💵 Saturday Money Check: Tennessee Gas Slips to About $3.46, Turkey Ads Drop to 96 Cents a Pound, Family Dollar Shoppers Get a Refund Fund, and Daily Mortgage Rates Bounce Back to 7.50%

Or: AAA Has Tennessee Regular at $3.46 and the Nation at $3.84; USDA Sees Frozen Turkey Ads Average 96 Cents, Down From $1.19; Tennessee Joins a $63 Million Family Dollar Pricing Settlement; Mortgage News Daily’s 30-Year Hits 7.50% After a Wholesale-Price Report; Propane Edges Up to $3.42; 23 Days Left for Medicare

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, November 14, 2026

Good Saturday morning, neighbors. Pour the coffee and take your time this morning. The wallet news is mostly the kind you can sort at the kitchen table, no running required.

Here’s what’s on the porch rail: Tennessee gas slipped again to about $3.46, with AAA’s national average down to about $3.84; USDA says grocery ads for frozen whole turkeys now average 96 cents a pound, down from $1.19 a week earlier; Tennessee joined a $63 million settlement with Family Dollar over checkout prices, and a refund claim form is on the way; daily mortgage rates hopped back up to about 7.50% after a firm wholesale-price report; propane edged up to about $3.42 a gallon statewide; and a separate rent-to-own settlement will reach out to eligible Tennesseans on its own. Medicare has 23 days left.

Gas prices are Tennessee statewide and Chattanooga-area, with the national number for comparison. Propane is a Tennessee statewide average. The Family Dollar and rent-to-own settlements are multistate deals that include Tennessee. Turkey prices, mortgage rates and Medicare are national.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• At the pump (Sat., Nov. 14): Tennessee regular about $3.46, national about $3.84 (AAA). Chattanooga was about $3.19 on Friday.
• Turkey: USDA’s ad survey puts frozen whole birds at 96 cents a pound on average. The cheapest deals often need an extra $20 to $50 purchase.
• Family Dollar refunds: If you shopped there March 1, 2023, through Oct. 1, 2026, a claim form will be posted at familydollar.com after a court signs off. Nothing to do yet but save receipts.
• Home loans: Daily rates jumped to about 7.50% in three days. Fixed-rate payments don’t change.
• Remember: Medicare changes end Mon., Dec. 7 (23 days). Social Security paperless sign-up for an early raise letter ends Wed., Nov. 18 (4 days).

⛽ Saturday Pump Check: Tennessee About $3.46, the Nation About $3.84

AAA’s Saturday, Nov. 14, numbers put Tennessee regular at about $3.46 a gallon, down from about $3.49 on Friday. The national average is about $3.84, down about 3 cents from Friday and about 20 cents below a week ago ($4.04). A year ago the national average was about $3.08, so we’re still paying more than last fall, but the slide keeps rolling. On Friday, AAA’s metro averages had Chattanooga (TN only) at about $3.19, the lowest of any Tennessee metro, with Cleveland about $3.30. Tennessee diesel is about $5.73. Neighbors to the south and east are lower still: Georgia is about $3.36 and North Carolina about $3.12.

What it means for you: A 15-gallon fill-up at the Tennessee average now runs about $51.90, and a bit less around Chattanooga. Gas prices this fall are like a creek after a big rain, going down a little every day. No need to top off in a hurry. Fill up when you need to, and if you’re heading toward Chattanooga anyway for groceries or the doctor, that’s a fine place to fill the tank.

👉 Read more: AAA — State gas price averages

🦃 The Turkey Got Cheaper This Week: Grocery Ads Average 96 Cents a Pound

USDA’s weekly survey of grocery ads, released Friday, found that frozen whole turkeys (the regular, store-brand kind) are advertised at an average of 96 cents a pound, down from $1.19 the week before and about the same as last year (98 cents). More stores are running turkey ads as Thanksgiving nears. USDA also noted that some of the lowest-priced birds require an additional purchase, typically $20 to $50. The Shelby Report, a grocery trade publication, said Walmart is holding Butterball at 97 cents a pound, and Target has its Good & Gather frozen turkey at 79 cents a pound for a third straight year, even though stores are paying about $1.80 a pound wholesale. These are national averages; your store’s price may differ.

