do pellet prices flutuate much over year?

[UpTheHill]

just wondering if there's a best time to buy all my pellets for the year at once. or just buy them as needed.

TIA, Dave

 

[Fsappo]

yes they flutuate

 

[jtakeman]

They sure do! I always plan on them to be the highest at the hight of heating season(unless you find them on sale or the bigbox price wars). Generally cheapiest in the end of season/spring.

 

[UpTheHill]

I bought most of pellets at home depot when they and lowes were having a price war for $187 / ton
they started out the season last year at $280.00, right now they are around $250 when you can find them.

I guess I'll pick up 2 tons this spring to start next season, then wait for the price war to lower them.

 

[jtakeman]

Will we even see a bigbox price war next season?

I am not sure I would totally count or rely on it. Past 2 seasons they started high and had some type of a deal mid season. Only to finish the season off right about where they started them.

 

[johnnycomelately]

My experience has been that some years have greater price fluctuations than others. 2008 was the worst that I remember, when I paid $224 for a ton in April and then saw them as high as $360/ton for the same pellets from the same dealer in September. Ouch!
Lats year I pre-bought and only saved $35 per ton other years it has been much higher. Anyway, I have never lost out on a pre buy where the price dropped in the winter, and the feeling of security is worth laying out the Benjamin's!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If enough of us pigs buy multi year supplies when the prices are near bottom from the big boxes they may think they need to order a lot more pellet product come next fall and will find themselves with product to unload ... or not.

You "rolls" your dice and "takes" your chances either way.

Oink, slurp, oink.

 

[jtakeman]

If enough of us pigs buy multi year supplies when the prices are near bottom from the big boxes they may think they need to order a lot more pellet product come next fall and will find themselves with product to unload ... or not.

You "rolls" your dice and "takes" your chances either way.

Oink, slurp, oink.

That works in theory, But I don't think enough will over stuff to ride out the wave. I am hearing many just don't want to loose there space all summer long, So they are rolling the dice and waiting until fall to load up. So if the majority wait and buy when the price is up, We all loose.

I personally adopted this theory and have more than next years supply stored. I'll shuffle through the deals this spring for a few more. And will continue to buy when low or sales/price wars rear!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

If I need to I can make room for another 10 ton, but at the rate things are going I might want to use some of that space for a freezer and stuff it with some venison or such.

 

[jtakeman]

If I need to I can make room for another 10 ton, but at the rate things are going I might want to use some of that space for a freezer and stuff it with some venison or such.

I hear ya, Forcast looks pretty grime and Survival doesn't just happen!

 

[Como]

My local supplier is dropping their price from 199 to 189 for the summer, better to sell them than stock them.