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A few ordering tricks and easy copycats can make pumpkin season a lot cheaper

• Starbucks has six new fall drinks this year: This includes an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso and two banana bread-inspired drinks.

• Some new Grande drinks can top $7: Depending on the drink and location, you may end up with a fairly expensive treat.

• Don't pay high prices all fall: Use Rewards strategically, bring your own cup, and try making the easiest drinks at home.

Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) season is officially back. But the PSL isn't really the news this year.

Starbucks launched its 2026 fall menu on August 25th with six brand-new drinks, alongside returning favorites like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai.

And if you're tempted to work your way through all six newcomers, your wallet might feel the fall chill, too.

The 6 new Starbucks fall drinks

Here's what's new this year:

1. Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso: Blonde Espresso shaken with brown sugar and cinnamon, served with oat milk and topped with pumpkin cream cold foam.

2. Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha: Iced matcha topped with pumpkin cream cold foam.

3. Pumpkin Spice Chai: Spiced black tea, steamed milk, and pumpkin sauce finished with pumpkin spice topping.

4. Iced Banana Bread Latte: Blonde Espresso, banana syrup, and milk topped with brown sugar cream cold foam and cinnamon dolce topping.

5. Iced Banana Bread Chai: Chai and banana syrup topped with brown sugar cream cold foam and cinnamon dolce topping.

6. Iced Chaider: Chai combined with strawberry-acai flavors to create a surprisingly cider-like fall drink.

The Banana Bread Latte and Banana Bread Chai are expected to stick around beyond the fall season, while the others are part of Starbucks' seasonal lineup.

Now for the expensive part

Trying them all isn't cheap. Depending on the drink and location, some grande seasonal drinks can cost more than $7.

At $7.25, buying three drinks a week works out to $21.75 a week or about $87 every four weeks.

Fortunately, you don't necessarily have to pay full Starbucks prices every time.

Hack #1: Make the easiest copycats at home

Don't try recreating a 12-ingredient Starbucks masterpiece. Instead, focus on copying the simple ones.

For an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso-inspired drink, start with espresso or strong coffee, brown sugar, cinnamon, ice, and oat milk.

For the pumpkin foam, froth a little heavy cream or half-and-half with pumpkin puree, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.

Better yet, make a batch of pumpkin foam or pumpkin syrup on Sunday and use it on iced coffee, cold brew, and chai throughout the week.

Pro tip: This great tip comes from Chelsea, a former Barista. If youre looking for a cheap way to order the classic PSL, start with a Grande Blonde Roast coffee, add 4 pumps of pumpkin sauce, then add an extra splash of 2% steamed milk. She also said you can add the pumpkin seasoning on top for an extra 50 cents if thats your jam. Same yummy pumpkin taste for about half the price.

Hack #2: Don't waste your Stars on cheap stuff

Starbucks Rewards lets members redeem 60 Stars for $2 off an order or 200 Stars for a handcrafted beverage worth up to $10.

If you're going to spend 200 Stars on a free handcrafted drink, consider using them on one of the more expensive seasonal drinks instead of something you'd normally buy for $4 or $5.

Also, watch for Starbucks' monthly Free Mod Mondays, when Rewards members can get a customization without the usual extra charge.

Hack #3: Take advantage of free refills

Planning to hang out at Starbucks for a while?

Customers who have a new Fall drink as their first beverage (in the caf) can get a free refill of hot or iced brewed coffee or tea during the same visit.

It's worth remembering if you're working, studying, or meeting someone. And as of 2025, you do not have to be a Rewards member to get the free refill.

Pro tip: If you don't want that free refill right away, consider taking it with you and using the brewed coffee or tea as the base for your own fall concoction at home. Add pumpkin syrup, cinnamon, milk, or homemade pumpkin cold foam and you've got another fall drink without buying another $7 specialty coffee.

Hack #4: Bring your own cup

This may be the easiest Starbucks discount to forget.

Bring a clean reusable cup to a participating Starbucks and you'll get 10 cents off your drink.

Starbucks Rewards members can also earn Double Stars for using a personal cup.

