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AAA expects more people to drive due to recent flight cancellations

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• AAA forecasts a record 81.8 million Thanksgiving travelers 1.6 million more than last year

• Nearly 90% of holiday travelers will drive, with road traffic expected to spike amid recent flight cancellations

• Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be the most congested travel days, according to INRIX

A record-breaking Thanksgiving travel rush is underway as AAA projects 81.8 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between November 25 and December 1. This years estimate surpasses last years total by 1.6 million travelers, solidifying Thanksgiving as the nations busiest holiday travel period even outpacing Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones, said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories.

Roughly 73 million Americans are expected to travel by car, representing nearly 90% of all Thanksgiving travelers. AAA reports 1.3 million more drivers will be on the road compared to last year a number that could climb further following recent flight cancellations.

Rental car demand is also surging. Hertz, AAAs car rental partner, said Wednesday will be the busiest pick-up day, with Orlando, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Newark topping the list of high-demand markets. Car rentals are 15% cheaper than last year, according to AAAs booking data.

Stable gas prices

Gas prices remain steady compared to 2024, hovering around last years Thanksgiving Day average of $3.06 per gallon. AAA advises drivers to fill up the night before travel, check batteries and tire pressure, and prepare for potential delays.

Last Thanksgiving, AAA fielded nearly 600,000 roadside assistance calls, primarily for dead batteries, flat tires, and empty fuel tanks.

Safety agencies are also expressing concern about impaired driving. From 2019 to 2023, 35% of Thanksgiving holiday traffic fatalities involved drunk driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

AAA expects 6 million travelers to fly domestically over the holiday period a modest 2% increase from 2024. That number may dip if travelers pivot to driving because of recent nationwide flight cancellations.

Round-trip domestic airfare averages $700, roughly on par with last year. Thanksgiving Day flights are cheaper, but return trips remain significantly more expensive, especially on Sunday and Monday, the two busiest days to fly home.

Buses, trains and cruise ships

Travel via other modes including buses, trains, and cruises is projected to jump 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million travelers.

Cruise travel in particular continues its post-pandemic boom. AAA projects 20.7 million U.S. cruise passengers in 2025, with numbers expected to climb to 21.7 million in 2026.

Thanksgiving-week cruises, especially to Caribbean destinations, remain popular due to warmer weather, all-inclusive pricing, and family-friendly itineraries.

Best and worst times to hit the road

INRIX, a transportation analytics firm, warns that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the most congested travel times as Americans head toward their holiday destinations. Return traffic on Sunday will also be intense throughout most of the day.

Drivers can avoid major delays by traveling early in the morning, AAA says. Severe weather, crashes, or construction may cause additional snags.

How to avoid fake listings and too-good-to-be-true deals

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Each holiday season, a handful of toys become instant must-haves and sell out just as quickly.

• For 2025, experts at CNET and Toy Insider spotlight high-tech, interactive favorites.

• But scammers know these toys are in demand, and theyre ready with fake websites and too-good-to-be-true deals.

Every holiday season, a few toys shoot straight to the top of kids wish listsand sell out just as fast. For 2025, experts at CNET and Toy Insider say tech-forward, interactive toys are leading the pack.

That high demand has also created a perfect opportunity for scammers, who are setting up fake websites, running misleading ads, and offering impossible discounts on sold-out favorites.

Shoppers are already searching for buzzworthy toys like Po the AI Story Bear, Gabbys Dollhouse Meow-mazing Interactive Dollhouse, Furby DJ Furby Rainbow, Disneys Ultimate Stitch Interactive Plush, Kanoodle Brain Teasers, Magna-Tiles Rail Racers Deluxe, Cry Babies, and LEGO Technic Ferrari FXX K sets.

But once popular items start disappearing from store shelves, scam listings spread quickly, especially on social media and search ads.

How the scam typically works

Youve looked everywhere for a hot toy, only to land on a well-designed website or ad promising its in stock at a steep discount. The photos look convincing, the timer says the sale ends soon, and the checkout process appears normal.

But many consumers who placed those orders say they never received anything at all. Others got low-quality knockoffs instead of the toy they expected. Some even reported extra unauthorized charges after their purchase.

One shopper in Ohio lost $46 trying to buy a trending Labubu toy. Another paid $65 for a Stitch plush that never arrived, and then noticed four additional attempted charges from the same seller. Attempts to reach customer service led nowhere.

