Consumer News: Holiday shopping is already here – what consumers should know

From healthier groceries to fitness and wellness treatments, preventive health spending is adding up for younger Americans

• 79% of young adults say the cost of staying healthy has left them financially stretched

• 21% have cut back on saving or investing to afford wellness expenses

• Experts recommend separating evidence-based preventive care from elective wellness and longevity products

For many young adults, staying healthy can come with a surprisingly high price tag. Healthier groceries, gym memberships, supplements, and newer wellness treatments can all add to the monthly budget and new research suggests some people are making financial sacrifices to keep up.

A survey of 1,010 Americans ages 18 to 40 found that 79% say the cost of being healthy has left them financially stretched. That includes cutting back on saving or investing and, for some, paying out of pocket for more expensive preventive health and longevity options.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Kate Placzek, Ph.D., Medical Editor at Mesothelioma.com, who explained the impact health and wellness can have on consumers finances.

How the survey was conducted

Mesothelioma.com surveyed 1,010 Americans ages 18 to 40 in 2026 to learn more about how younger adults are spending money on preventive health and whether they view those expenses as an investment or a luxury.

The group had an average age of 31, with women making up 50% of respondents and men 49%. Gen Z accounted for 38% of the participants, while millennials made up 62%.

Key findings

The survey found that 85% of young adults have paid more for everyday products they believe will protect their future health, while 79% said the cost of staying healthy has left them financially stretched. That pressure is affecting other areas of their finances, too: 21% said they've cut back on saving or investing to pay for wellness expenses.

At the same time, many respondents said they're willing to spend more now to potentially avoid larger medical bills later. Nearly 4 in 5 (78%) said they'd rather pay for prevention now than risk higher treatment costs in the future, although just 22% believe preventive health spending actually saves them money. More than half (56%) spend $50 or less per month on preventive health, while 20% spend more than $100.

Is it an investment?

The survey found that 78% of respondents view health and wellness spending as an investment, yet only 22% believe it actually saves them money.

The word investment does not necessarily mean that someone expects a financial return, Dr. Placzek said. A person may view spending on their health as worthwhile because they believe it supports their well-being, reduces future health risks, or gives them a greater sense of control over their health.

It is also important to recognize that the survey groups together a wide range of products and services under the umbrella of prevention. Some are established forms of preventive care, while others are elective wellness or longevity services with varying levels of evidence. Their potential health value and cost-effectiveness cannot be assumed to be the same.

Making financially-smart decisions

For those looking to balance health goals without jeopardizing their health, Dr. Placzek has some advice.

From a health perspective, a useful first step is to separate recommended preventive medical care from elective wellness products and services, she said. Patients can discuss screening, medications, supplements, or other interventions with an appropriate healthcare professional to understand which options are supported by evidence and relevant to their individual health needs.

Health-related spending should also be evaluated based on the specific product or service rather than assuming that everything marketed as preventive, wellness, or longevity provides the same level of benefit.

A new investigation found widespread pricing errors at the nation's two largest convenience-store chains

• Prices didnt always match: Circle K failed 82% of government price-accuracy inspections in Columbus, Ohio, while 7-Eleven failed 79% in one New York county.

• It's not just snacks: Consumers also complained about gas pumps charging more than prices displayed on roadside signs.

• Protect yourself: Photograph sale signs or shelf tags, watch the register, and keep your receipt until you've checked the prices.

That $3.99 bag of snacks might not cost $3.99 when you get to the register.

A new The Guardian investigation found widespread price discrepancies at 7-Eleven and Circle K, the country's two largest convenience-store chains, with shoppers sometimes paying more at checkout than prices displayed on shelves, sale signs, and even gas-station marquees.

Government inspection records examined by The Guardian found Circle K failed 35% of price-accuracy inspections in Florida, 62% in North Carolina, and a whopping 82% in Columbus, Ohio, between 2023 and 2025.

7-Eleven failed 47% of inspections in Colorado and Utah and 79% in Ontario County, New York.

And this isn't just a matter of a few pennies.

During one Arizona inspection this year, 12 of 25 products at a 7-Eleven rang up higher than their shelf prices. A $3.99 pack of gum rang up at $4.99.

The Guardian also reviewed 153 consumer complaints involving the two chains across 17 states. Roughly half involved food, drinks, and other merchandise, while the rest involved gasoline, including complaints that prices at the pump were higher than those advertised on roadside signs.

The problem may be bigger at convenience stores

Convenience stores had the highest price-inspection failure rate of any retail category examined in a 2024 National Council on Weights and Measures report cited by The Guardian.

Convenience stores failed 34% of inspections across 26 states, compared with 29% for dollar stores and 27% for auto-parts stores.

The problem can be particularly easy to miss at a convenience store. You're probably grabbing a drink, snacks, or a few gallons of gas and trying to get back on the road quickly. Youre not studying your receipt for a 40-cent discrepancy.

But those small amounts can add up.

7-Eleven told The Guardian that it takes pricing accuracy "very seriously" and has processes to correct discrepancies when they're identified. Circle K said it is committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations and works to correct unintentional pricing errors.

5 ways to protect yourself

1. Take a quick photo of sale signs. If you're buying something because the shelf says two for $5 or because of another promotion, snap a picture before heading to the register. It gives you quick evidence to show an employee if the discount doesn't ring-up.

2. Watch the price as items are scanned. Don't wait until you're in the car to look at the receipt. If a $3.99 item rings up at $4.99, it's much easier and quicker to question it while you're still standing at the register.

