💵 Wednesday Money Check: Chattanooga Gas Slides to $3.65, a Medicare Letter Worth Opening, and a Quiet Day at the Fed

Or: Cheaper Gas on the Way to Town, One Envelope You Shouldn’t Toss, a Fed Day That Probably Changes Nothing, and How to Fill the Candy Bowl Without Overpaying

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Wednesday is hump day, the top of the hill on the walk to the mailbox. From here the week rolls downhill toward Saturday’s trick-or-treaters and Sunday’s extra hour of sleep.

Here’s what’s in the mailbox for your wallet: Chattanooga gas slid to about $3.65, down about 4 cents overnight, with the Tennessee average about $3.78; a new national study says about 4.3 million people on Medicare will have their private plan end Dec. 31, so if you got a “non-renewal” letter, it’s worth a calm read, not a panic; the Federal Reserve announces its interest rate decision at 1 p.m. Central today, and almost everyone expects no change; consumer confidence bounced back in October as gas prices eased; and with Halloween on Saturday, a little math on the candy aisle can stretch your dollar. Plus the money dates for the fridge.

Gas prices are Chattanooga-area and statewide. The Medicare study, the Fed and the confidence survey are national, and we’ll tell you how they touch the Valley. Candy prices are national averages. We’ll say which is which as we go.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• At the pump (Wed., Oct. 28): Chattanooga regular about $3.65, Tennessee about $3.78, national about $4.25.
• Medicare letter? If your plan says it’s ending Dec. 31, pick a new one by Dec. 7 for a smooth Jan. 1. Free help: TN SHIP, 1-877-801-0044.
• Fed day: Decision at 1 p.m. Central. A hold is expected, so your loan and savings rates likely won’t budge this week.
• Good mood news: Consumer confidence rose in October, mostly because gas got a little cheaper.
• Candy bowl: A 100-piece bag averages about $16.96. Compare the price per piece, not the brand.

⛽ Wednesday Pump Check: Chattanooga Slides to About $3.65

AAA’s Wednesday, Oct. 28, reading puts Chattanooga (TN only) regular at about $3.65 a gallon, down about 4 cents from Tuesday’s $3.69. That’s about 3 cents above a week ago, but about 25 cents below a month ago. Cleveland is about $3.70. Statewide, Tennessee averages about $3.78, down about 1 cent overnight, about 3 cents from a week ago and about 25 cents from a month ago. The national average is about $4.25. Chattanooga diesel eased to about $5.67.

Among our neighbors, Georgia averages about $3.63 and Alabama about $3.79, according to AAA’s state table.

What it means for you: A 15-gallon fill-up at the Chattanooga average runs about $54.75. That’s about $16 more than a year ago, when regular was about $2.58, but about $3.70 less than a month ago. Gas prices this fall have moved like a porch swing: a little forward, a little back, but drifting the right way. If you’re headed toward Chattanooga or Cleveland for errands this week, it’s a fine time to top off. Check a gas app before you go.

👉 Read more (AAA Tennessee gas prices) · AAA state averages

📬 Got a Letter Saying Your Medicare Plan Is Ending? Here’s Your Calm Plan

A new analysis from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group, published Tuesday, Oct. 27, finds that about 4.3 million people on Medicare nationwide will have their private plan end on Dec. 31. That’s about 3.1 million people in Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage and about 1.2 million in stand-alone Part D drug plans. KFF counted plans that are ending entirely and plans that are pulling out of some counties. The study is national and does not list Tennessee counties, so your own mail is the best guide.

Here’s what KFF and Medicare’s rules say happens next:

• If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending and you don’t choose a new one, you’ll be moved to Original Medicare on Jan. 1.
• If your stand-alone drug plan is ending and you don’t choose a new one, you’ll lose drug coverage. This is the one not to let slide.
• Pick by Dec. 7 and your new plan starts Jan. 1. Miss it, and people in ending plans get a special window from Dec. 8 through the end of February.
• People leaving an ending Medicare Advantage plan for Original Medicare get a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap (supplement) policy without being turned down for health reasons. Medicare’s rules generally give you 63 days after the old coverage ends to use that right, so keep your letter as proof.
• If your plan is just being merged into another plan from the same company, you’ll be moved over automatically. That’s different from a plan ending.

