Oil

Oil. Just mention it, and people with oil heat just cringe.

Like a lot of folks, we're on a monthly budget plan. The oil company charges our account roughly $175 a month, it goes into our account, and whenever oil is delivered, the expense is held against the balance we've built. Pretty simple.

Oil prices have been going up dramatically, but my budget plan has stayed the same. Then today I discover that without warning, the company has charged me $550. Yikes -- this must be yet another accounting mistake (there have been a bunch with this company, but I digress...). When I called to check, however, I learned that in fact it wasn't. We owe $550 this month and next to pay off our oil for the year, then a new budget charge will begin in July.

Usually when rates change for any other utilities or even our student loan accounts, we get a 30 day notice. None here. Dozens more found out the hard way when they went to the ATM and couldn't withdraw funds -- the customer service rep I spoke to had been fielding calls all morning, and it was only 11am. How on earth is the average person supposed to stay afloat when oil goes up several hundred dollars a whack?