I realize ten cents isn't much, but those Bonus Stars can make the habit considerably more worthwhile.

One more new drink is coming

Starbucks isn't finished with its fall rollout.

On Sept. 29, it's adding the new Aerocano, made with Blonde Espresso that's air-whipped to create a light foam.

Theyll also be introducing three new Mini Pies (Apple Crumble, Pecan, and Pumpkin) on the same day.

New research suggests shoppers shouldnt assume an AI-generated recommendation has been vetted

• AI models recommended a completely fictional company in up to 100% of test runs, showing that confident recommendations dont necessarily mean a business has been vetted.

• AI recommendations can change significantly from one search to the next, with roughly half of the suggested brands changing when researchers asked the same question twice.

• Experts recommend using AI as a starting point, not the final word, and checking a companys digital footprint, customer reviews and independent sources before making a purchase.

More people are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for help deciding what to buy, where to shop, and which companies to trust. But how much confidence should consumers really place in those recommendations?

A new experiment from digital marketing agency Fractl raises some uncomfortable questions. Researchers created a completely fictional company with no website, customers, or actual business behind it and tested whether AI models would recommend it alongside legitimate competitors. In many cases, they did, and they did so with surprising confidence.

The findings suggest that an AI chatbot sounding certain about a company doesnt necessarily mean that company has been vetted or that the recommendation is based on solid information.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Nicole Franco, Head of Digital PR, AI Innovation at Fractl, who explained that consumers may want to keep this in mind as AI increasingly becomes part of the way they research products and services.

What the research found

In one study, researchers placed a completely fabricated company alongside five legitimate competitors in simulated search results.

Six of the nine AI models tested recommended the fake company in 94% to 100% of runs, while two others recommended it less often or included caveats. The newest model tested, Claude Fable 5, was the only one that consistently identified the company as unverifiable and explained why it was leaving it out.

A second study looked at 11,573 AI answers across 15 industries and found that AI recommendations often extend beyond the biggest, best-known companies. In fact, 85% of recommendations went to brands outside their industry's top five.

The researchers also found that asking the same buyer question twice could produce noticeably different results: roughly half of the recommended brands changed between responses on several major AI platforms.

What made me surprised is the little effort needed to get a recommendation for a company which doesn't exist at all, Franco said. We created a business which had no website, no customers, no history, and six out of nine models recommended this business 94% to 100% of the times it was part of the information that the model got access to.

This shows quite obvious vulnerability for anyone able to create a credible-looking piece of information online."

The risks to shoppers

With half of recommended brands changing when the same question is asked, Franco shared some of the risks this can pose to shoppers.

AI-generated shortlists shouldn't automatically be assumed to represent the top options, she said. When we asked the exact same prompt twice, roughly half of the suggested brands shifted. While this volatility isn't particularly concerning for minor purchases like running shoes, it warrants substantial caution for high-stakes decisions, such as selecting a mortgage lender or financial product.

In those critical scenarios, users should reasonably expect transparency regarding why a specific company was recommended.

Check for a digital footprint

If youre struggling to figure out whether a company that pops up in an AI search is legitimate, Franco recommends doing some research.

"If I searched for a company independently and turned up almost nothing in the search results, that would immediately raise flags for me, she said. A legitimate business should leave a footprint beyond a single favorable article.

I recommend examining the sources cited by the AI and performing your own background check to see if authentic customer feedback and reputable sources corroborate its existence. If every piece of information leads back to a single source, I would not feel secure making a purchase there."

To avoid any risky purchases, Franco encourages consumers to use AI as a starting point, and conduct their own research outside of the AI chatbot.

Even if I haven't heard of a company before, I'm still going to do additional research on it and will most likely cite the sources, she said. When it comes to big purchases, I would ask the same question again or ask other models too. I've seen enough variations in our research to not make an expensive choice based on just one answer from AI."

A new survey finds that many workers are still checking in while theyre away and some worry AI could make taking PTO feel even riskier

• More than half of workers arent fully unplugging: 62% said they checked or responded to work emails, calls, or messages during their most recent vacation, while 55% felt pressure to remain reachable.