What it means for you: At 96 cents a pound, a 15-pound bird runs about $14.40, roughly $3.45 less than at last week’s average. Stores often sell the turkey cheap to bring you in for the rest of the cart, the same way a church supper sells the plate cheap and makes it up on the pie. Before you grab a “spend $30, get a cheap turkey” deal, check that you were going to spend that $30 anyway. And give a frozen bird time: thawing in the fridge takes about a day for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 15-pounder needs to go in the fridge by about Saturday, Nov. 21 or Sunday, Nov. 22.

👉 Read more: USDA — Weekly grocery store turkey ad prices

🧾 Family Dollar Settlement: A Refund Fund for Shoppers Who Paid More at the Register

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Friday a $63 million multistate settlement with Family Dollar over claims that the chain charged more at checkout than the prices it advertised. The state said the Federal Trade Commission found widespread pricing problems, including failed Tennessee Weights and Measures inspections, and the FTC estimates about 4.2% of Family Dollar sales nationwide resulted in overcharges. The deal covers Family Dollar’s 148 Tennessee stores. It includes a $40 million refund fund for people who bought goods at Family Dollar between March 1, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2026, with up to 180 days to file a claim; a $20 million discount program giving 15% off at Family Dollar stores for two days in a row, to start within 90 days after the court approves the deal; and new rules requiring itemized receipts, employee training and at least two surprise price checks at every store each year. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office said the claim form will be posted at familydollar.com within 14 days after a federal court enters the settlement order. This is a multistate settlement that includes Tennessee.

What it means for you: There’s nothing to file today, so don’t let anybody rush you. Think of it like a seed catalog in January: you can’t plant yet, but you can get ready. If you’ve shopped at Family Dollar in the last few years, drop any old receipts in one envelope marked “Family Dollar,” and check familydollar.com in a few weeks for the claim form. Only use that official site. And whatever store you’re in, glance at the register screen as items ring up. If the price doesn’t match the shelf tag, it’s fine to say so politely.

👉 Read more: Tennessee Attorney General — Family Dollar settlement

🏠 Home-Loan Rates Took a Hop: Daily Average Back to About 7.50%

Yesterday we told you Freddie Mac’s weekly survey had the 30-year rate easing to 7.11%. Here’s the update: Freddie Mac’s number is a weekly average that doesn’t catch the latest days, and daily rates moved up fast this week. Mortgage News Daily said Friday that its average top-tier 30-year fixed rate rose 0.32 percentage points in three days to 7.50%, erasing most of the improvement from the past five weeks. Part of the push came from Friday’s wholesale-price report: the government’s producer price index rose 0.3% in October, a little less than the 0.4% economists expected, but up 6.5% over the past year, CNBC reported. The 10-year Treasury yield, which mortgages, car loans and credit cards tend to follow, stayed above 5%, and traders now see a Federal Reserve rate increase at the Dec. 9 meeting as a near certainty, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool. These are national numbers.

What it means for you: If you already have a fixed-rate mortgage, nothing changes for you; your payment stays planted like a fence post. If you’re shopping for a home or a car, rates can hop around like a rabbit in the garden from one day to the next, so get a written quote, ask how long the lender will lock the rate, and compare two or three lenders on the same day. The brighter side: higher rates usually mean savings accounts and CDs pay more, so if your savings are sitting at zero interest, it’s worth asking your bank or credit union what they offer. If you carry a credit-card balance, paying it down is still one of the best “raises” you can give yourself.

👉 Read more: Mortgage News Daily — Rates give back October’s gains

🔥 Propane Edges Up to About $3.42 a Gallon in Tennessee

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly heating-fuel survey put the Tennessee residential propane price at about $3.42 a gallon for the week of Nov. 9, up about 8 cents from $3.34 the week before and up from about $3.19 in early October. Prices usually firm up as the heating season gets going. The next weekly update comes Wednesday, Nov. 18. This is a Tennessee statewide average; your dealer’s price will vary.

What it means for you: Eight cents a gallon works out to about $8 more on a 100-gallon delivery, so it’s a nudge, not a shove. If you heat with propane, peek at your tank gauge this weekend. Calling for a fill when the tank is around 30% avoids a rush delivery charge on the coldest night of the year. It’s also fair to ask your dealer whether they offer a budget plan or a set price for the season.

