To be terrified about the cost of oil

Troublesometooth · 2022-03-07T12:41:38+00:00

We don’t have any mains gas, heating and hot water both run on oil. We usually buy 500 litres every 8 weeks in winter which costs £200-300. We are desperately low and the cost today is £700! We simply can’t afford to pay this to heat our home for the next 8 weeks. Other than wearing more jumpers can anyone suggest ways of keeping warm?

Lockheart · 07/03/2022 12:44

Can you buy a smaller amount for the time being to get you through the next month?

HereComesSpringAgain · 07/03/2022 12:45

so roughly £90 a week?

Gizlotsmum · 07/03/2022 12:50

Can you get electric powered oil heaters? Heat only the rooms you use, drop the temp by a degree or two? Draw curtains

Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:03

@HereComesSpringAgain

so roughly £90 a week?

That is correct.

We’re not broke, but we will be soon if we have to pay that for heating.

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Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:04

@Lockheart

Can you buy a smaller amount for the time being to get you through the next month?

No, sadly minimum order for oil deliveries is 500L.

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Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:04

@Gizlotsmum

Can you get electric powered oil heaters? Heat only the rooms you use, drop the temp by a degree or two? Draw curtains

We do have one that we use in emergencies if we ever run out of oil. We will start using it, as the huge electric bill to use it will still be cheaper than the oil!

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PineappleWilson · 07/03/2022 13:10

Add secondary glazing film to your windows. It cost us £30 but has made a real difference to the outside noise and heat level. Add foam drat excluder strips round your internal doors where you have draughts, and curtains over your external doors. Accept that this is what you have to pay, but eke it out for longer than usual. If you have radiator thermostats, turn them down in each room by half a notch, then see if anyone notices. If they don't, turn them down again.

Hollyhead · 07/03/2022 13:12

We’re on oil but only use 800l a year! How much do you have your heating on?!

Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:13

@Hollyhead

We’re on oil but only use 800l a year! How much do you have your heating on?!

All day most days. I’m at home alot with a 2 year old.

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Janfebmar · 07/03/2022 13:13

That price is crazy. I bought 1000L 4 days ago and it was £754. Are you sure it was £700 for 500L?

Lockheart · 07/03/2022 13:15

@Troublesometooth there are suppliers who will do 200l. Are you tied into one supplier?

mumonthehill · 07/03/2022 13:17

We are in the same boat, have about 6 weeks left and really do not know when to order as it is so much more expensive. We are having the heating on as little as possible but it is going to be a huge financial outlay.

Caspianberg · 07/03/2022 13:19

Can you add another tank for in future?
We have 4000l tanks (1000l x4). We use approx 3000l per winter. I can’t imagine only having storage for 500l, as then you can’t take advantage of buying when low in summer and enough for the whole winter

coldandverytired · 07/03/2022 13:20

I just had a quote for £1.29 a litre… fuck 😱😱😱

MorganSeventh · 07/03/2022 13:21

Insulation will be the main one. Have you insulated everything you can, and have you had it checked that it's still up to spec? A lot of people say they're insulated but it turns out that they mean it was put in 30 years ago, they have no idea how much or whether it's still up to standard.

Other than that you can do stuff like hot water bottles and oil radiators but it's frittering money on treating the symptoms rather than the cause. In the longer term I'd be thinking about coming off oil onto heat pumps and solar panels. If you're looking at £90 a week for oil then the payback period on the alternatives just got a lot better.

Caspianberg · 07/03/2022 13:21

Although ditching ours for solar/ pump/ communal biomass hot water system soon.

Can you look into other non oil options? Even if you still have the oil for back up. Does it heat all your water?

Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:22

@Janfebmar

That price is crazy. I bought 1000L 4 days ago and it was £754. Are you sure it was £700 for 500L?

Absolutely certain. It’s gone crazy.

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Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:23

@Caspianberg

Can you add another tank for in future? We have 4000l tanks (1000l x4). We use approx 3000l per winter. I can’t imagine only having storage for 500l, as then you can’t take advantage of buying when low in summer and enough for the whole winter

Our tank is 1500L. We can’t afford to fill it.

Had we known what oil prices would do then we would have filled it months ago.

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Gizlotsmum · 07/03/2022 13:25

Prices are rising rapidly, boiler juice can’t even get me a supplier. Local company can at 107.95… we looked at alternative heating a few years ago and due to age of house ( and radiator and pipe sizes) it was prohibitive, even with the current price rises

SeahorseBlue · 07/03/2022 13:25

Op it's awful at the moment, I bought oil in January for around 50p per litre, it's now £1.20 per litre! We also aren't connected to gas, we've got enough for a couple of months, but I've started to be really careful. I've noticed that some oil companies aren't even taking orders as demand is so high. Try oilnrg, they seem to be a bit cheaper than others at present.

Proudboomer · 07/03/2022 13:30

All oil prices are going silly at the moment. I went to fill up with petrol at a small independent garage this morning. They were shut as being refilled but their price board was blank so they are clearly going to increase the price. They are always slightly more expensive than the supermarket petrol stations but I like to support independents but I might have to rethink that as last week when I filed up it was already over £1.49 per litre.

Wagsandclaws · 07/03/2022 13:35

I just checked boiler juice this morning and it's £527 ( 3 weeks ago it was £427 ) are you sure it's £700?

I must admit it is worrying though. We have to keep the house warm
Due to my elderly Mum living now with us but I'm thinking about getting a calor gas fire to put in her room and for us to just wrap up, I'm don't know what the answer is 🤷‍♀️

MushroomHunter · 07/03/2022 13:36

You need to look at a longer term solution. Is your house an old house with little insulation? Get the roof/walls insulated asap - there aware grants for this (although I am in NI, so not sure about where yours at)

Then, heavy curtains, door insulator, wood burner, coal fire (desperate times, needs must) then wear as much as you can and eat hot food/drinks.

Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:45

@Wagsandclaws

I just checked boiler juice this morning and it's £527 ( 3 weeks ago it was £427 ) are you sure it's £700?

I must admit it is worrying though. We have to keep the house warm
Due to my elderly Mum living now with us but I'm thinking about getting a calor gas fire to put in her room and for us to just wrap up, I'm don't know what the answer is 🤷‍♀️

Check it again now! It went up £100 in 30 minutes while I was looking.

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Original poster

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 13:50

@SeahorseBlue

Op it's awful at the moment, I bought oil in January for around 50p per litre, it's now £1.20 per litre! We also aren't connected to gas, we've got enough for a couple of months, but I've started to be really careful. I've noticed that some oil companies aren't even taking orders as demand is so high. Try oilnrg, they seem to be a bit cheaper than others at present.

Just tried them and it’s £632 for a 2 week wait. £731 for it by Friday.

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