High winter heating bills may burn through wallets

[ensho]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-08-24-high-heat_N.htm

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Winter bills for heating oil, natural gas and electricity are expected to soar to records, putting a renewed crimp on household budgets.

Heating oil customers are forecast to see the biggest increases, according to the Energy Information Administration, the non-partisan statistical arm of the U.S. Energy Department. Heating oil users will pay $2,644 on average to heat their homes this winter, up 36.3% from last year. Homeowners with natural gas, the most popular heating source in the USA, will pay $1,059, a 23.8% increase, according to the EIA's early forecast.
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and now with a storm that will mess up oil and business for awhile

[Breeze54]

1. May?! - Try well over $4000.00 and more!

"Heating oil users will pay $2,644 on average to heat their homes this winter...

Wrong!! Try well over $4000.00 and more!!

I have a friend who paid over $3500.00 LAST year, before the prices skyrocketed!

Try $4.34 a gal. times 1100 avg use for the winter months! That equals $4774.00!!!

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Homeowners warm up to alternative fuels

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.pellets27jul27%2C0%2C7833428.story

Baltimore Sun, United States - Jul 27, 2008

Instead of paying $5000 for 1100 gallons of heating oil in the coming year based
on today's record prices, he'll spend $2000 on about 8 tons of wood pellets ...

[elocs]

2. I thankfully have not used heating on since my tank tipped over on of all days, 9/11.

I have used electric since then and have liked it much better and it has often been cheaper, but I know I will be hit this winter. I am on the budget plan and my payments went up 30% a couple of months ago, but at least I know what I will be paying this winter. The good news here in Wisconsin is that it has been a cool summer and I have never used my air conditioner.

[Blue Diadem]

3. We just got our new natural gas budget amount. Up 30%

I keep thinking about the elderly lady down the road and how she's going to make it this year. :(