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Original poster

To be terrified about the cost of oil

217 replies

Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 12:41

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?

OP posts:
saleorbouy · 07/03/2022 14:59

If some of you can only 300l why not get two suppliers to deliver?
Getting the boiler and burner regularly cleaned and serviced will help reduce consumption.
You could reduce the circulation and return circuit temps so that the boiler does not fire as frequently.
Also make sure the pipes are lagged in garage and loft spaces so the heat is not lost before reaching the house and got water tanks. Also insulate the HW tank well.

hellywelly3 · 07/03/2022 15:17

I looked this morning at 8am on boiler juice and it was £585 for 500l just looked now and it’s £692.89!

bluebeau · 07/03/2022 15:19

@hellywelly3

I looked this morning at 8am on boiler juice and it was £585 for 500l just looked now and it’s £692.89!
That's because they know you're looking. It's like looking for a hotel or holiday.. if you browse, leave, then go back it goes up. Surely everybody knows this ?

To the OP, you don't need the heating on all day it's not that cold.

QuinkWashable · 07/03/2022 15:20

I only have the heating on if the kids are in, and even then, it's only heating a couple of rooms - for me during the day I shut my office door, and either use an oil filled radiator, or a heated jacket, then at night we all have heated underblankets (which is lovely - and means I don't need the heating on past 7 when the kids go to bed).

It's actually also one of the reasons I make sure whatever house I'm in has an open fire if at all possible, so that even if we have a broken boiler like last winter, and power cuts, we can all huddle together somewhere and keep warm.

CapMarvel · 07/03/2022 15:25

"That's because they know you're looking."

No, it's because the price of oil has gone batshit mental.

Chickenkatsu · 07/03/2022 15:41

Only 20p per hour for a halogen heater:

www.daewooelectricals.com/blog/what-is-the-cheapest-electric-heater-to-run-in-2021/

AchillesPoirot · 07/03/2022 15:49

I have a 1kw oil fired radiator in my study.

I pay 22.13p per kWh.

So I make that 22.13p per hour for the heater in my study?

BirdOnTheWire · 07/03/2022 15:52

@Strawberryjellyicecream

Sorry to interject with my ignorance but why don’t you have central heating etc? Why are you so dependant on oil?
The OP has no gas and her central heating runs on oil.

I'm in the same boat, it's not just gas and electricity prices going up. We use about 3000 litres a year. (Big house)
I second the suggestion of coal/ wood burner. Most houses in my village have a fire as there is no gas. Even if you have one that's blocked up and unused it might be possible to resurrect it?
I buy 500ltrs at a time and in jan 2021 it cost £184

AchillesPoirot · 07/03/2022 15:54

I don’t even have a chimney.

Bigpantsaretheway · 07/03/2022 15:56

Oddly enough I looked this morning, normally I’d be paying around £250/300 for 500 lites this time of year. I’m south east, very rural and can’t even get a delivery with boiler juice. The one company that would deliver was over £800!!!! Scary

HotPenguin · 07/03/2022 16:03

You don't need your heating on all day. If you are moving about after a 2 year old, you won't get cold! Just put it on for an hour in the morning and a few hours in the evening. Take hot water bottles to bed. If there are any rooms you aren't using every day, turn the radiators off in those rooms and close the door.

Bluebellsandbroomsticks · 07/03/2022 16:05

The price is insane at the minute! I got 600L about 2 weeks ago and paid £375. 500L today from the same supplier is £545, never mind 600L

gwenneh · 07/03/2022 16:15

Our costs doubled. Our normal supplier wanted more than double.

We got the cost down to £844 for 700l. We ordered the same amount for less than half last time.