What it means for you: A non-renewal letter is like a note on the church bulletin board saying the Wednesday supper is moving to a new room. Nothing’s cancelled; you just need to know where to go. Find the letter (it may say “plan non-renewal” or “Annual Notice of Change”), write down your medicines and your doctors, and compare plans at Medicare.gov/plan-compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE. Prefer a person? TN SHIP gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling at 1-877-801-0044. Not sure whether your plan is ending? Call the number on your plan card and ask.

👉 Read more (KFF: 4.3 million Medicare plans ending Dec. 31) · Medicare Plan Finder · TN SHIP

🏦 Fed Day: Expect a Shrug, Not a Shake-Up

The Federal Reserve wraps up its meeting today and announces its decision at 1 p.m. Central. CNBC reports that markets see less than a 10% chance of a change, which would leave the Fed’s benchmark rate in a range of 3.75% to 4% after September’s quarter-point increase. In CNBC’s Fed Survey of economists and money managers, 93% expect a hold this week, while most expect another small increase is possible at the December meeting. After the announcement, Chair Kevin Warsh holds a news conference.

What it means for you: Think of the Fed like the county road crew setting the speed limit. When they leave it alone, nobody’s drive changes. A hold today means credit card and home equity rates likely stay where they are, and savings accounts and CDs likely keep paying about what they pay now. If you carry a card balance, paying it down is still the surest “raise” you can give yourself. If you have a little cash saved, it’s a reasonable time to make sure it’s in an account that pays interest. No need to watch the news at 1 o’clock; we’ll sum it up.

👉 Read more (CNBC: Fed meeting today) · CNBC Fed Survey · Federal Reserve meeting calendar

😊 A Little Lift: Americans Felt Better About Money in October

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, a monthly survey of how people feel about jobs, business and their own income, rose 7.5 points to 91.7 in October, up from 84.2 in September. Its economist said the rebound lined up with gas prices easing from September to October. More people said jobs were “plentiful” (26.7%, up from 24.3%), and people still expect their household incomes to rise over the next six months. The survey also found people plan to spend a little less on big-ticket items and services over the next six months, and write-in comments about grocery and fuel costs ticked up.

What it means for you: If you’ve felt a touch less pinched this month, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. It’s like the first cool morning after a long, muggy August: the work’s still there, but it feels lighter. A good month is a fine time to put a few of those gas savings in the coffee can for December instead of letting them drift away.

👉 Read more (The Conference Board: Consumer Confidence) · October press release

🍬 Halloween Saturday: Buy the Candy by the Piece, Not by the Picture

CBS News reported Monday that a 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy averages about $16.96 this year, according to FinanceBuzz, up about 3.5% from last year. Chocolate is running about 8% higher than last Halloween, per the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, because candy makers are still using cocoa bought when prices were at record highs. Cocoa prices have since come down, but that relief hasn’t reached the shelf yet. The Washington Post reported that the government’s candy-and-gum price measure is up about 7.7% from a year ago.

What it means for you: Check the small “unit price” label on the shelf tag. CBS notes some chocolate assortments cost nearly twice as much per piece as bags of gummy or fruit candy. Kids at the door are like bluegill at the dock: they’ll bite on just about anything. A mixed bowl of lower-cost candy keeps the porch light happy without emptying the wallet. And if you love the good chocolate, the day-after sales on Sunday, Nov. 1 are your friend.

👉 Read more (CBS News: Halloween costs this year) · Washington Post: candy prices

📅 Put These on the Fridge: Money Dates This Week and Next

• Today, Wednesday, Oct. 28: Social Security deposits for birthdays on the 21st–31st. The Fed’s rate decision at 1 p.m. Central. EIA’s weekly propane prices come out this afternoon.
• Thursday, Oct. 29: Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rates.
• Friday, Oct. 30: SSI’s November payment arrives early because Nov. 1 is a Sunday. It’s November’s money, not extra.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween. Set your clocks back before bed.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. HealthCare.gov open enrollment begins. Day-after-Halloween candy sales.
• Monday, Dec. 7: Last day of Medicare open enrollment for a Jan. 1 start.

