if British gas suppliers do not control the production and cost of gas how can they garantee a price for 4year
544659
They could buy futures contracts or options to hedge price movements, so if prices go up, they make their money through the financial markets and make up for the money that they are losing at the pump.
949639
If pols could control gas prices, it would always be cheap.\nIf oil cos could control prices it would always be expensive.\nWhat can we conclude from this?
259975
Learn what they really want\nLearn what the old supplier is doing wrong\nMake sure you can do both.\n\n:-)
600132
Why arn't gas companies allowed to make a profit? There are other industries that make more than the oil industry.  They have to make money for their stockholders just like every other company out there.
202996
I have! Oil prices go down and gas goes up. Supplies increase the price at the pump goes up. The 2nd biggest oil deposit in the world comes under U.S. control.... You get the idea. Enough is enough. His friends have all made a buck on this insanity, let's go back to $1.00 a gallon.
521724
call someone, and ask them to buy oil from you. ... once you have the order, call around and try to buy it from someone else. Soon you will realize that demand alone doesn't make a market easy to participate in. The markup is slight...but the volume and the regulations are amazing. Where will you store your gas/oil if you have a one or two day lag between when it gets delivered to you and you deliver it to someone else? Gas and oil cannot just be held in a big box...\nHow will you judge the quality of the product you are getting? Will your costs when buying really be better than a company who buys a million gallons a day from a wholesaler? And, will your buyers pay as much when you are new and delivering smaller amounts??? Some stuff to consider...
790990
http://www.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm
332181
Gas will stop rising in cost ONLY when people stop buying it at whatever price it has risen to...law of supply/demand.
390170
They raise prices by restricting supply. They try to maximize their income without driving their customers to alternate fuels or into a depression. Either would reduce their income.
304008
Not really.  If everyone stopped buying from Exxon and used the other providers, then the other providers would run out of gas pretty quickly due to supply and demand chain effects.  What would happen is that they would buy their gas from Exxon and overall all prices would go up, not down.\n\nFull mythbuster at Snopes.\n\nhttp://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp
1163091
i hope not. it would screw small busness who get charged a standerd rate for card charges. pluss how would you pay taxi drivers? or the plumber who tightens a nut and call it £3 for the petrol.
915235
NPower - as in the energy company?\n\nThey're not the cheapest. Use www.uswitch.com to see who would save you the most. Always buy your gas & electric from the same supplier, pay by direct debit and recheck every 12 months
581781
There is NOT a supply shortage. Even OPEC and Saudi Arabia are saying there's no shortage. They are saying the gas prices should not be anywhere near as high as they are. What's raising the cost is that oil companies are gouging everyone because they basically have a collective monopoly, even though they're supposed to be in competition with each other. That's why oil companies keep scoring record profits each year while average Americans are getting poorer.
316100
From basic economics, a price ceiling would just cause massive shortages and gas lines just as you saw in the 1970s.  It's trading one problem for another problem.  Whether this is desirable is debatable.  There are price ceilings for various things out there, such as rent.  There's some info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_ceiling\n\nYour other solution about boycotting just one company is just another urban legend floating around.\n\nBoycotting Exxon isn't going to work to bring down prices.  If everyone stopped buying from Exxon and used the other providers, then the other providers would run out of gas pretty quickly due to supply and demand chain effects.  What would happen is that they would buy their gas from Exxon and overall all prices would go up, not down.\n\nFull mythbuster at Snopes.\n\nhttp://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp\n\nTo lower gas prices, you have to lower demand, which includes things like carpooling, public transportation, alternative sources of energy, and better milage vehicles.
704752
Not now, not ever....\n\nIt's bad enough they want us to buy petrol in litres, now they want beer that way...\n\nKilo's of spuds... but I only want 2 pounds....
727544
Don`t believe all you see with these companies who search for you. ( U-Switch etc.) I have done this many times and if i had followed their recommendations i would end up paying more!British Gas are by far one of the most expensive yet they were recommended to me on three occasions.What you must remember is that a commission is paid to these search companies for being recommended. I did my own research and found that the cheapest gas and electricity is supplied by a company called EBICO.You will find them on the net and can do all your switching via the Internet if you wish.I have been using them for 3 months now,and would certainly recommend them as being probably the cheapest at the moment.Have a look at their website,i don`t think you will be disappointed.They charge the same price whether you pay quarterly or monthly direct debit.
471050
Are you people serious? our oil and gasoline is Subsidized by the US government.  While your crying about $3 a gallon for gasoline, Europe is paying upwards of $7 a liter for their petrol.  The government is the only thing keeping you driving the 4X4 and giant SUV, wake up.\n\nEdit: and while your on Yahoo Answers moaning to all of your "friends" about how evil a democracy the US gov't is, they are loosening the restrictions on your car's waste output, and opening the countries fuel supply for personal use so YOU don't have to ride your bike to the mall tomorrow.\n\nEdit2: YES they CAN use the excuse they cannot convert oil->gasoline.  We are currently refining at MAX capacity (when weather systems allow) We havn't made a new refinery since the 70s, and since it take almost 20 YEARS to complete a new refinery, don't hold your breath. (10 years to complete an oil rig)  Also, why the hell would Exon make a new refinery? From a business standpoint, they have NO motivation to do so, they are getting prime price for their product.