Brownlongearedbat · 07/03/2022 16:23

We live very rurally with no mains gas in this or surrounding villages. Fortunately we have a multi fuel stove, but I am ordering more logs this week (would never normally order logs in the spring) because I think demand might push their price up. OP - it's no good this minute, but is there any chance you could get a stove fitted before next winter? You don't need a house with a chimney as a flue can be fitted almost anywhere. Don't have your heating on all day. We are retired but even so, the heating is only on morning and evening. Have you got a room thermometer? Sometimes I feel chilly, but when I see that the room is actually 18 degrees or so, I realise it's me probably not moving round enough or not wearing enough clothes!
The trouble with electric heaters is the cost of running them is going to be sky high as well. One answer is just to heat one room though. We also have a couple of calor gas heaters in case of emergency. Calor bottles have gone up a lot in the past year or so, but they do last a long time. Spring is nearly here though thank goodness.

AngelinaFibres · 07/03/2022 16:27

@Lockheart

Can you buy a smaller amount for the time being to get you through the next month?
We use oil too. The minimum order is 500 litres. It comes in a large tanker
dontdillydallytoolong · 07/03/2022 16:28

I bought 2000 litres a couple of weeks ago for £1300. Just looked at price today for 2000l….£4010!!!!!!! Delivery not available for 6 weeks.

Wafflefudge · 07/03/2022 16:31

Your use is pretty high by the sounds of it. We fill our tank once a year or 13 months it's 1.2 litres, though we do have a log burner.
Haven't had the heating on today at all as it's getting mild now but we wouldn't really have it all day very often as not necessary.

We won't need to fill up until next winter now and if prices are still high we'll probably look to use our multi fuel stove as the primary heating.
I'm hoping it will come down a bit though.

AngelinaFibres · 07/03/2022 16:33

@ThreeB

Do you have a local oil club? If not, get one set up. It takes a little coordination (and someone has to be willing to do the leg work of calling suppliers) but it can create good savings
Join the oil club UK. Sooo much easier than trying to coordinate with your neighbours. Really good prices....usually
AngelinaFibres · 07/03/2022 16:37

@coldandverytired

I just had a quote for £1.29 a litre… fuck 😱😱😱
Wow. I bought 900 litres in February and it was 57p per litre with Oil club UK. .We have outer heating on for 2 hours in the morning and 3 hours at night. May have to cut that down. We have 2 wood burning stoves. I think they will have to be the main source of heat from now on
BirdOnTheWire · 07/03/2022 16:38

It's easy to say that someone's useage is high but some houses are more difficult to heat.
A small modern house will need a fraction of the heat of a large old house.

We are both retired so at home all the time and use 3000 litres a year. It could be reduced if I lit the multi fuel stove which has a back boiler and can heat water and radiators but I mothballed it two years ago due to a lung condition.

I have been prioritising oil use over electricity but will need to reverse that. Use immersion heater and electric fires.

CoffeeBeansGalore · 07/03/2022 16:42

Some companies let you pay monthly by direct debit. Still costly but at least spreads out the payment.

Original poster
Troublesometooth · 07/03/2022 16:44

@CoffeeBeansGalore

Some companies let you pay monthly by direct debit. Still costly but at least spreads out the payment.
We already do this. We pay a set amount to Boilerjuice and then use this when we place an order to cut the cost down. Sometimes it covers the whole cost, at the minute it won’t even touch it.
OP posts:
Roadhouse111 · 07/03/2022 16:47

Can you not fill a few barrels at your local garage? Our garage has home heating oil at pump? It is more expensive but could tide you over. To stay want you could all bunk in one room, and turn radiators off in all other rooms, so live and sleep all in the livingroom? Means you'd at
I'll have want water and you'd stay want just until the weather warms up.
Oil price is bonkers and people panic buying isn't helping unfortunately.

AngelinaFibres · 07/03/2022 16:48

@CoffeeBeansGalore

Some companies let you pay monthly by direct debit. Still costly but at least spreads out the payment.
You have to pay in advance and then use that money to fund your next delivery. They have you tied in then and can quote whatever price they like. Your money is already in their account.
Porcupineintherough · 07/03/2022 16:49

If you cant afford oil then your choices are electricity, calor gas and wood. Probably the cheapest quick fix is an oil filled radiator and electric blanket or two, medium term I'd suggest getting an electric shower fitted .