There is a new cereal on the market and it called 'Credit Crunch'. We are offered it everyday, without choice and we have to take it.

The cost of living has rocketed, fuelled mainly by the hike in the price of oil. The experts say that, even if the price of oil falls back, it will never go below $100 again.

We are facing much higher fuel bills and we are also facing another winter, sorry to be so realistically plain about it. All fuel prices have risen sharply - coal, gas, oil, even turf at £3 a bag. The oil suppliers won't come to your house for less than £150. Some people are buying oil in jars, enough to do for a weekend, but bought at a desperately uneconomical price.

We could wear more clothes, take more exercise, stay in bed longer, put the bag of coal on our back and run round the yard (or, in modern terms, the terrace or patio). Better still, we suggest you get a car and start buying oil stamps at £5 each. A full card will be worth £150 and is readily accepted by our local oil suppliers. The free card and stamps are available from McElhinney's Centra, Tamlaght Spar, Brogan's Vivo, Vincent's McCrory's News at Six, the two McBride Spars, in Dromore at Montague's Costcutter, in Trillick at Kelly's PO, in Drumquin at McKenna's and Duncan's PO.

This oil stamp scheme is a St Vincent De Paul project. It has been going for over two years, following the motto 'Helping people help themselves'.

St Vincent De Paul

Omagh area