Heating Oil - When's the Best Time to Buy $$$

[MarkF48]

The oil tank has gotten low enough to think about getting some as backup to the wood pellets. I used to buy oil on a pre-buy plan and I don't have a good idea when seasonal prices are at the lowest. Right now the cash price from my dealer is $3.37 a gallon. I'm thinking this isn't too bad.
With the exception of what the middle east may do to prices is there a time of year when they dip to a low price point?

 

[NHcpa]

The oil tank has gotten low enough to think about getting some as backup to the wood pellets. I used to buy oil on a pre-buy plan and I don't have a good idea when seasonal prices are at the lowest. Right now the cash price from my dealer is $3.37 a gallon. I'm thinking this isn't too bad.
With the exception of what the middle east may do to prices is there a time of year when they dip to a low price point?

I use to time it aug/Sept, I no longer think this is valid? I just paid yesterday, $3.399 cash price. I am old enough to remember everyone flipping out when oil broke a $1 per gallon. I think the least I ever paid was $0.49 per gallon - and I'm not that old.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

I just filled mine at 3.23 cash price.

 

[Tonyray]

337.00 is not bad.
I would deff get oil at that price as I would not exspect it to go lower..

 

[chrispr1]

Trying to time it never works out. That's a great price; buy what you need and be done with it. If it dropped a nickel you wouldn't feel it but if it went to 3.50 you'd be kicking yourself. There are better things to stew on. If isil keeps up their hostilities, Russia keeps the Ukraine without ng, I wouldn't try to buy the bottom.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I just filled up at 3.70, so this may make you feel really good....... I say do it....

 

[slls]

Just ordered $3.119

 

[AK13]

http://www.nh.gov/oep/energy/energy-nh/fuel-prices/documents/fuel-prices-graphs.pdf

This chart isn't quite detailed enough to show the month by month price, but June or July appears to consistently have the low points. I think I'd better order up 100 gallons as much as I hate to do it. I last bought oil in fall of 2011, but we pretty much ran out of wood this spring and burned quite a bit in March and April. Probably down below 1/4 tank now.

 

[bobdog2o02]

To the OP I love your avatar.

 

[moey]

Yea cant go wrong with Bubbles as a avatar. Check out swearnet.com they have new skits on there.

You'd probably buy the min which would be 100 gallons even a jump of .30c is only $30. Theres probably other things you do to save $30 in your day to day life then trying to time a oil delivery. I think late summer tends to be the cheapest but that does not account for external global dependencies.

 

[slls]

Just filled tank, 289 gal $902. Have fuel for dec, jan, feb and mar.

 

[TimfromMA]

I filled up last August and still have just over 1/4 tank. I'll get a refill once I'm down to about 1/8th tank.

 

[billb3]

Seems to me late Summer early Fall and that chart would seem to confirm that.
I check this site for how my guy's price compares. http://www.newenglandoil.com/massachusetts/zone6.asp?x=0
I don't pay a premium to keep my tank full at the highest price of the quarter. I try to buy when I can squeeze a hundred gallon minimum in when the price is low. A full tank usually gets me through the year easy needing a half a tank again in Summer, but last year was tough and I'm going into Summer almost full.

 

[Pellet-King]

I've been at 3/8 for 3-4 year's now, just fire it up to burn off the spiderweb's...lol, might get a 100 gal but rather spend that on 2 tons of pellets, I hate my oil furnace, it's below my bedroom and have a very loud forced air 1952 setup,didnt even think that had forced air back in 1952!!, every house I've been in has oil hot water baseboard's around here, I've even tried using a old computer side cover as sheet metal to block off the duct's inside the plenum to my bedroom....whoooosh!!, every 15 mins cant sleep!!

 

[MCPO]

I've been at 3/8 for 3-4 year's now, just fire it up to burn off the spiderweb's...lol, might get a 100 gal but rather spend that on 2 tons of pellets, I hate my oil furnace, it's below my bedroom and have a very loud forced air 1952 setup,didnt even think that had forced air back in 1952!!, every house I've been in has oil hot water baseboard's around here, I've even tried using a old computer side cover as sheet metal to block off the duct's inside the plenum to my bedroom....whoooosh!!, every 15 mins cant sleep!!

But those houses with baseboard heat can`t integrate an AC unit like your hot air system can. There`s always a compromise somewhere.

 

[TimfromMA]

Our oil furnace is a forced hot water system but since the stove, the only thing we use the oil heat for is primarily hot water and a tiny bit of eat to keep our lower level above freezing.

 

[Pellet-King]

But those houses with baseboard heat can`t integrate an AC unit like your hot air system can. There`s always a compromise somewhere.

That's correct, there currently no return's in the upstairs I have a 1500sq ft Cape, but adding one thru the closet's wouldnt be a big deal, as it would be needed to get that hot air back