3. Check the pump before you start fueling. Compare the per-gallon price displayed on the pump with the large roadside sign. One North Carolina Circle K advertised gas at $3.459 a gallon while the pump showed $3.799, according to an inspection described by The Guardian.

4. Don't assume a loyalty discount is automatic. Look for any fine print requiring a rewards account, phone number, app, or particular payment method. If none is disclosed but the advertised price doesn't appear, ask why before paying.

5. Report repeat problems. Keep the receipt and photograph the shelf tag, sale sign, or gas-price sign. If the store won't correct a discrepancy, look for your state or local weights-and-measures agency or consumer-protection office. Complaints matter because some jurisdictions inspect convenience stores primarily in response to consumer reports.

A 20-cent mistake may not seem worth arguing over. But if the same error is happening across hundreds or even thousands of transactions, those pennies don't stay pennies for long.

New research finds that very dry air can irritate the airways, while a salt-based aerosol may help

• Extremely dry air can cause airway mucus to lose water and collapse onto tiny hair-like structures called cilia.

• Researchers found that prolonged exposure to hot, dry conditions increased activity in genes linked to cough sensitivity.

• A small clinical trial found that an alkaline magnesium salt aerosol reduced daily coughing compared with a placebo.

When the weather gets extremely hot and dry, staying hydrated may not be the only concern. New research from the University of North Carolina and collaborators suggests that very dry air can also affect the moisture lining the airways.

The airways are covered by a thin layer of mucus and tiny hair-like structures called cilia. Together, they help protect the respiratory system. But when the air is particularly dry, water can evaporate from this layer.

Researchers found that this can cause the mucus to thin and collapse onto the cilia, putting pressure on the cells underneath and making the airways more sensitive. The findings could help explain why extremely dry conditions may contribute to coughing and other respiratory symptoms.

How researchers studied the connection

The researchers used several approaches to investigate what happens to the airways in dry conditions.

First, they used mathematical modeling to examine how airway mucus responds to different levels of dryness and how various salt-based aerosols affect rehydration.

They also grew human bronchial airway cells in the laboratory and exposed them to either humid air or a hot, very dry environment. The dry-air condition was 35 degrees Celsius with 30% relative humidity. The researchers then examined changes in genes associated with cough sensitivity and the way airway cells respond to dehydration.

Finally, they conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 10 people with refractory chronic cough in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participants inhaled either an alkaline aerosol containing magnesium salts or a saline placebo.

What the study found and what it means

After eight hours in the hot, dry laboratory environment, the airway cells showed increased activity in several genes associated with cough hypersensitivity. The researchers also found that the magnesium salt aerosol could reverse the airway mucus collapse for several hours.

In the human trial, researchers reported that the magnesium salt aerosol reduced daily cough bouts by 59% compared with placebo after two weeks of treatment. The researchers also reported that the benefit continued after treatment ended.

Hypertonic salts have long been used to treat cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition of dehydrated airways, researcher Brian Button, Ph.D. said in a news release.

This study gives evidence that new kinds of hypertonic salts, longer acting and rendered therapeutic by optimization of rehydration processes within mucus we are only beginning to discover, might provide prophylaxis and treatment options for a human population previously spared the damages of mucosal dehydration.

There is an important caveat, however: The human portion of the study was very small, with only 10 participants, and the researchers say additional work is needed to understand the potential treatment.

For consumers, the findings offer a closer look at one way extreme dryness may affect the respiratory system. They also point to the possibility that rehydrating airway mucus could eventually become part of strategies for managing cough sensitivity, particularly in very dry environments.

Scam Checker brings phone lookups, link checks, and reports from other users into one place

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Truecaller has launched a free Scam Checker that examines suspicious phone numbers, web links, and scam descriptions.

• The tool is available on Truecallers website worldwide without an account. Its Android app rollout has begun in India.

• A safe result is one signal, not a reason to trust an unexpected call or message.

A text says you owe a toll. Another claims theres a problem with a delivery. Before clicking the link or calling the number, consumers now have another way to check whether the message resembles a known scam.

Truecaller, the company behind CallerID, has launched Scam Checker, a free tool that lets users search a phone number, examine a web link, or describe a suspicious encounter in their own words. It draws on Truecallers detection systems and scam reports submitted by its users to show relevant warnings and accounts of similar experiences.

Someone who receives a text about an unpaid toll could copy its web address into Scam Checker without opening the link. They could also search the senders number or look for reports describing the same demand. Truecaller says its link checker considers signals including community reports, known phishing databases, and information about the website.

The web version is available globally and does not require a Truecaller account. The company says Scam Checker is also launching in its Android app in India, with more markets and iOS support planned later. More detailed information about a searched phone number, such as an associated name, requires use of Truecallers existing service.

People often sense that something is wrong, but they need a quick way to check before responding, Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala said in the companys announcement.

Truecaller also plans to add screenshot uploads and expand the types of the tool can assess. Those features are not part of the announced launch.

What consumers should keep in mind

Scam Checker can help uncover a reported threat, but a result marked safe should not settle the question on its own. A new scam may not yet have been reported, and a callers apparent identity does not prove that the person contacting you is legitimate.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises consumers not to click links in unexpected texts or use the contact information supplied in them.

If a message claims to be from a bank, delivery company, or toll agency, contact that organization through a phone number or website you already know is real. Scam texts can be reported using a phones report junk feature or forwarded to 7726 (SPAM).