What it means for you: Most of this week takes care of itself. The two to act on: open any Medicare mail, and turn the clocks back Saturday night.

👉 Read more (Social Security 2026 payment schedule) · Federal Reserve meeting calendar · EIA Heating Oil and Propane Update

✅ Your Wallet Checklist for This Week

• ✅ Headed to town? Chattanooga is averaging about $3.65. Check a gas app before you fill up.
• ✅ Look through this fall’s mail for any Medicare letter that says “non-renewal” or “Annual Notice of Change.” Open it.
• ✅ If your plan is ending, write down your medicines, doctors and pharmacy, then compare at Medicare.gov/plan-compare or call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.
• ✅ Keep that letter in a safe folder. You may need it later.
• ✅ Don’t rearrange your savings or loans over today’s Fed news. If you carry a card balance, pay a little extra.
• ✅ Buying candy? Compare the unit price on the shelf tag and mix in lower-cost treats.
• ✅ Tuck a few dollars of this month’s gas savings away for December.

Practical rule: Open the envelope before you open the candy. A five-minute look at your Medicare mail can save a whole year of headaches.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Money Glossary

• Non-renewal notice: A letter from your Medicare plan saying it won’t be offered in your area next year.
• Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): The yearly letter showing what’s changing in your plan for next year, like costs or covered drugs.
• Medicare Advantage: A private plan that replaces Original Medicare and often includes drug coverage.
• Part D: Medicare prescription drug coverage, sold as a stand-alone plan or built into many Medicare Advantage plans.
• Medigap: Supplement insurance that helps pay costs Original Medicare doesn’t cover.
• Guaranteed issue: A right to buy certain insurance without being turned down or charged more for health conditions.
• Federal funds rate: The Fed’s benchmark interest rate. It nudges credit card, loan and savings rates up or down.
• Consumer confidence: A monthly survey of how people feel about jobs, business conditions and their own money.
• Unit price: The cost per piece, ounce or pound on a shelf tag, so you can compare different package sizes fairly.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Medicare plan is ending?

Plans that are ending must mail a non-renewal notice. If you’re not sure whether you got one, call the member services number on your plan card, check your plan at Medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

What happens if I do nothing?

If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending, you’ll be moved to Original Medicare on Jan. 1. If your stand-alone drug plan is ending, you’ll lose drug coverage unless you pick a new plan, so that’s the one to handle first.

I missed Dec. 7. Am I stuck?

No. People whose plan is ending get a special window from Dec. 8 through the end of February. A choice made in December starts Jan. 1; one made in January starts Feb. 1. Choosing by Dec. 7 is still the smoothest path.

Will today’s Fed decision change my mortgage payment?

If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, no. Fed decisions mostly affect variable rates, like credit cards and home equity lines, and a hold is widely expected today anyway.

Why is chocolate still expensive if cocoa prices came down?

Candy makers buy cocoa months or even a couple of years ahead, so this year’s candy was made with cocoa bought when prices were high. Lower costs take time to reach the shelf.

Who can help me compare Medicare plans for free?

TN SHIP, Tennessee’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, offers free, unbiased counseling at 1-877-801-0044. Be careful with anyone who calls you first offering to “fix” your Medicare plan.

📎 Other Resources

• AAA Tennessee gas prices
• AAA state gas averages
• KFF: More than 4 million Medicare plans ending at the end of 2026
• Medicare Plan Finder
• TN SHIP free Medicare counseling
• CNBC: Fed meeting live updates
• CNBC Fed Survey (Oct. 27)
• Federal Reserve meeting calendar
• The Conference Board: Consumer Confidence Index
• CBS News: Halloween costs this year
• Washington Post: Halloween candy prices
• Social Security 2026 payment schedule
• EIA Heating Oil and Propane Update

🌿 Keep Learning, Keep Calm

This week’s money news is mostly gentle: a few cents off the pump, a Fed that’s expected to sit tight, and a country feeling a little better about things. The one item that asks something of you is that Medicare envelope, and even that comes with time, options and free help. Open the mail, mix up the candy bowl, set the clocks back Saturday night, and enjoy the extra hour.

For more calm, practical Valley news, read Dunlap.Today, and share this with a neighbor on Medicare who might have a letter sitting unopened on the counter.