anyone on oil heating?? we we're on ec7 before we moved and thought we were paying through the nose for electric. We have a oil tank here as in middle of no-where dont really have option of anything else really lol

anyways when we moved here in dec, OH uncle who we live with said he 1/2 filled the tank (about 600lt) in july, and hardly had it on due to it being summer. So when we moved in dec when it was freezing!!! we had to have it on 24/7 as it was -10 outside or what ever it was, hollie being a newborn! But come end of dec between newyr and xmas we ran out. which we wernt too surprised as didnt know how efficent the oil would be seeing never had oil before.
So Jan we had delivery of oil (couldnt come till mid jan as bloody snow and they had ran out!) we had it on just in evenings till 1st thing in morning. so 12 hours at very most on a day of cold. anyway woke up yesterday morn and freezing, checked heating was on.. bloody oil gone!! we put in 500lt only just under 6 weeks ago!! thats £300 worth!! Am I right in thinking that is a bloody lot for 6weeks?!?! no way can we afford £300 a month on heating costs let alone electric (another £40)!! ok its an old 3 bed house but its stone thick walls, double glazed windows.. so wouild have thought it keeps heat well... so how the hell have we used £300 worth in a month. we did think someone migght have stolen it, but we would have noticed as tanks hard to get to, plus we live down the end of a lane so no passing traffic. we've checked for a leak, cant see anything obvious... or is this the rate of oil???? if so I said to OH might be my dream farm house but for £300 a month cant do it. We've scraped now for a delivery, me and kids shivering in coats waiting for it, could be today or tomorrow they said!! grrr but thats mine and OH money for the month gone.... rice and bread for dinner for next month! and no joke!!! (his uncle not paying dont get me started why!! says he dosnt use it!!! WTF and he'd quite happy go without!! I am mad! hes skint too, but so are we with 2 more mouths to feed!) so moving here to save us some £££s is turing out to be costing a fortune if thats the way oil is.

anyone else on oil and how much do you get through?? xx

hmmm I know its easy to get through oil, we had it in the cottage and the bungalow...but that seems way too much

£300 would have lasted us most of the winter in the bungalow which was 3 bedroom - but that was when it was about half the price it is now

Do you know the pence per liter you paid?

61.99p per lt had to pay extra 2p per lt as we need a mini tanker to get down our lane!!! as cant turn in yard. seems mad as we live 5 mins away from the place!! madness

2p on top of 61.99p

Bloody hell thats expensive!!!!

No wonder it didn't last long - the last time I bought oil was in the bungalow 3 years ago and it was loads less than that

That's about how long 500 litres lasts us too I'm afraid, well when it's really cold anyway. We generally get 500 nov/dec time then jan then end of feb/march which then lasts til the following winter. It took me a while to realise the water cost a bomb to heat too so got that sussed which saved a few bob. We are going to get cavity wall insulation too, oh and make sure you have plenty of loft insulation. The key is too fill the tank in the summer when the prices are at their lowest. Make sure your boiler has been serviced recently too, so you know it's running efficiently x

i used to work for a fuel company, that does sound like quite alot, maybe speak to your oil suplier and see if the can supply a signal man or something similar which lets you know how much is left in your tank and can atomaticaly send a reading the fuel company and put a new order in for you and they may help monitor your usage if that makes sense?!

xxxx

We moved in here Nov 09 and I got a shock at how quick we used oil so know how you feel.

We got 500l in Dec 09, again end Jan 10 then again in March 10... that then lasted us until Oct 10, got it again week before xmas and really need to order some tomorrow - but crossing fingers there no more cold snaps and I can make that do until sept/oct.

When it was really cold we did have it on 16hrs+ a day, generally through the winter I try to stick to 5-6hrs winter & then 1hr in summer (sometimes it can be off for a week)

It is expensive, but it kind of seems a lot because you are bulk buying it all at once. If you get another 500 ltr now you are nearly pre paying your heat until end of summer/autumn - if you can cut it down to couple hrs a day that is. It is a fecking killer to the budget in winter though! Some companys do pre payment schemes were you can pay them £10-15 a week by dd and then when you order oil they can take it off your bill to help you budget. Also we try and have the heating on for 1-2 hrs in morning, 2 hrs at lunch, 2-3 hrs in evening and then maybe 1 hr in mid of night eg 4am. Iv just learnt to turn it off if I feel too warm and not expect the house to be toasty 24/7 - you do notice if the heating is due on. Maybe try turning it off for a few hrs in night - it really is as simple as if 12hrs heating last 6 weeks, if you try and only have it on for 6 hrs it will last 12weeks.

Hope you get heat soon. Oil is so expensive, im so healous of my friend who has gas on pre pay, she pays £15 a week and has it on nearly all day!