If you think oil prices are hitting hard now --- Winter's coming

[Armstead]

We all gripe about high gas prices.

What happens this winter when heating fuel costs reflects this? As bad as gas costs are, at least that is a somewhat discretionary purchase. But when it comes to heat, people in the colder states are literally over a barrel.

I heard of at least one local oil company that plans to not take advance payment contracts for heating oil this winter. They are afraid of getting burned by having people locked into lower prices, if their own cost of buying oil keep going up.

This could be a sleeper issue. Frozen voters are not happy voters.

[Mari333]

1. I will keep my gas off in Michigan

and put electric heaters in the rooms. Yes, it will be cold, but I cannot afford the gas.

[Armstead]

3. Can't afford the electricity either

And natural gas is also going up.

[madrchsod]

10. it`s not gas you will smell it`s enron

we have plenty of natural gas in the midwest because of the recent gas pipelines from canada using electricity to heat a home, electricity is more costly to use than natural gas. the people who use fuel oil or propane are really going to be hurt.
actually depending where you are in michigan this year should be a record setting in snow fall amounts..lake michigan should be a few degress hot this year and that may mean lots of snow.

[Clark2008]

11. Electricity is cheaper than natural gas in the South.

Maybe because of TVA - not sure - but my Mom has natural gas and I have electric heat. My house is one room and one bathroom bigger than hers and my electric bill is cheaper than her electric/gas bill.

MUCH cheaper.

[Armstead]

13. We heat with natural gas in New England...

I don't know how it correlates with electric heat, but the price of gas has gove up markedly.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Oh, it will be much, much worse

Being cold is a thoroughly miserable feeling. It stays with a person for a long time.

And then, too, a lot of poor and elderly folks may just die of the cold with a bad enough energy shortage. That will make the news every night from the second day of the first big cold snap until Election Day.

On the other hand, we may dodge the bullet again. Since energy supplies and markets are being "gamed" to produce profit and keep the market on an "everything-is-normal" keel, it's hard to predict exactly where things will go.

I'd still keep some cold-weather supplies in the house.

--p!

[Doctor_J]

4. I thought it was the other way around

I thought gas/oil is higher during the "vacation" season :shrug: Am I wrong?

[Armstead]

6. Baseline cost of oil affects all oil products

Gas prices go up and down somewhat, but when the baseline cost of oil is up so goes heating oil too.

And there aint no relief from natural gas either, because of Holy Market Forces.

[Missy M]

5. People seem to only relate this issue to their cars...

heating fuel is already sky high and I'm afraid it is only going to get worse.

[greenbriar]

9. we keep our furnace at 65 during the winter

but the elderly and the sick can't and shouldn't have to do that

[Missy M]

12. Exactly, it seems the sick and elderly suffer so much in this...

country and yet we are supposed to be the greatest country in the world. I wonder by what standards that is based on.

[Armstead]

16. Our standards

[Armstead]

17. The poor don't deserve to be warm

"Just practicing my right wing talking points for the coming winter

[Deja Q]

7. Aren't you glad Kerry lost then?

Had Kerry won, the neocons would be skinning Kerry alive by now.

Pity no Dem has the chutzpah to do the same.

It's all a game, politics. And the bulk of the populace won't care unless THEIR needs are met; they don't think of society. They think of themselves and their nucular family only.

[FloridaPat]

8. The prices doubled over the last 2 years and not a peep. I got stuck

in Iowa for the winter 3 years ago and they were payoing $850 a month there and in Minnesota. I don't understand what is wrong with the people in the country. The price of gas went up 10 cents yestereday. I have noticed a lot of SUV's for sale though.

The real estate boom - because of this item, I don't think it's going to crash anytime soon in Florida or other warm winter months states.

[HockeyMom]

14. Don't forget Groceries

Not many people are talking about that either. The prices are going through the roof. Goods needs to be shipped and the price is just passed on to the consumer.

Astronomical fuel prices affect everything.

[Cobalt Violet]

15. It must cost a lot to heat a McMansion.

Unless everyone moves into one room in the winter and only heats that room.