We've been on an annual budget plan for years where they bill you a fixed amount each month, and then we ante-up any overage in July and they issue an adjusted rate for the next year based on current cost. My monthly was $182/mo. but now it's $454/mo. effective July. Our boiler uses oil for both hot water and baseboard heat, and it's not like we can just rip it out and replace it with all-electric stuff without a huge outlay.
I'm really torqued over this. If you're a heating oil consumer, prepare yourself to take it in the rear.
Burn less oil. A lot less. (live in Texas, so I may be talking out my butt, but still a shot)
Are you using electric blankets? If not, do that instead. Allow the house to get pretty cold at night, but sleep under an electric blanket.
They did this at my dad's house in southern Arkansas. They were out in the country and didn't want to fuss with propane. (propane used for home heating runs out fast) They rarely used the electric heat. (because generating heat conventionally with electricity is expensive) After the fireplace went out at night, everyone just snuggled in beds under electric blankets.
I grew up with nothing but wood heat. If that fire went out.....But my folks always banked it and hoped it last until morning when that Hardy father of mine got up to start the fire. Always slept good though.
I didn’t live with my dad, but he was an early riser. There would be a fire there in the morning.
I do this. You can get these that run off 12V, and charge a solar generator that will replace the energy from the blanket on all but the cloudiest days. It’s actually very comfy.
Problem is if your house has high / low thermal weight (not the right word, but you get the picture). Some houses take a lot to warm up and some houses don’t. If you have a house that is hard to heat up, keeping it warm is much better, if your house is easy to warm up, then cycling the thermostat is more efficient. The easiest way is to try it out each way one year apart, trying to find similar months (may not be same month based on heat and cold waves) temperature-wise. Then compare cost. I’m sure people online can just look at a house and tell how you should operate your thermostat (based on age/location).