💵 Thursday Money Check: Chattanooga Gas Bumps Up to $3.70, Apples Are on Sale While Onions Cost More, and Older Homeowners Can Ask About Property Tax Relief

Or: A Pump Price That Hopped, Diesel That Eased, Apples Worth Grabbing, a Tax Break Worth Asking About, and Holiday Jobs Worth a Look

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Thursday is the day you check the pantry and the wallet before the weekend gets here, kind of like counting the eggs in the basket before you promise somebody a cake.

Here’s what’s on the money table this morning: Chattanooga gas hopped up about 8 cents overnight to about $3.70, but it’s still about 4 cents cheaper than a week ago; diesel slipped again, and the government said it will loan out heating oil to ease tight supplies; this week’s grocery ads show apples and avocados on special while yellow onions, bagged salad and sweet potatoes cost more than a year ago; Sequatchie County homeowners who are 65 or older, disabled, or disabled veterans may qualify for Tennessee property tax relief, and you apply through the county Trustee; and stores expect to hire 325,000 to 375,000 holiday workers nationwide. Plus money dates for the fridge.

Gas and diesel prices are Chattanooga-area and statewide. The tax relief program is a Tennessee state program, handled right here at the Sequatchie County Trustee’s office on Cherry Street. The grocery prices, the heating oil news and the holiday forecast are national. We’ll say which is which as we go.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• At the pump (Thu., Oct. 22): Chattanooga regular about $3.70, Tennessee about $3.82, national about $4.27. Up overnight, still down from last week.
• Diesel: Chattanooga about $5.69, down about 8 cents in a week and 44 cents in a month.
• Grocery ads: Apples and avocados are the bargains. Onions, bagged salad and sweet potatoes cost more than last year.
• Property tax relief: Age 65+ or disabled with 2025 household income of $38,470 or less, or a qualifying disabled veteran or surviving spouse? Ask the Trustee: 423-949-2526.
• Tax bill: Sequatchie County property taxes can still be paid without interest through Feb. 28, 2027.
• Holiday jobs: Retailers plan 325,000 to 375,000 seasonal hires nationwide.

⛽ Thursday Pump Check: Chattanooga Hops Up to About $3.70

AAA’s Thursday, Oct. 22, reading puts Chattanooga (TN only) regular at about $3.70 a gallon. That’s up about 8 cents from Wednesday’s $3.62, but still about 4 cents below a week ago and about 32 cents below a month ago. Cleveland is about $3.73. Statewide, Tennessee averages about $3.82, nearly the same as yesterday and about 6 cents lower than a week ago. The national average is about $4.27.

Chattanooga’s average has been see-sawing this month. GasBuddy’s weekly reports showed it rose 8.4 cents in the week before Oct. 12, then dropped 19.8 cents in the week before Oct. 19. GasBuddy’s Oct. 19 survey also found Chattanooga stations ranging from about $3.35 to $4.27 a gallon, so where you stop still matters a lot.

What it means for you: At today’s Chattanooga average, a 15-gallon fill-up runs about $55.52, about $1.18 more than yesterday. That’s still a little better than a week ago, though about $17 more than this time last year, when Chattanooga regular was about $2.58. One higher morning is like one cloudy day in a sunny week: worth noticing, not worth worrying over. If your tank is half full, there’s no need to rush. Check a gas app and fill up where the price is lower.

👉 Read more (AAA Tennessee gas prices) · Chattanoogan.com: GasBuddy’s Oct. 19 Chattanooga report

🚜 Diesel Gets a Little Breathing Room

Folks with a diesel pickup, a tractor or a delivery route got a bit of good news this week. AAA shows Chattanooga diesel at about $5.69 this morning, down from about $5.77 a week ago and $6.13 a month ago. Statewide diesel is about $5.97, down from Tennessee’s record of about $6.22 set on Sept. 22.