• AI is adding to PTO anxiety: 26% of workers worry taking vacation could make them appear more replaceable because AI can keep work moving while theyre away. Younger workers are especially concerned.

• Many workers return from vacation still feeling burned out: 76% said theyve felt like they needed another vacation immediately after returning, suggesting that time off doesnt always mean truly disconnecting from work.

Vacation is supposed to be a chance to step away from work, recharge, and enjoy some time without thinking about your inbox. But for many Americans, actually unplugging can be easier said than done.

Between checking emails, answering messages and staying available for work emergencies, plenty of workers find themselves bringing their jobs along for the trip.

And now, there may be a new source of PTO anxiety: artificial intelligence.

A new survey from NumberBarn found that more than one in four employed Americans worry taking vacation could make them seem more replaceable because AI can keep work moving while theyre away.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Collin Czarnecki, research lead at NumberBarn, to explore whether AI could make it even harder for employees to feel comfortable stepping away from work.

Methodology

NumberBarn surveyed 1,134 employed Americans in June 2026 about their vacation and PTO habits, workplace expectations, and attitudes toward disconnecting from work.

The survey included full-time and part-time employees, as well as self-employed workers, freelancers and independent contractors. Respondents answered questions about communicating with work while on vacation, employer expectations, PTO use, social media, and how artificial intelligence is affecting their views of taking time off.

Key Findings

Heres a look at what the survey found:

• Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents said they checked or responded to work emails, calls, or messages during their most recent vacation.

• 55% said they felt pressure from an employer, manager, or client to remain reachable.

• Nearly one-third (32%) said they had secretly worked while on vacation.

• 39% said they had interrupted or changed vacation plans because of a work issue.

• 26% of workers said they worry taking vacation could make them appear more replaceable because AI can continue performing work while they're away.

• 33% of those ages 18 to 29 said AI has made them less comfortable taking vacation, compared with 19% of workers ages 30 to 44 and 15.1% of those 60 and older.

• Overall, 76% said they've felt like they needed another vacation immediately after returning from one.

AI is creating more stress

These findings highlight the stress that AI is causing many employees who want to take vacations.

Taking a vacation is supposed to reduce stress, but AI is giving some workers a new reason to worry about stepping away from work, Czarnecki said. Most of the anxiety comes down to job security and the pressure employees already feel to prove their value at work. Among workers who said AI has made them less comfortable taking vacation, more than half (55%) worry they'll appear more replaceable, while half feel a greater need to prove their value.

When it comes to PTO and taking time off, AI adds a new layer to an anxiety that was already there. Employees have always worried about falling behind or how taking time off might be perceived, but now there's an added question of, If AI can keep doing parts of my job while I'm gone, what does that say about how necessary I am?

The pressure to keep up

Before AI, many employees felt the pressure to keep up with their email inboxes or messages from coworkers while on vacation. However, the introduction of Ai has only intensified that.

Czarnecki explained that one-third of those who are less comfortable taking vacation because of AI say the technology has raised productivity expectations at work which is part of a bigger workplace culture issue especially when employees already feel a sense of guilt for taking PTO.

As AI allows work to move faster, there's a risk that employees start feeling like they have to keep up with that pace, even when they're supposed to be taking time off, he said.

Take advantage of your vacation time

If youre thinking about taking a vacation, or youre stressed about falling behind at work, Czarnecki recommends that employees take advantage of their vacation time.

For younger workers especially, it's important to set expectations before taking time off, he said. Make sure coworkers know what's covered, what actually constitutes an emergency, and whether you'll be reachable at all. Then, as difficult as it can be, remember to actually disconnect.

Younger workers may naturally feel like they have more to prove, but constantly checking email or Slack from vacation can reinforce the expectation that you're always available, which isn't much of a vacation.

AI should be making things easier

Despite this surveys findings, AI tools should make employees jobs easier not more stressful.

AI adds another layer of anxiety to a workforce that already has a hard time disconnecting, Czarnecki said.