These schemes are widespread, and scammers are counting on holiday shoppers being in a hurry.

How to avoid hot toy

1. Be skeptical of social media ads

Scammers use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to target people searching for specific toys. If an ad catches your eye, dont click itmanually type the retailers website into your browser instead.

2. Stick with trusted retailers

Buying directly from major retailers or verified sellers dramatically reduces risk. Fake sites often mimic real ones, so double-check the URL for odd spellings or extra characters.

3. Treat unusually low prices as a warning sign

If a toy is sold out everywhere else but one unfamiliar site has it for half the cost, the listing is almost certainly bogus.

4. Research unfamiliar stores

Before sharing personal or payment information, look for real contact details, a working customer service line, and authentic reviews from past buyers.

With the right tools, crooks can steal your car without ever touching the keys

California police are warning of a surge in high-tech auto thefts targeting key-fob signals and onboard computers.
Thieves are now using tablets, antennas and signal boosters to unlock and start luxury vehicles without ever touching the keys.
Authorities urge drivers to adopt new countermeasures from kill switches to Faraday bags as criminals evolve their tactics.

The times they are a-changing and so are the methods car thieves use to strike. Police departments are alerting residents to a troubling wave of technology-driven auto thefts that bypass traditional security systems and allow criminals to drive off in seconds.

In Anaheim, Calif., Police Sgt. Matt Sutter saidthat detectives are investigating two distinct types of high-tech thefts involving luxury vehicles over the past weekend, both more sophisticated than anything most departments have encountered.

Back when I started, you could pretty much steal a car with a screwdriver, Sutter said in a Patch report. But as cars advance in technology, suspects who want to steal these cars have to be more creative and use technology to carry out their heists.

Thieves now hacking cars by tablet or by signal

According to Sutter, one method involves thieves breaking into a vehicle and plugging a tablet directly into the cars computer system. Once connected, they can reprogram the system and simply drive away. That takes forced entry, he noted.

But another technique requires no break-in at all.

In a case reported in Anaheim Hills, thieves used an antenna-like device to capture and amplify the key-fob signal from outside a house even though the keys were inside the kitchen. The boosted signal was transmitted to an accomplice waiting beside the car, allowing the vehicle to unlock, start and disappear.

A victim described the incident to KTLA-TV, saying one suspect appeared at the front door as if he intended to break in. Instead, he held an antenna over his head, harvesting the fobs radio signal through the walls. Who would've thought someone would come in with an antenna and take your car away from you? the resident said.

Police urge residents to adopt new defenses

Police say that residents can take steps to protect their vehicles as thieves become more technologically adept. Among the most effective tools is a kill switch a hidden device that prevents a car from starting by cutting off the electrical or fuel system, even if a thief has the signal or a reprogrammed key.

Officers also urge residents with garages to park inside whenever possible and to avoid storing key fobs near front doors, where signals are easier to intercept. Keeping fobs deeper inside the home reduces, though doesnt eliminate, the risk of relay attacks.

Other protective options include Faraday bags, which block radio signals and are available online for as little as $5. Snopes.com also tested a popular DIY suggestion wrapping a key fob in aluminum foil. The foil worked sometimes in blocking signals, the outlet reported, but wasnt foolproof and must be removed before driving.

Yes, wrapping your cars key fob in foil or placing it in a metal container or special pouch might keep its signal secure from criminals, Snopes concluded. However, these methods would likely not be foolproof.

As police and thieves continue a technological tug-of-war, smart consumers will assume their vehicles may be more vulnerable than they think and take precautions now rather than after a car disappears.

A guide to slash your monthly bill, not your coverage

• Audit your bill: Separate the base service plan cost, device payments, add-ons, and fees so you can see your true bare-bones price and spot anything you dont actually use

• Call and negotiate: Tell your carrier your target monthly amount and ask for cheaper plans, loyalty discounts, and to remove extras like insurance, hotspot, or streaming perks you dont need

• Lock in lower costs: Downgrade data if you never use it all, consider prepaid or MVNO options on the same networks, and stop upgrading phones every cycle so your bill can actually drop over time

If your cell phone bill has quietly turned into one of your more expensive monthly bills, youre not alone. Between device financing, insurance, add-ons, and surprise fees, its easy for a $60 plan to creep past $100 per line.

The good news is this is one of the easiest monthly bills to cut if youre willing to do a little homework and possibly leave your comfort zone (aka the Big Three carriers).

