One strategy for dealing with oil companies is to have an account with more than one company. Then you can check prices for oil and service and go with the best price. I found earlier this year that the company with the best price (but no service/technicians) had a more than 15-day wait for oil, so you can't wait until the last minute to order. Ultimately I dealt with the increase to $5 a gallon by switching to the wood stove. Also, many/most people seem to think that they "must" set the thermostat at 70. I think that's a myth and if you're bothered by $5 a gallon you should set it at 60 and put on some warmer clothes. Think about it: if you went outside in January and it was 60 degrees you would think it was downright balmy. The body can acclimate to a lower temperature. Also, get a down blanket and turn the thermostat down to 50 at night.
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