked the week before that, it was $1.25.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), August 25, 2001.

I don't know what it's 'going for' right now, but the oil company has their yearly offer sign up for a "capped price" of $1.25/gal -- that's the maximum you will pay this winter, no matter what the going rate. They give you the lower price if it drops (yes, they really do, I've dealt with this company for years). BUT, you need to prepay, and decide how much you are going to "order" at this price.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), August 25, 2001.

Just out of curiosity... what is the lowest winter temp where you're at, approx. house size and how much heating oil do you use per year?

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), August 25, 2001.

The months of June and July are the cheapest times of year to purchase fuel oil without a "contract", this learned from 20 years of purchasing the stuff!

We got the best grade of home heating oil for 1.09 in July, and had all the tanks filled then.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 26, 2001.