Mom's Talk: Oil Prices; Getting the Black Gold Delivered at a Great Price

A few chilly days and I start to worry that my thermostat will kick on prematurely. I shut it off for now, but know those cold, crisp fall nights with some frost are not too far away.  

For those who have home heating oil, this is the dreaded "end of contract time" of year. Some friends and I have been calling around, shopping for the best prices for home oil delivery. There are many companies out there and they provide you with options, service contracts, lock in rates and cap rates. So what do you do? How do you decide which plan works best for your home?

My rate of $2.69 ends October 1, so time is running out and prices change daily. After a call from my current provider offering me a "great" rate of $4 a gallon, I gasped in horror at her number and thought I need to survey my friends and see what is available. 

Some feel that a fee to lock in or an application fee are up for discussion as well. Choosing a fixed rate versus a cap rate, which was explained to me at length by a few company representatives, is as follows: a fixed rate will lock you in for the rate that is today's market rate and a cap rate is the daily rate, which may be lower but will cap at the locked rate plus per gallon fees. These average between .15-.25 a gallon, most are prepaid on seasonal gallon usage.  

Are you lost yet? This is why the decision can be so hard.

One year, being so confused over pricing, I opted to go "will call" or COD (cash on delivery) with a few local companies and take a chance that prices were reasonable.

Now  sit down, look at the options if you use heating oil and share with us in the comments section your best prices and offers in the area.  

I am sure that we can all use a little extra cash in our pockets this fall through spring, so why not try to get the best prices. So far I have a few from $3.44.9 to $3.74.9.