Why Would Bulk Coal Not Be Allot Cheaper Than Bagged?

I mentioned in another thread that I was considering building an outdoor coal bin this year to take advantage of, what I thought were the significant savings of bulk over bagged. ( I thought I had heard that bulk was about 1/2 the price of bagged) After calling around here in SE Mass, I found a number of coal dealers don't even sell bulk coal any more & the ones who still sell bulk do not offer much of a savings, bulk vs bagged. Bagged is more convenient for me, so I have no incentive to switch unless I could save money.
This is true even of coal you pick up at their yard so delivery costs cannot be the reason??

It's the cost to deliver it from NEPA to your state. You could save $$$ if you arranged a bulk shipment from a breaker to yur home. Just ask your neighbor to the north, Freddy. Your not going to save much buying bulk from a dealer in your area.

I saved $119 a ton by buying bulk direct from the mine compared to bagged locally. Because of the nature humans and the nature of business I'm sure this varies widely by location.

There you go. you'd save 240 per year, a 20 ton load would last you 10 years and you'd be locked in at todays coal prices. Time to build that outdoor coal bin and become a coal hoarder!

Around here it's only about $15-30/ton difference in Bulk vs. Bagged. Depends on any delivery charges for bulk also and how much you get. Might be easier for bagged for some people if they don't have a coal bin.

coalkirk wrote:Time to build that outdoor coal bin and become a coal hoarder!

I would do that Terry but...........................................You already have it all!!

WNY wrote:Around here it's only about $15-30/ton difference in Bulk vs. Bagged.

That's pretty much what I found, & since I only burn around 2 tons/year, the $30.00 I'd save does not come anywhere near paying for the extra work of bulk vs bagged, for me. Right now I just step outside my basement door, dump a bag into my coal hod & I'm done. Once a week I put the empty bags out front to be carted away by the trash guys....Done!

I burn through about 8 tons a year and I use bags. The only way for me to save real money by using bulk coal is to buy 25 tons at a time from the breaker, which is fine except that I don't have $5,000 readily available nor do I have a way for a big truck to get into my driveway or a bin to accommodate the pile of coal. I can solve the problems, any problem can be solved, but I burn coal to save money. I did consider building a coal bin in my basement that can hold about 10 tons of bulk. The savings will only be $100 a year but the benefit is I don't have to carry in 400 bags of coal. I do appreciate the exercise but it gets tiring after a while. I wouldn't throw out the old bags, ask a neighbor or coworker if they want them. I use them for storing things like onions, feed corn, manure for fertilizer, there are a ton of uses for them besides landfill. I wouldn't use them for sandbags as they deteriorate over a short time.

e.alleg wrote:I wouldn't throw out the old bags, ask a neighbor or coworker if they want them. I use them for storing things like onions, feed corn, manure for fertilizer, there are a ton of uses for them besides landfill. I wouldn't use them for sandbags as they deteriorate over a short time.

The Blaschak I buy comes in plastic 40 lb bags that I have no use for. Anyone who wants them is welcome to them though!

e.alleg wrote:I burn through about 8 tons a year and I use bags. The only way for me to save real money by using bulk coal is to buy 25 tons at a time from the breaker, which is fine except that I don't have $5,000 readily available nor do I have a way for a big truck to get into my driveway or a bin to accommodate the pile of coal. I can solve the problems, any problem can be solved, but I burn coal to save money. I did consider building a coal bin in my basement that can hold about 10 tons of bulk. The savings will only be $100 a year but the benefit is I don't have to carry in 400 bags of coal. I do appreciate the exercise but it gets tiring after a while. I wouldn't throw out the old bags, ask a neighbor or coworker if they want them. I use them for storing things like onions, feed corn, manure for fertilizer, there are a ton of uses for them besides landfill. I wouldn't use them for sandbags as they deteriorate over a short time.

I go through 7 ton ish (bagged) also.I use a big wheeled wood cart to get it in the cellar,3 bags at a time.my local supplier sells coal right now for 299.00 a ton bagged or bulk.there is a 4.00 /mi.fee for delivery bagged or bulk.My friend gets coal from the breakers for me and bags it for an extra 25.00 per ton.We use the bags over up here as long as you don't let then sit in the sun.bags ain't that much more work but I'm getting older and am thinking of building a large bin in the cellar.Depends on the price of oil.Don't want to break a hole in the stone wall and build a chute and bin and oil drops to 2.00 a gal.
DON

Because of shipping and handling costs.

It's on truck in Pennsylvania and lets say
the retail value if dumped right there is:

$170
$270

You ship it to Maine its now worth:

$250
$350

NOW... follow me here, the handling is pretty much
done with the bagged however with the bulk you still need
a yard, a scale, a loader, time and expense,breakage etc. add $50 to the bulk..

$300
$350

Those numbers are not meant to represent actual figures... just to give you an idea.

I used the bags from the Blaschaks to put the ashes in,then put them out with the garbage.

From what I've seen in my area, bagged coal is roughly $50./ton more if you buy by the pallet. If you by small quantities of bagged then the price is considerably higher. If you get bulk the price is per pound no matter whether it is 1# or 10,000#

I hope you let the ashes cool before you put them in the poly bags...

Bagged is only about $25 more per ton than bulk in my area, although I think the dealer selling bulk coal has no competition and prices accordingly.

You bet. I let the ashes cool for 2 or 3 days before bagging. Longer than neccessary but best being safe. LOL.

I found one dealer that is only $35./ton more for bagged but he bags it himself and it is a mystery coal. All he would tell me is that it comes from Pa.

The point is you've got to buy it NEPA, not locally in New York or Mass. That's how Freddy saved $119.00 per ton over locally purchased bag coal. You'll pay the freight but the economy of scale kicks in and you've saved a bunch, not to mention that you've bought it at current prices.