Two things in Wednesday’s national news point the same direction. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of diesel and heating oil rose by 1.68 million barrels last week, when traders had expected a drop. And Reuters reported that the Department of Energy is offering to loan up to nearly a third of the country’s 1-million-barrel emergency heating oil reserve to help bring prices down. Diesel futures, the wholesale price traders pay, fell on Wednesday. Oil itself is still high, though, with U.S. crude settling around $97 a barrel.

What it means for you: Wholesale prices tend to reach the pump slowly, like warm air making its way to the back bedroom. Don’t count on a big drop overnight, but the trend for diesel is pointed the right way. If you run diesel equipment on the farm, it’s still smart to budget a little high and fill up when you see a good price.

👉 Read more (Reuters via Yahoo Finance: oil, diesel stocks and the heating oil loan) · MarketWatch/OPIS: diesel futures fall

🍎 Fall Grocery Ads: Grab the Apples, Watch the Onions

Every week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture tallies the produce prices that big grocery chains advertise in their flyers and apps. Its latest report covers ads running Oct. 10 to Oct. 22, and it’s a mixed basket. The USDA counted 18 kinds of apples on special. The average advertised price for a 3-pound bag of Gala apples was about $2.54, a little less than the $2.65 at this time last year. Avocados averaged about 79 cents each in ads, about 20% cheaper than a year ago. Cranberries are about the same as last year, at about $2.23 for a 12-ounce bag.

A few kitchen basics cost more. A 3-pound bag of yellow onions averaged about $3.15 in ads, up 43% from about $2.21 a year ago. Bagged salad was up about 33%, and sweet potatoes were up about 21%. These are national averages from store ads, not prices from a particular Valley store.

What it means for you: Let the sale flyer write part of your list, like letting the garden tell you what’s for supper. Apples are the deal of the season right now, and they keep well in a cool spot. If you’re planning Thanksgiving sides, watch the ads for onions and sweet potatoes over the next few weeks and buy when they go on special. Both store well in a cool, dark place. Federal dietary guidance counts frozen and canned vegetables and fruit, too, so they’re a fine swap when fresh prices climb.

👉 Read more (USDA weekly grocery ad report, PDF) · Food World News: Grocery prices and diesel

🏡 A Property Tax Break Many Older Valley Homeowners Never Ask About

Now that 2026 property tax bills are out, it’s a good time to know about Tennessee’s Property Tax Relief program. It’s run by the state Comptroller and paid for by the state, and you apply through your county Trustee. In Sequatchie County, that’s the Trustee’s office at 22 Cherry Street in Dunlap, 423-949-2526. If your home is inside city limits, the state says you can also ask your city’s tax collecting official.

According to the Comptroller’s 2026 brochure, there are four groups who can apply:

• Older homeowners: 65 or older by Dec. 31, 2026, own and live in the home, and combined 2025 income of $38,470 or less for you, your spouse and any co-owners.
• Disabled homeowners: disabled by Dec. 31, 2026, with the same $38,470 income limit.
• Disabled veterans: who meet certain VA service-connected disability rules, such as a permanent and total rating. There’s no income limit listed for this group.
• Surviving spouses of disabled veterans who haven’t remarried, and who meet the state’s rules.

For older and disabled homeowners, relief is figured on up to the first $33,600 of the home’s market value. For disabled veterans and surviving spouses, it’s up to $175,000. The brochure says the deadline to apply is 35 days after taxes become delinquent, and your taxes must be paid by then too. Sequatchie County taxes become delinquent March 1, 2027, which puts that deadline around April 5, 2027. Confirm the exact date with the Trustee.

