Good morning and Happy Friday! I’m Betty Lynn Fisher for Friday’s consumer edition of “The Daily Money.”
If you’re in a part of the country preparing for this weekend’s major winter storm, you may be thinking about going on a “panic buy” trip to the grocery store, or shaking your head in frustration at the empty shelves. I just needed a loaf of bread and I couldn’t find it anywhere.
USA TODAY colleague Mary Walrus Holdridge reports that panic buying is not a new phenomenon. Toilet paper, in addition to staple food, is another big thing people buy in panic, and so is gasoline.
So why do people panic buy?
Click here for tips for winter driving and air travel
To prepare for this big storm, we’ve got some winter driving tips and the latest information on airline storm responses and travel impacts. USA TODAY Travel reporters have a lot of information to help you solve this problem.
Healthcare companies promise Obamacare rebates
UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Hemsley has pledged to rebate the company’s Affordable Care Act benefits to customers in 2026, my colleague Ken Alltucker reported.
The stance comes as a House committee meets to examine insurance affordability. Obamacare premiums have skyrocketed due to the recent expiration of coronavirus-era tax credits.
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Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her at @blinfisher on X, Facebook and Instagram and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky.. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, breaking down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.