👉 Read more: EIA — Weekly Tennessee propane prices

🛋️ Rent-to-Own Settlement: Eligible Tennesseans Don’t Have to File Anything

In a second consumer deal announced this week, Attorney General Skrmetti said Tennessee is in line for more than $52 million from a $183.5 million agreement that 43 states reached with Acima, a company that finances lease-to-own purchases of furniture, electronics and similar goods through stores, HERE Nashville reported. The states said Acima pitched agreements as 90-day payoff plans but didn’t clearly explain they could roll into terms as long as 12 months, which could mean paying roughly double an item’s cash price. For Tennessee, the deal includes about $805,746 in restitution for eligible residents plus reduced lease balances. Most important: qualifying residents don’t need to file anything. A settlement administrator will reach out to people owed money, and Acima will contact customers whose balances are being reduced. This is a multistate settlement that includes Tennessee.

What it means for you: If you’ve used a lease-to-own plan, keep an eye on your mail and email. A real refund doesn’t need you to pay a fee or give a bank password to get it, so if a caller asks for either, hang up and call the Attorney General’s consumer office instead. And next time a “pay-over-time” offer pops up at a register, ask one simple question: “What’s the total I’ll pay if I don’t finish in 90 days?”

👉 Read more: HERE Nashville — Tennessee’s share of the Acima settlement

🩺 Medicare: 23 Days Left, and Three Things Worth Knowing Before You Switch

Medicare open enrollment ends Monday, Dec. 7, and changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. A physician’s guest column in the Las Vegas Sun this week laid out some helpful points. First, if you’re in the middle of treatment and switch Medicare Advantage plans, coordinated-care plans must give at least a 90-day transition period in which the new plan can’t disrupt your treatment or require new approvals. Second, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year at no extra charge, but it does not lower what you pay; it only spreads it out. Third, many Medicare Advantage plans require prior authorization, or approval in advance, for some services, so ask which ones before you sign up. This is national.

What it means for you: Choosing a Medicare plan is like picking a truck. The sticker price matters, but so does whether it fits your road. Write down your doctors, your pharmacy and every prescription, then check them against any plan you’re considering. In Tennessee, free, no-sales help is TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044, and Medicare’s own line is 1-800-633-4227. Calling next week beats calling in December.

👉 Read more: Las Vegas Sun — 5 things to check before choosing a Medicare plan

📅 Put These on the Fridge: Money Dates for the Next Few Weeks

• Wednesday, Nov. 18: Social Security paid for birthdays on the 11th–20th. Also the last day to sign up for paperless notices at ssa.gov/myaccount if you want to see your 3.6% raise letter online in late November (4 days). New weekly propane prices from EIA.
• Saturday–Sunday, Nov. 21–22: About when a 15-pound frozen turkey should go into the fridge to thaw.
• Wednesday, Nov. 25: Social Security paid for birthdays on the 21st–31st.
• Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving (12 days). Banks and post offices closed.
• Friday, Nov. 27: Black Friday.
• Monday, Dec. 7: Last day of Medicare open enrollment (23 days from today).
• Tuesday–Wednesday, Dec. 8–9: Federal Reserve meeting; a rate decision comes Wednesday afternoon.
• Tuesday, Dec. 15: HealthCare.gov deadline for coverage starting Jan. 1 (31 days from today).

✅ Your Wallet Checklist for This Week

• ✅ Need gas? Tennessee is about $3.46 and Chattanooga was about $3.19 Friday. Fill up when you need to.
• ✅ Buying a turkey? Today’s average ad price is about 96 cents a pound. Only take a “spend $30” deal if you were buying the groceries anyway.
• ✅ Mark Nov. 21–22 on the calendar to move a frozen turkey to the fridge.
• ✅ Shopped at Family Dollar since 2023? Put receipts in one envelope and check familydollar.com for the claim form in a few weeks.
• ✅ Shopping for a loan? Get a written quote and lock period. Have savings? Ask your bank what its savings or CD rate is.
• ✅ Heat with propane? Check your tank gauge and call for a fill around 30%.
• ✅ On Medicare? 23 days left. List your doctors, pharmacy and prescriptions, then call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.
• ✅ Want your Social Security raise letter early? Go paperless at ssa.gov/myaccount by Wed., Nov. 18. Miss it? Your letter still comes by mail in December, and your raise is not affected.

