Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder.
Inflation is still creeping up in 2026. Amid ongoing trade wars and international conflict, essentials like food, energy and gas just keep on climbing, dealing blow after blow to our budgets.
In fact, inflation rose 3.3% year over year in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with gas prices seeing their biggest monthly increase ever.
So how do we fight inflation? The easy answer is to cut expenses, earn more money and make smarter short- and long-term investments. But in a tough economy with mass layoffs and surging housing costs, how can we actually do this?
Here are ways you can combat inflation.
1. Make a Budget
The first step to cutting back expenses? Understand how much you’re spending now.
Create a monthly budget that accounts for all your necessary expenses and discretionary expenses. Then you can pinpoint specific spending areas — like grocery shopping, dining out, subscription services or utilities — that are potential candidates for cutting back.
Not sure where to start? Check out our step-by-step guide to building a budget, or download one of these top budgeting apps.
2. Pay Down Your Debt
The higher inflation gets, the harder it will be to pay off high-interest debts. As much as you can, put extra cash toward paying down debts, starting with the loan that has the highest interest rate.
If you’re struggling with multiple payment dates and interest rates, think about a balance transfer credit card or debt consolidation loan. (Some of our top picks include AmOne and National Debt Relief.)
3. Share Resources With Neighbors
Getting to know your neighbors can be helpful and pleasant. While it’s nice to have someone to chat with over the fence, neighbors can also be a great resource in a pinch — as long as you help them when they need it, too:
- Need a cup of flour or a couple eggs? Don’t waste the gas to go to the supermarket; your neighbor may have food to spare.
- Want a night out? Trade babysitting services with a trusted neighbor.
- Tackling an unusual home renovation project? Don’t buy an expensive tool if your neighbor is willing to let you borrow theirs.
4. Eat Vegan
Food prices are up nearly 3.1% year-over-year, according to the Consumer Price Index. But meat, poultry, fish, and eggs rose .4% over the last 12 months. One solution? Embrace the vegan lifestyle.
Most of us probably can’t give up our meat and cheese completely, but by reducing the amount we consume (try out “Meatless Mondays”!), we can reduce our grocery bills.
5. Save Money on Produce
High food prices go beyond meat and dairy. The average price of fruits and vegetables is up 2.7% over the last year.
But if the food pyramid taught us anything, it’s that fruits and vegetables are important. So how can you buy produce when inflation threatens your buying power?
- Purchase frozen and canned produce to avoid food waste; fresh produce is great but goes bad quickly.
- Only buy fresh produce in season when costs are lower.
6. Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk can save you money, as long as you’ll use the items before they go bad. Focus on items like meat that you can freeze, frozen foods and non-food items like diapers and paper towels.
When you buy in bulk, you’ll make fewer runs to the grocery store — a great way to cut down on fuel costs.
7. Cook What You Have in Your Pantry
Another way to beat inflation at grocery stores? Don’t go every week.
Your routine might include a weekly trip to the supermarket to stock up on food, but you might have enough in your fridge and pantry to last longer.
For 2026, try the Pantry Challenge (where you use up only what you have in your pantry or fridge) once a month to see if you can cut back on grocery shopping. Just make sure you have these 11 pantry essentials before starting.
8. Meal Prep
Having a busy schedule can make it tempting to rely on the drive thru at lunch and takeout for dinner, but eating out in any form is expensive. Set aside an hour every week to prep meals for yourself using inexpensive foods you have around the house.
9. Buy Generic Brands
Name brands have slick marketing campaigns and fun mascots that tempt us into buying their products. Often, store brands offer the same quality — but at a lower price. Shopping generic is one of the easiest ways to beat inflation.
10. Try Money-Saving Apps When You Shop
Download apps like Upside to earn extra cash when you shop. Though you won’t get rich off these programs, you can get a few bucks back when you shop at certain stores and submit a photo of your receipt.
11. Use Coupons
The days of coupon clipping are far from dead. Going through weekly coupons may seem tedious, but you can flip through weekly ads to find great deals while watching TV. For online shopping, add Capital One Shopping to your browser. It helps you find available deals and coupons.
12. Skip Food Delivery
Grocery delivery is convenient — and food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash are tempting — but these apps make the cost of groceries and takeout way more expensive.
Instead, find grocery stores with free curbside pickup and drive to restaurants to get your takeout order.
13. Focus on Your Health
We hate to break it to you, but healthcare costs are on the rise, too. As it turns out, fighting inflation also means fighting off the common cold. Save money on doctor’s visits and cold medicine by eating healthy, working out and getting enough sleep.
14. Shop Around for Car Insurance
When’s the last time you shopped for car insurance? Chances are, there’s a better deal out there — or you might be paying for coverage you don’t need. Take an hour to review your current coverage, calculate how much car insurance you actually need and compare prices across major insurance providers.
You can make it even easier on yourself with Insurify, which will show you all of your options at once. You stand to save up to $1,025 per year.
