So, as you likely know, we live in the North East USA (MA) where oil is usually used to heat in the winter. We have always heated with our wood stove but used the oil heat-on-demand heater to make hot water (showers, dishwasher, etc). Because we are careful with our oil use we go through a 250 gal oil tank in a year.
That oil ran out this morning.
Traditionally, oil companies deliver oil on a subscription service here. They automatically deliver oil and then bill you.
We called our oil guy today and learned the following:
- He is about to declare bankruptcy
- He owes over $600,000 USD due to inventory and customers bailing out on their back debt
- Other oil companies in our area are in the same condition
- They too are on the verge of bankruptcy
- No company in our region will take any credit
- All deliveries must be paid in full upfront before delivery or COD
- Our tank will cost $1050 to fill
Yep, our tank will cost $1050 USD to fill.
Lets see.
Can we afford even this one tank of diesel?
- I am driving our gas guzzling mini-van because my car is dead
- my commute is over 400 miles a week
- We do not have the money to buy even a cheap junker car
- With the cost of gas and the cost of basic food stuffs we honestly do not make it from one paycheck to another
- The garden can not feed us yet, we are not even out of frost season yet so its all potential and not even sprouting yet
To dig out of this hole will require money we do not have. We are not likely to be alone in this one.
News Flash – Oil is pegging over $122/barrel today.
Right now? I can’t see the end of this path.
I will be going home from work tonight to cobble together a solar shower – my hide can not take ice cold well water showers!
Is the price of oil still academic to you?
How are you feeling the pain these days?
