The Cottage Smallholder
stumbling self sufficiency in a small space
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
8:58 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
Not a pantry item in most households 
but a large storage item nonetheless.
This week we need to order our fill of 900 litres. We believe that pay-monthly schemes are expensive because prices fluctuate so much and committing to a fixed monthly payment is easy and painless but can also prove very expensive over the course of 12 months.
Any good ideas or preferred suppliers before we place our order?
Never knowingly underfed
11:18 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
That sounds very expensive. I have gas and electicity so have no idea how to help. Good luck though.
I'll try that again!
8:04 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Not much good for this year but buying oil in the summer is usually better so managing your usage so you have the capacity to fill up in summer would work, if you can be that organised though. I never quite managed it in Denmark where we had oil-fired heating.
10:59 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
We never managed to hit the clever summertime buying schedule either. But at least, last year we managed on just one fill compared to the happy days of several fills per annum. Seems so wasteful but luxurious, looking back.
I am just hoping the somebody knows of a low cost national (or East Anglian) supplier that does good deals before we have to order later this week.
Never knowingly underfed
8:50 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
Today was the day!
Fiona was entrusted with the phone. She lay in her current workstation beneath the duvet with one objective: find us the best price for 900 litres of heating oil.
She has a simple method. Ask for their best delivered price for xxx litres.
She tried two of the likely local candidates. Both came in at around the £375 mark but added "come back and ask again if you get a better quote." What a load of nonsense. If they do not want to be competitive, why should we do their spadework for them?
On her third call, she was given a quote of approx £349. She shouted out the news and I came running to say "Take it. No point in phoning around any further!"
The supplier was CPL Petroleum
Never knowingly underfed
5:31 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
Well done Fiona! That's a heck of a bite out of your cash though.
I'll try that again!
10:28 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
Yes, it's a chunk of cash, TA, but I think most people who depend on heating oil go through the same "trauma" 
There are pay by the month schemes that ease the pain of a single large hit but they do add up to more over the course of the year. Not knocking them because the smaller monthly payment is more affordable for many people. We just pick a month when we think we can afford the big hit and make the order.
Never knowingly underfed
2:45 am
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
You should have called back the other two suppliers and told them you got a quote of 325 and see what they do! All they can do is say no......
It never hurts to "play the game"! I had to rent a truck to move once, and I called the 4 major truck rental companies in the US to see what kind of deal I could get. 2 of the 4 didn't care much and gave me a take it or leave it price. The other 2 got into a bidding war with me, and I made a reservation with both companies. I would call one trying to cancel the reservation and they would give me a better price. I'd call the other one to cancel their reservation and they would give me a better price, and so on. I went back and forth between the 2 companies till one finally said they couldn't do any better on the price. I think I ended up saving $400 in the bidding war.
I look at it this way, I didn't have to drive around and talk to people, it was only me getting a tired ear and a crick in my neck.
I was looking at the pounds to dollars conversion, your oil would be $581.58. The pound is worth $1.65 right now. Yikes!
If you can't be a shining example, be a terrible warning!
11:02 am
Expert
Sat 10-Oct-09
Offline
Could you use old engine oil as you could probley get that for free from large garages.? leave them a 50 gallon barrol ect.
10:28 am
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
I don't think so, mutley. Isn't heating oil the same as diesel?
Then again, I am sure there must be a way of building or converting a burner to use engine oil but it is beyond my ability.
Never knowingly underfed
12:03 am
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
It is such a pleasure to think that we can switch on the heating when the house is cold. In hindsight, we tried to achieve too much last year.
Despite Fiona's current long-term illness (or maybe because of it) we do intend to switch on the heating for an hour every cold morning and for four hours on chilly evenings. What a pleasure!
Yesterday, Saturday, we defrosted the fridge portion of our 17-year-old fridge freezer. It was quite a palaver. Eventually we agreed to eat supper from our laps watching "X-Factor"on TV because the fridge contents occupied the entire kitchen table and chairs.
It was really good fun because we watch TV so rarely these days. Apart from watching Ireland in rugby taking apart teams like the Wallabies and S. Africa (well, I watch - her ladyship prefers weeding!).
Never knowingly underfed
1:49 pm
Moderators
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
I am so grateful that I can turn on the heat with just a turn of a knob. Especially today as it's almost 4C outside and that is in the sun.
I'll try that again!
10:23 pm
Sat 12-Aug-06
Offline
Agreed, TA. Heat and comfort is a luxury that so many take for granted. Joanna's comments, especially, regarding her communal heating system (and how choosing "yes, I want the heating on" means instant debt for the less well off inhabitants) just hits home how lucky we are in this country.
Never knowingly underfed
7:16 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Really appreciating the new re-circulation pump they have fitted which means that the heating is not too hot now it is on all the time and the neighbours will be appreciating the lower costs by far, should get the second bill soon and that will be a whole months heating so I will be interested to see how much that is. For my course that I am studying I had to put down 10 things that I felt were important to me and heating was right up there near the top, along with the internet to keep in touch with my kids, just been talking to my daughter. Somethings that wouldn't have figured in my list a few years ago.
8:19 pm
Expert
Sat 10-Oct-09
Offline
Are any pipes exposed to the out side/doors could you not lag them as if the oil is cold when burned it may not burn properly just like a diesel when cold, but warm oil will ignight better so become a more efficent burn using less fuel.. just a thought.
Most Users Ever Online: 767
Currently Online:
32 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
brightspark: 10532
danast: 10232
Aly: 9516
Sooliz: 8084
Hattie: 6920
Ambersparkle: 6699
JoannaS: 4800
Terrier: 4518
eileen54: 4424
Hannah: 4231
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 10
Members: 16169
Moderators: 2
Admins: 2
Forum Stats:
Groups: 6
Forums: 25
Topics: 2295
Posts: 123081
Newest Members:
brunorogers, Weismart, renesmith97, KarenFields21, bettyg53, moragsmumModerators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10
Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516
Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder Our Privacy Policy Advertise on Cottage Smallholder