Heres my step-by-step playbook to lower your cell phone bill while keeping very similar (or identical) coverage. Ive even included the questions to ask and the exact scripts you can use when making the lets get my bill lowered phone call.

Step 1: Figure out what youre actually paying for

Before you call anyone or consider switching, pull up your last 12 cell phone bills and do a quick audit of exactly what you have.

Breakdown your monthly billby the following:

• Service: your base plan(s) per line
• Device payments: include monthly installments for phones, tablets, and watches
• Add-ons: insurance, hotspot add-ons, international features, subscriptions
• Taxes & fees: some unavoidable, some are junkand optional

Then write down:

• Total per month
• Total per line
• How many months of device payments are left on each phone

Use this information to look for two things:

Bloat: this is the stuff you dont really use, but pay for anyway because youre on autopay and have never stop to consider if you need it. This includes things like insurance on a 4-year-old phone or an extra hotspot you never touch.

Base bill: this is how much youd pay if your devices were fully paid off and you removed any unnecessary extras. Think of it as the dollar amountyou pay so your phone works like a smartphone and not a brick.

Make that base number your target number moving forward.

Step 2: Decide if youre willing to leave the Big Three

The fastest way to drop your bill is often to leave AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile and go to a cheaper option that still uses their networks and towers, known as an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).

Examples include:

• Visible by Verizon (runs on Verizons network) - Base plan is $19/mo. for 26 months. You get unlimited 5G data, talk, and text.
• Cricket, H2O, AT&T Prepaid (runs on AT&Ts network) These services average between $25-$45 per month for unlimited wireless.
• Mint Mobile, Metro, Google Fi (runs on T-Mobiles network) These wireless services average between $15 - $40 per month.

These plans often cost half of what youre paying now for similar data, especially if youre on a family or multi-line plan.

The trade-offs:

• You usually pay for phones upfront or bring your own.
• You may not get priority data in congested areas.
• Perks like streaming freebies and free upgrades are limited.

If youre not ready to switch carriers yet, you can still save by switching within your current provider.

Step 3: Call your carrier with a script

Once you know your numbers, call your current providers customer service or loyalty/retention department and see what they can do to help you lower your bill.

Heres your simple script:

Hi, Ive been a customer for a while and my bill is higher than I can afford. Right now Im paying about $___ a month for ___ lines.

Im seeing other carriers offering similar or better plans for less. Can you walk me through any lower-cost plans, loyalty discounts, or promotions that would help bring my bill down if I stay with you?

At this point,let them talk and you just take notes.

If they can only offer you minor savings, follow up with this question:

Is that the best you can do if Im willing to switch to a different plan or remove features Im not using? Id really like to stay, but I need to get closer to $___ a month.

I always like to start with a realistic target in mind (say, $40$50 less than youre paying now). If they cant get close to that number then thats your sign to explore other carriers.

Step 4: Cut add-ons and features that raise your bill

Some quick wins that dont change your coverage at all include the following:

Device insurance:

• Worth considering for brand-new $1,000+ phones if you cant afford a replacement.
• Much less useful for older devices or budget phones.
• If you have multiple insurance plans (through your card, employer, or a third party), you may be double paying.

Ask them this:

Can you tell me exactly what Im paying for insurance, and on which lines? Lets cancel it on any device older than two years.

Check unused features that often hide on your bill:

• International calling packages
• Extra hotspot data
• Premium voicemail or cloud storage from your carrier
• Streaming bundles you never use

Askthem this:

Can we go line by line and remove any add-ons Im not actively using?

Paper billing / other junk fees:

See if you can knock off a few dollars by switching to autopay and paperless billing.

As long as youre comfortable keeping a close eye on your statements, this is an easy to way save a few bucks every month.

Step 5: Downgrade your data (most people are overpaying)

Unlimited sounds like the safe and smart choice. But in reality, a lot of people never get close to getting their money back on it.

On your bill or carrier app, check actual monthly data usage per line for the last few months.

If you see numbers like 3 GB, 5 GB, 8 GB per month, ask:

What would my monthly cost be if I switched from my current unlimited plan to a 10 GB or 15 GB plan per line? Do those plans still include a hotspot?

If you end up switching to a not-unlimited plan consider doingthe following:

• Turn on Wi-Fi Calling at home and work to use less cellular data.
• Pre-download music, podcasts, and maps on Wi-Fi.
• Turn off background data for nonessential apps.