What it means for you: This is money set aside for neighbors who qualify, and it doesn’t do anybody any good sitting on the shelf. It’s like a coupon you have to clip yourself. If you or a parent might fit, call the Trustee, ask for a Property Tax Relief application, and have your 2025 income papers handy, like a tax return, 1099 or Social Security statement. And remember: your 2026 bill can still be paid without interest through Feb. 28, 2027.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Comptroller: 2026 Property Tax Relief brochure, PDF) · Comptroller property tax programs · Look up or pay Sequatchie County taxes

🎁 Stores Expect a Busy Holiday, and That Means Seasonal Jobs

The National Retail Federation, the big trade group for stores, released its holiday forecast last Thursday, Oct. 15. It expects November and December sales to grow 4.2% over last year, to about $1.013 trillion nationwide. It also expects retailers to hire 325,000 to 375,000 seasonal workers, about the same as last year’s estimated 356,000. NRF’s chief economist, Mark Mathews, noted that “inflation, rising gas prices and pressure on household spending will affect consumers differently across income groups.”

What it means for you: Two takeaways for the Valley. First, if someone at your table could use some extra holiday money, now is when stores fill those spots. Check the job pages of stores you already shop at, and apply early before the good shifts are taken. Second, stores will be working hard for your dollar, so a written gift list and a set budget will help you pick the real deals out of the noise, the way a good bird dog ignores everything but the bird.

👉 Read more (NRF: 2026 holiday forecast)

🏦 Interest Rates in One Minute: Two Dates to Watch

There’s no big rate change to report this morning, but two dates are coming. Freddie Mac releases its weekly national mortgage rate survey today at 11 a.m. Central. Last week’s 30-year average was 7.40%, up from 6.27% a year earlier. And the Federal Reserve announces its next interest rate decision on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

What it means for you: If you have a fixed-rate mortgage or car loan, these numbers don’t change your payment. If you’re shopping for a loan or a CD, wait for next week’s Fed news and then compare written quotes. Rates are like the weather: you plan around them, but you don’t stand at the window all day.

👉 Read more (Freddie Mac weekly mortgage rates) · Federal Reserve meeting calendar

📅 Put These on the Fridge: Money Dates Ahead

• Today, Thursday, Oct. 22: Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rates come out at 11 a.m. Central.
• Friday, Oct. 23: USDA’s monthly Food Price Outlook is expected, with updated grocery forecasts.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28: Social Security deposits for birthdays on the 21st–31st. The Federal Reserve’s rate decision that afternoon.
• Friday, Oct. 30: SSI’s November payment arrives early because Nov. 1 is a Sunday. It’s November’s money, not extra.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Marketplace (HealthCare.gov) open enrollment begins for people who buy their own insurance.
• Monday, Dec. 7: Last day of Medicare open enrollment, about six and a half weeks from today.
• Tuesday, Dec. 15: Last day to pick a Marketplace plan for coverage on Jan. 1.
• Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027: Last day to pay 2026 Sequatchie County property taxes without interest.
• Around Monday, April 5, 2027: Property Tax Relief application deadline (confirm with the Trustee).

What it means for you: Copy these onto the calendar by the phone. A pencil remembers better than any of us.

👉 Read more (Social Security 2026 payment schedule) · HealthCare.gov deadlines · TN SHIP free Medicare help

✅ Your Wallet Checklist for This Week

• ✅ Check a gas app before you fill. Chattanooga is averaging about $3.70, and stations have ranged by almost a dollar.
• ✅ Diesel user? Prices are easing. Keep budgeting a little high, and fill up when you see a good price.
• ✅ Put apples on the grocery list this week. Watch the ads for onions and sweet potatoes before Thanksgiving.
• ✅ 65 or older, disabled, or a disabled veteran? Call the Trustee at 423-949-2526 and ask about Property Tax Relief.
• ✅ Write Feb. 28, 2027 on the calendar for the interest-free property tax deadline.
• ✅ Want holiday income? Apply for seasonal jobs this week, before the good shifts fill up.
• ✅ On Medicare? You have until Dec. 7 to compare plans. Free help: TN SHIP, 1-877-801-0044.

