NEPA ~ Off Topic ~ Chatting Thread ( New ) (Polk, Penn: volunteer, pass, sections)

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by frank754

I'm in the city and uses natural gas, but my bill was $305 for this month, and $285 last month

Oil is up about 150% of what we were paying last year. I can picture where that can be a major problem for many this winter as the cold snap continues.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Oil is up about 150% of what we were paying last year. I can picture where that can be a major problem for many this winter as the cold snap continues.

Hi Fisheye, it's me.....

I've found in the past what they do is play a game with consumers....they will continue to raise prices, until people start complaining to an overwhelming point, and then lower the price, not to where it was, but maybe a 50% more, so that people will feel they are saving something....not sure if you understand that...but that is what they've done in the past, many times....so if the starting price was 1.50 a gallon, and now it started going up to 4.50 and people all over the U.S. become angry they will lower it to 3.50 and people now think they've got a bargin....


Hope your doing well.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

Hi Fisheye, it's me.....

I've found in the past what they do is play a game with consumers....they will continue to raise prices, until people start complaining to an overwhelming point, and then lower the price, not to where it was, but maybe a 50% more, so that people will feel they are saving something....not sure if you understand that...but that is what they've done in the past, many times....so if the starting price was 1.50 a gallon, and now it started going up to 4.50 and people all over the U.S. become angry they will lower it to 3.50 and people now think they've got a bargin....


Hope your doing well.

Hope you are also doing well!

The heating oil I just had delivered cost about $400 more than it did last year. I can pay that, but many cannot. That is especially true for people on a fixed income and considering the rising price of groceries and other consumable goods. So I am just worried when so many are going to suffer. There are about 5.5 million homes in the US that are heated with oil.

[jtab4994]

I paid $2.8990/gallon for heating oil in December. I just checked and the current price is $3.2490. Hopefully I won't have to fill up again until April or May when the price should come down a bit. Although with Brandon at the controls of the economy the price may spike in the spring.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I paid $2.8990/gallon for heating oil in December. I just checked and the current price is $3.2490. Hopefully I won't have to fill up again until April or May when the price should come down a bit. Although with Brandon at the controls of the economy the price may spike in the spring.

Unfortunately, for these cold months left in this year, Spring will be too late. It will leave many in debt for the rest of the year. The price of my oil was about the same as yours after my senior's discount and early pay discount.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Unfortunately, for these cold months left in this year, Spring will be too late. It will leave many in debt for the rest of the year. The price of my oil was about the same as yours after my senior's discount and early pay discount.

I didn't know that there was a discount for seniors. Do you have to qualify in some way? Do filthy rich seniors get that discount? It would probably cost too much to figure out.

I heat with gas and no longer live in that area. Still, it's an expensive year.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by Gerania

I didn't know that there was a discount for seniors. Do you have to qualify in some way? Do filthy rich seniors get that discount? It would probably cost too much to figure out.

I heat with gas and no longer live in that area. Still, it's an expensive year.

Many people never ask and, therefore, never get a discount. It always pays to ask, the least they can do is say: No. Also, people should always check for military discounts or discounts given to selected employers. Why pay more if you don't have to?

I don't know about the grocery stores in your area, but many of ours give senior discounts on certain days. Stores can also have different starting ages for senior discounts, so always check and save.

[Gerania]

I used to get 10% off at Home Depot and Lowe's because my husband was career military. It wasn't much, but it helped. Now you have to sign up for an online account to get the discount. I don't qualify because I'm a widow. Thanks Richard. His pension checks ended when he died.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by fisheye

I don't know about the grocery stores in your area, but many of ours give senior discounts on certain days. Stores can also have different starting ages for senior discounts, so always check and save.

For Weis it's Tuesday, and they give 5% discount on their house brand items. I think their "senior citizen" age is 60 but I started getting the discount before I hit that milestone. I have no idea how my birth year got messed up in their system!

I'll have to check with my oil company. They offer an "online ordering" discount but they don't advertise any others.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

For Weis it's Tuesday, and they give 5% discount on their house brand items. I think their "senior citizen" age is 60 but I started getting the discount before I hit that milestone. I have no idea how my birth year got messed up in their system!

I'll have to check with my oil company. They offer an "online ordering" discount but they don't advertise any others.

That is what I am saying, you have to ask. They do not always volunteer that information. I am pretty sure one supermarket used to start giving the discounts at 55, but I forget which one. Gerania talked about the discounts at Home Depot and Lowes. I used to get those discounts when I could just show my Honorable discharge papers, but not anymore. They changed it to where you have to have a photo ID and they are not quick to pass those out to people that served their time in the Reserves. Maybe someday that will change?

It would be wise to check with your heating oil company to see if they give any discounts, especially with the rate increases that are affecting all of us. Pocono Oil and Propane offer a discount and I believe Pennywise also offers a discount - but you need to check and also compare the rates with and without the discounts.