Pro tip: You'll often find thatswitching from premium unlimited to a more basic unlimited, or even a plan with a set data limit, can easily cut your bill by $20$40 per line.

Step 6: Consider a prepaid or MVNO plan and bring your own phone

If your current carrier wont play ball and your phones are either paid off or unlocked, its time to price out some of the alternatives I mentioned above.

Look for the following:

• Plans in the $15$35/line range with enough data for your needs.
• Multi-line discounts that drop the per-line price further.
• Intro offers that dont lock you into long contracts.

Important things to verify with the carrier before you switch:

• Your phone is compatible and unlocked.
• Taxes/fees arent going to add another 30%.
• What happens to my bill after any promo period ends.

If youre nervous, try moving one line (a teenager, a secondary phone) first as a test.

Step 7: Stop the upgrade treadmill

I realize its nice to have the newest and greatest iPhone or Galaxy as soon as its released ever year.

But one of the biggest reasons many wireless bills stay high is that consumers continuously switchto the newest phone and they always finance the upgrade.

If you can stand it, heres a powerful hack that will keep you off the hamster wheel:

• Keep your phone at least one extra year after its paid off.
• When the battery starts to lose its efficient, get a cheap battery replacement and extend its life.
• Only upgrade your phone when theres a functional need, not just a new camera trick that you can live just fine without.

Then, when you do upgrade, consider:

• Buying last years model (or even 2 years ago) at a discount.
• Buying gently used or manufacturer-refurbished.
• Paying upfront instead of rolling everything into your monthly bill.

Separating your phone cost from your service cost is one of the best ways to see what youre truly paying. It also tells you where you need to cut.

Bottom line

Remember that your cell phone bill is not a fixed cost. But rather its a bundle of choices, fees, and habits that you can absolutely renegotiate.

To recap, heres your frugal playbook moving forward:

• Audit your bill and know your real per-line cost.
• Call your carrier, ask for retention/loyalty, and use a calm script.
• Cut add-ons, downgrade data if youre overpaying, and rethink insurance.
• Be willing to switch to prepaid or an MVNO if they wont meet you halfway.
• Step off the constant-upgrade treadmill so your service bill can actually go down.

Even knocking $30$60 off your monthly bill is $360$720 a year back in your pocket. Solid savings for the same phone and the same number, just a smarter setup.

Fuel bottles, lawn mowers, fidget spinners, dressers, learning towers, play yards & more recalled for safety risks

Demlar MoonSoll and Magic Chems fuel bottles

Product:MoonSoll and Magic Chems ethanol fuel bottles imported by Demlar Online Store

Hazard:
The bottles violate the federal safety standard for portable fuel containers because they lack flame mitigation devices required by the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act, posing a deadly flash fire risk.
They also violate Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) labeling rules by falsely claiming the contents are Non-Toxic.

Remedy:
Stop using these fuel bottles and keep them out of reach of children.
WriteDo not useand theAmazon order numberon the container with a permanent marker and email a photo toinfo@demlar.comto receive a full refund.
Dispose of the fuel bottles according to local and state regulations for household hazardous waste.

Units affected:About 18,200

Contact:

• Website:https://demlar.com/recall-1

• Email:info@demlar.com

• Phone:(943) 212-3054

Disposal note:
Follow local household hazardous waste (HHW) guidance for flammable liquids. Keep the product in its container, clearly label it Do Not Use, and bring it to a local HHW drop-off program as directed by your city, county or state.

Play yards sold on Amazon by Anna Queen

Product: Anna Queen play yards, sold on Amazon

Hazard:
The play yards violate the mandatory federal standard for play yards. Infants can become entrapped under the mattress or between the side of the play yard and the mattress, posing a risk of serious injury or deadly suffocation.

Remedy:
Stop using the play yard immediately.
Disassemble the fabric cover from the frame, cut up the cover and mattress pad, and email a photo of the destroyed product to tingerservice@outlook.com to receive a full refund. Then dispose of the destroyed play yard.

Units affected: About 70

Contact:

• Email: tingerservice@outlook.com

Incidents/injuries: Injuries reported.

Little Partners Grow 'N Stow Folding Learning Towers

Product: Little Partners Childrens Grow 'N Stow Folding Learning Towers

Hazard:
The platform inside the tower can collapse, posing a fall hazard to young children.

Remedy:
Stop using the learning tower and keep it away from children.
Contact Little Partners for a free repair kit, which includes a new crossbar with pin tabs and installation instructions. The new crossbar will have a sticker indicating it is no longer part of the recall. Remove and dispose of the old crossbar.