Practical rule: If a program has your name on it, ask for it. One phone call to the right office can be worth more than a month of clipping coupons.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Money Glossary

• AAA average: The daily average price AAA reports for regular gas in a state or metro area. Individual stations can be higher or lower.
• Diesel futures: The wholesale price traders agree to pay for diesel to be delivered later. Pump prices usually follow it, slowly.
• Heating oil reserve: A government stockpile of heating oil kept for emergencies, which can be loaned to companies when supplies are tight.
• Distillates: The family of fuels that includes diesel and home heating oil.
• Advertised price: The sale price a store puts in its weekly flyer or app. USDA’s report averages these ads nationwide.
• County Trustee: The county official who collects property taxes, issues receipts and takes Property Tax Relief applications.
• Property Tax Relief: A Tennessee program that pays back part of the property tax for qualifying older, disabled or disabled-veteran homeowners.
• Delinquent: When an unpaid tax becomes late and interest starts. In Sequatchie County, that’s March 1, 2027, for 2026 taxes.
• Seasonal worker: Someone hired for a busy season, like the holidays, often part-time.
• Federal Reserve (the Fed): The nation’s central bank. Its rate decisions affect what banks charge for loans and pay on savings.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why did gas go up 8 cents overnight when it’s been falling?

Chattanooga’s average has bounced up and down all month, and one day’s jump doesn’t tell you much. Even after today’s bump, the average is still a little lower than a week ago. Check your gas app, since stations vary a lot.

Is $3.70 what I’ll pay in Dunlap?

Not exactly. It’s AAA’s average for the Chattanooga (TN only) area. Dunlap stations can run a little higher or lower.

Will the heating oil loan lower my propane or electric bill?

Not directly. The loan is about heating oil, which is a cousin of diesel. Propane and electricity are priced separately. It may help diesel prices over time.

Are the grocery prices in this story what I’ll see at my store?

No. They’re national averages from store ads gathered by the USDA. Your store’s prices may be higher or lower, but the direction, like cheaper apples and pricier onions, is a useful guide.

Does Property Tax Relief pay my whole tax bill?

Usually not. It covers part of the tax, figured on a set amount of your home’s value. The Trustee can tell you what it might mean for your bill.

What papers do I need to apply for Property Tax Relief?

Older and disabled homeowners may need to show 2025 income from all sources, such as a tax return, 1099 or W-2. Disabled veterans and surviving spouses fill out a VA consent form at the Trustee’s office. Call 423-949-2526 to ask what to bring.

Do I have to pay my property taxes before I apply for relief?

The state says the taxes must be paid by the application deadline. You can still pay 2026 taxes without interest through Feb. 28, 2027.

Where can I find seasonal job openings near the Valley?

Check the job pages of stores you already shop at. Ask in person at the customer service desk, too, since many stores still hire that way.

📎 Other Resources

• AAA Tennessee gas prices
• Chattanoogan.com: Gas prices drop 19.8 cents in Chattanooga (Oct. 19)
• Chattanoogan.com: Gas prices rise 8.4 cents in Chattanooga (Oct. 12)
• Reuters via Yahoo Finance: Oil prices steady, lower U.S. stockpiles
• MarketWatch/OPIS: Diesel futures fall on supply build and heating oil release
• USDA: Weekly advertised produce prices (PDF)
• Food World News: Grocery prices and diesel costs
• Tennessee Comptroller: 2026 Property Tax Relief brochure (PDF)
• Tennessee Comptroller: Property tax programs
• Sequatchie County Trustee: Look up or pay taxes
• Dunlap.Today: Property tax window through February
• NRF: 2026 holiday sales forecast
• Freddie Mac weekly mortgage rates
• Federal Reserve meeting calendar
• Social Security 2026 payment schedule
• HealthCare.gov: Marketplace dates and deadlines
• TN SHIP free Medicare counseling

🌿 Keep Learning, Keep Calm

This Thursday’s money news is mostly the manageable kind: gas took a small hop but is still lower than last week, diesel is easing, the apple bin is full of bargains, and there’s a state tax break waiting for neighbors who qualify. None of it needs a decision before breakfast. Make one phone call if the tax relief fits your family, write a few dates on the calendar, and enjoy your coffee.

For more calm, practical Valley news, read Dunlap.Today, and share this with an older neighbor or a veteran who might qualify for property tax relief.