While Congress struts around and prunes its feathers

[yy4me]

Is anyone in Washington giving thought to how all of us are going to pay our heating bills this coming winter? I know its hot outside and all the fans and air conditioners are on high but what about the winter months? We are paying well over $2.00 per gallon now for gas. What will heating oil cost? We live in New England--long and cold winters. I just did some elementary math.I have a 600 gallon oil tank and average 7 deliveries per heating season. This is an old house with inadequate insulation. Please don't say we should insulate, its too expensive to hire a contractor to do it and the return would not be realized in my lifetime. Lets face it, as a senior, I don't have lots of years to pay off home repairs. At $2.00 per gallon, 600 gallons per delivery, 7 per season. You do the math. I'm petrified!
My husband and I are on Social Security-not much there. I have to pay health insurance out of pocket. Guess who is going back to work. That part aside, it seems we can support the world, including this unlawful war in Iraq but leave those of us here at home to swing in the wind. There are people worse off than us, what in heaven will they do? I wonder if its cheaper to spend the winter in a cheap hotel?

[mike_c]

1. I think you meant "preens its feathers...."

But I dunno, maybe Congress prunes theirs. :shrug:

[yy4me]

2. Yup, its "preens",

my error. Same "do-nothing" however.

[Igel]

3. Doesn't look good, does it?

Futures over several years:
http://futures.tradingcharts.com/chart/HO/M

Recent USA Today article:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2005-06-26-heat-oil-usat_x.htm

(Full disclosure: I live in Houston, and we ran our heat exchanger--electric--for a total of maybe 5 days last winter.)

[zalinda]

4. Start looking around

there are agencies that may be able to help you with your heat. Here in NY, I think it's called HEAP.

zalinda