As temperatures drop, people crank up the heat and spend more time indoors, but oil costs continue to rise significantly since last year.
Rick Hennessey, of J. Swanton Fuel Company, has been delivering oil to his neighbors in Atlantic Highlands for the last 15 years. His wife works in the office and has been on the front-line of many complaints, as home heating oil is up more than 40% in 2022.
Hennessey says they are trying to accommodate those who can't afford to fill their entire tank at once, but cautions that they can't make a delivery less than 150 gallons, or they lose money.
"When you have older people on fixed incomes it's very hard,” said Hennessey.
States in the northeast are reportedly already rationing heating oil as prices rise. J. Swanton Fuel Company uses six suppliers. They have been assured they will have supply this winter.
Although the rate of inflation is slowing down, prices in general are still up over the last holiday season.
"If we look inside the date that's in utilities, piped gas up over 24%. Cereals and bakery products over 16.7% Private Transportation, like Uber and Lyft, up 10.4% and food at home, groceries still up over 10%,” said Caleb Silver, of Investopedia.