Making predictions is a dangerous game to get into, but that doesn’t usually seem to dissuade your average man on the street from expressing their opinion on the future. Some predictions could earn you a bit of spending money if you’re able to foresee who will be top of the Premier League when it comes to the crunch, or if you’re able to pick the winner from the latest celebrity entrants to the Big Brother house.

The tricky game of predicting heating oil prices could also bring you in a cash windfall, with the average price per litre fluctuating significantly throughout the year. Some of these fluctuations are relatively simple to judge – we know for example that global crude oil prices are continuing to increase as the global economy continues on an uneven keel which has a direct bearing on how much heating oil costs locally.

Then there are factors which are much harder to see through a crystal ball. Britain’s notoriously unpredictable weather for one will once again surprise us throughout the year with unseasonably hot or cold conditions throwing the transport network into turmoil which will have a direct impact on heating oil supply networks. World political systems also come into play and it is never possible to predict accurately what will happen in a year’s time but any additional turmoil, or change in supply or demand, will have an effect on the prices.

So, to answer the original question of how much heating oil will cost in January 2013 – we wouldn’t like to say exactly, but it’s highly likely to be more than it is today.  If you can buy your heating oil at the right time, you could save a considerable amount of money. If you want to get heating oil at the best price, keep a keen eye on trends over the course of the year, and buy in bulk when you sense a good deal.