Practical rule: A real refund never costs you a fee, a real deal still makes sense without the sign, and a real deadline goes on the fridge today.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Money Glossary

• Metro average: AAA’s average gas price for a city and its surrounding area.
• Feature (ad) price: The sale price a store advertises in its weekly flyer or app, which USDA tracks each week.
• Multistate settlement: An agreement in which several state attorneys general settle claims against a company together.
• Consumer redress fund: Money set aside in a settlement to pay back customers who were harmed.
• Rent-to-own (lease-to-own): A plan where you make payments to use an item and own it only after paying the full lease, which often costs more than the cash price.
• Producer price index (PPI): A government measure of the prices businesses get for goods and services, sometimes called wholesale prices.
• 10-year Treasury yield: The interest rate on a 10-year U.S. government bond; mortgage rates tend to follow it.
• Rate lock: A lender’s promise to hold your quoted interest rate for a set number of days.
• Prior authorization: Approval a health plan requires before it will cover certain services or supplies.
• TN SHIP: Tennessee’s free, unbiased Medicare counseling program.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How much is gas in Tennessee today?

AAA’s Saturday average has Tennessee regular at about $3.46 and the national average at about $3.84. On Friday, Chattanooga’s metro average was about $3.19, the lowest in the state.

How much is a Thanksgiving turkey this year?

USDA’s latest grocery-ad survey puts frozen whole turkeys at an average of 96 cents a pound nationally, down from $1.19 the week before. Walmart has Butterball at 97 cents, and Target’s store brand is 79 cents. Some of the lowest prices require an extra purchase.

How do I get money from the Family Dollar settlement?

If you bought goods at Family Dollar between March 1, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2026, you can file a claim once the form is posted at familydollar.com, which should be within 14 days after a federal court enters the settlement. You’ll have up to 180 days to file. There’s nothing to file yet.

Do I need to do anything for the rent-to-own (Acima) settlement?

No. Eligible Tennesseans don’t need to file. A settlement administrator will contact people owed money, and Acima will contact customers whose balances are being reduced.

Didn’t mortgage rates just go down?

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey showed 7.11% on Thursday, but that’s a weekly average. Daily rates rose quickly this week, and Mortgage News Daily had the 30-year at about 7.50% on Friday. If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, your payment doesn’t change.

Is propane going up?

A little. EIA put Tennessee residential propane at about $3.42 a gallon for the week of Nov. 9, up about 8 cents from the week before. That’s about $8 more on a 100-gallon fill.

When does Medicare open enrollment end?

Monday, Dec. 7. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. TN SHIP’s free number is 1-877-801-0044, and Medicare is 1-800-633-4227.

📎 Other Resources

• AAA: State gas price averages
• AAA: National gas prices
• WTNZ/Stacker: Tennessee metro gas prices, Nov. 13
• USDA: Weekly grocery store turkey feature activity
• The Shelby Report: Grocers hold the line on turkey prices
• Tennessee Attorney General: News releases
• Tennessee Attorney General: Family Dollar settlement release
• Arkansas Attorney General: Family Dollar claim form details
• HERE Nashville: Acima rent-to-own settlement
• Mortgage News Daily: Daily mortgage rates
• CNBC: Treasury yields after the producer price report
• EIA: Weekly Tennessee residential propane prices
• Las Vegas Sun: 5 things to check during Medicare open enrollment
• Medicare.gov: Open enrollment
• TN SHIP: Free Medicare counseling
• SSA: 2026 payment schedule

🌿 Keep Learning, Keep Calm

It’s a gentle Saturday for your wallet: gas still easing, the turkey cheaper than last week, and a couple of settlements putting a little money back where it belongs. Rates took a hop, but a hop isn’t a fall, and fixed payments stay put. Pick one thing off the checklist this weekend, maybe that receipt envelope or a glance at the propane gauge, and let the rest wait for Monday. Small steps, taken early, keep the wallet calm.

For more calm, practical Valley news, read Dunlap.Today, and share this with a neighbor who could use it.