He pointed to several of the study findings that revealed exactly that:

• 62% checked or responded to work during their most recent vacation.

• 60% regularly worked extra before taking time off.

• 40% have started working before their vacation officially ended.

• 76% say they've come back feeling like they need another vacation.

One of the findings that stands out in the study is that 32% of workers have secretly worked on vacation without telling the people they're traveling with, Czarnecki said. That suggests the pressure isn't always coming from an explicit company policy. Some workers have internalized the idea that they need to stay productive even when they're taking time off.

Ideally, AI should be making it easier for people to step away because work can continue while they're gone.

The scope of the breach remains unclear

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• McKesson confirmed that attackers accessed third-party applications and removed data connected to some customers.

• The ShinyHunters extortion group claims it stole about one terabyte of data containing roughly 284 million records, but McKesson has not verified those figures.

• Patients should be alert for convincing involving prescriptions, insurance claims, medical bills, or requests to verify personal information.

McKesson, one of the nations largest pharmaceutical distributors and healthcare-services companies, has confirmed a cybersecurity incident that may have exposed customer and patient information.

The company said it discovered the incident on Aug. 25 and determined that an unauthorized party had accessed certain third-party applications and taken data.

According to McKesson, the affected information was associated with a subset of customers in its Oncology & Multispecialty and Medical-Surgical business units. The company said its investigation, supported by outside cybersecurity experts, remains in its early stages.

McKesson has not disclosed how many customers or patients may be affected or identified the specific types of information taken, according to a report from Malwarebytes.

Hackers make sweeping claims

The ShinyHunters cybercrime group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group told BleepingComputer that it obtained access after conducting voice-phishing attacks against several McKesson employees.

Voice phishing, also known as vishing, typically involves criminals calling workers while impersonating technical support personnel, company officials, or other trusted parties. The goal is to persuade an employee to disclose login credentials or approve an authentication request.

ShinyHunters claims it used compromised Okta single-sign-on accounts to enter McKessons Salesforce and Snowflake environments. It says it removed approximately one terabyte of data between Aug. 21 and Aug. 25.

The hackers also claim the stolen files contain about 284 million records, including personally identifiable information and protected health information. That does not necessarily mean information belonging to 284 million different people was taken, because one person can have numerous records.

Those claims have not been independently verified, and McKesson has not confirmed that specific categories of patient information were compromised.

Why medical data is valuable

Healthcare information can be especially useful to criminals because it may contain a combination of names, addresses, dates of birth, insurance information, and details about medical treatment.

Even when stolen records do not contain payment card or bank account numbers, criminals can use personal details to construct highly convincing phishing messages.

Potential victims could receive calls, texts, or emails that appear to come from a pharmacy, doctor, insurer, medical supplier, or patient-assistance program. A scammer might claim there is a problem with a prescription, an unpaid bill, a canceled appointment or an insurance account that must be verified immediately.

The inclusion of accurate personal or medical details does not prove that a message is legitimate. Consumers should independently contact the organization using a phone number from its official website, an insurance card, or a recent statement.

What consumers should do

Because McKesson has not yet said who is affected, consumers may have to wait for additional information or an official notification. In the meantime, Malwarebytes recommends taking several precautions:

• Be suspicious of unexpected messages about prescriptions, medical bills, insurance claims, or deliveries.

• Do not provide passwords, authentication codes, Social Security numbers, or financial information to an unsolicited caller.

• Change any reused passwords and give each important account a unique password.

• Enable multifactor authentication wherever possible.

• Review insurance explanations of benefits and medical statements for unfamiliar services.

• Monitor bank and credit card accounts for unauthorized transactions.

• Consider placing a free credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion if sensitive identity information is confirmed to have been exposed.

Consumers who discover evidence of identity theft can create a personalized recovery plan through the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC's) IdentityTheft.gov website.

McKesson is expected to release more information as its investigation determines what data was taken and which customers or individuals were affected. Until then, the hackers claims about the volume and contents of the stolen records should be treated as unconfirmed.