Units affected: About 9,780

Contact:

• Website: https://littlepartners.com/pages/product-recalls

• Email: recall@LittlePartners.com

• Phone: (800) 704-9058

Romorgniz fabric 12- and 13-drawer dressers (Amazon)

Product: Romorgniz fabric 12- and 13-drawer dressers, sold on Amazon

Hazard:
The dressers are unstable if they are not anchored to the wall and violate the mandatory standard for clothing storage units required by the STURDY Act. They pose serious tip-over and entrapment hazards that can result in injury or death to children.

Remedy:
If the dresser is not anchored, stop using it immediately and place it where children cannot access it.
Contact Romorgniz for instructions on how to dispose of the dresser to receive a full refund. Consumers must submit a photo to Romorgnizrecall@outlook.com showing the product has been disposed of.

Units affected: About 1,980 13-drawer dressers and 35 12-drawer dressers

Contact:

• Email: Romorgnizrecall@outlook.com

Magnet fidget spinner sets by Anzmtosn (Amazon)

Product: Magnet fidget spinner sets sold on Amazon by Anzmtosn

Hazard:
The sets contain loose, high-powered magnets and violate the mandatory toy standard. If swallowed, the magnets can attract each other or other metal objects and become lodged in the digestive system, causing intestinal perforations, twisting or blockage, blood poisoning and potentially death.

Remedy:
Stop using the magnetic fidget spinner sets immediately and keep them away from children.
Dispose of the product and email a photo of the disposal to Anzmtosn at Anzmtosn53@163.com to receive a full refund.

Units affected: About 490

Contact:

• Email: Anzmtosn53@163.com

Incidents/injuries: Injuries reported.

Spartan riding mowers

Product: Spartan Mowers and UTVs riding mowers

Hazard:
The steering arm dampers can be installed incorrectly, which can cause an unexpected bouncing motion and loss of control, posing a crash hazard.

Remedy:
Stop using the recalled Spartan riding mowers.
Contact an authorized Spartan dealer to schedule a free inspection and repair of the steering arm dampers.
To check if your mower is included, youll need the model and serial number.

• To verify if its in the affected serial range: https://joinspartannation.com/recall-information/

• To find an authorized service dealer: https://joinspartannation.com/dealer-locator

Units affected: About 650

Contact:

• Website: http://www.joinspartannation.com

• Email: service@spartanmowers.com

• Phone: (855) 307-0933

Mallimoda childrens pajama sets (Amazon)

Product: Mallimoda childrens pajama sets sold on Amazon

Hazard:
The pajama sets violate mandatory standards for childrens sleepwear, posing a risk of serious injuries or deadly burn hazards.

Remedy:
Stop using the pajama sets immediately.
Cut the garments in half and email a photo of the destroyed pajamas to mallimodarecall@hotmail.com with the consumers name and Recall Proof in the subject line to receive a full refund.

Units affected: About 2,100

Contact:

• Email: mallimodarecall@hotmail.com

Bearlala baby loungers sold on Walmart.com by Nuoxuann

Product: Bearlala baby loungers sold on Walmart.com by Nuoxuann

Hazard:
The loungers violate the mandatory standard for Infant Sleep Products. The sides are too low to contain an infant, and the openings at the foot are wider than allowed, posing fall and entrapment hazards. They also lack a stand, which can create a fall hazard if used on elevated surfaces. Together, these issues create an unsafe sleep environment that can cause serious injury or death.

Remedy:
Stop using the baby loungers immediately.
Remove the foam and pads from the cover, cut the cover, foam and pad in half, and email photos of the destroyed pieces to Recall-nuoxuann@outlook.com to receive a full refund.

Units affected: About 300

Contact:

• Website: http://callback.yankunwei.top

• Email: Recall-nuoxuann@outlook.com

AliExpress convertible strollers

Product: Convertible strollers sold on AliExpress

Hazard:
The stroller violates the mandatory standard for strollers because the restraint system can fail, posing a risk of serious injury or deadly fall hazard.

Remedy:
Stop using the stroller immediately.
Contact AliExpress for a full refund. Consumers must cut the restraints and email a photo of the destroyed product to us_product_recall@aliexpress.com.

Units affected: About 15

Contact:

• Website: https://www.aliexpress.com

• Email: us_product_recall@aliexpress.com