15. Don’t Buy a New Car Yet
Car prices are high right now, in part thanks to tariffs. Cars entering the United States are subject to a 25% import tax, though there are individual trade agreements with some countries for lower import taxes.
Auto parts like transmissions and engines are also subject to tariffs. So if you need a vehicle now, consider buying a used car.
16. Sell Your Car
If you’re a two-car household, try living with just one car for a month. After a month, if you’re confident you can live with just one car, consider selling the other car for some quick cash — and see those savings continue with fewer registration and car maintenance costs.
And even if you discover you need two cars, cut out driving wherever you can. Carpool with coworkers, bike to work or use public transportation if you live in the city.
17. Join a Gas Rewards Program
Gas prices continue to drain the average budget, complicated now by an ongoing conflict in Iran. Joining a gas rewards program can help you save each time you pump — and may offer other perks, like price matching and in-store discounts.
18. Travel on a Budget
An easy way to fight inflation is to cut out “unnecessary” expenses like vacations. But hey, everybody deserves a break now and then.
If you’re traveling in 2026, research when to book flights for the best deals, especially if you’re looking for cheap holiday flights, when prices skyrocket.
Thinking of seeing America’s greatest sites? Here’s how to visit national parks on a budget.
19. Cut Out Streaming Services
Netflix used to be a way for families to cut out high cable costs, but with the advent of Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, Amazon Prime, HBO Max and others, watching TV can be just as expensive as it was a decade ago.
Limit yourself to just one or two streaming services a month. You can always switch out services every few months based on when new seasons of your favorite show release. We’ve also rounded up some free TV apps to help you save more.
20. Cancel Your Gym Membership
Cutting a gym membership is an easy way to infuse more cash into your budget. Instead, use your apartment’s gym, invest in a small weight set or go for a jog outside.
21. Get a Roommate
Living by yourself has its perks, but with housing prices at an all-time high, sharing the monthly rent bill is an easy way to fight inflation. Don’t pick just any roommate, however. Screen potential roommates to avoid major financial troubles.
22. Lower Your Utility Bills
Your electric, gas and water bills have probably spiked since this record-breaking inflation began. While you can’t just shut off your electricity and water, there are easy ways to lower your utility bills, like:
- Installing LED light bulbs throughout your home.
- Hanging curtains to trap in heat during the winter.
- Opening windows and using fans in the summer.
- Installing a low-flow toilet and shower head.
- Fixing leaky sinks right away.
23. Give the Gift of Time
If you have a wide circle of friends and family, birthday gifts can add up. Talk to your loved ones about skipping gifts in 2026 and instead vowing to spend more time together.
Bonus points if you find free things to do together, and extra credit if you make money together doing a side hustle!
24. Have Fun at Home
Everyone needs to get out of the house and have fun sometimes, but maybe those concert tickets aren’t the best use of your cash.
While inflation remains high in 2026, find new ways to have fun at home for free, like:
- Reading books from the library.
- Doing puzzles and playing board games.
- Starting a garden or playing lawn games, like cornhole or croquet.
- Dusting off old video game consoles for a day of nostalgia.
- Playing games on your phone to earn extra cash.
25. Put Off Home Renovations
Tariffs are driving up construction costs. For instance, there are import taxes on lumber, steel, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and more.
If you’ve been dreaming up a renovation project, perhaps hold out a little longer.
26. Start a Side Hustle
Cutting out all the expenses we’ve talked about — from streaming services to dairy products to car insurance — is a great way to fight inflation.
But when everything costs more, we need to earn more to keep up. If you’ve got time on your hands, try out a new side hustle for extra cash.
You can make money on almost anything, from flipping furniture to taking photos to shopping for and delivering food.
27. Ask for a Raise
If you didn’t get a raise consistent with inflation in 2026, you essentially got a pay cut. Going into 2026, we’re seeing massive layoffs, especially in the tech industry, so it may be difficult to negotiate a raise, but it’s worth a shot.
28. Open a High-Yield Savings Account
Even the best high-yield savings accounts haven’t kept up with inflation. However, earning 3%-plus APY on your emergency fund is a lot better than earning 0.01% at a traditional bank.
Plus, it’s possible the interest rate on your high-yield savings account will outpace inflation once it eventually slows down.
29. Maximize Your Tax Refund
Tax season can be a major headache, but it’s also an opportunity to get a huge influx of cash via your tax refund — a surefire way to fight inflation.
Make sure you understand how tax credits and tax deductions work to get the biggest write-offs, especially if you’re a low-income family who can take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
30. Use a Cash Back Credit Card
A cash back credit card earns money every time you swipe. By using a cash back credit card for everyday purchases you’ll make regardless — like groceries and gas — you’re essentially earning a discount on everything.
If you don’t have a high enough credit score to qualify for a cash back credit card, look for an online checking account with a cash back debit card.
31. Invest in I Bonds
Investing is risky these days. But one investment that makes sense right now is Series I Savings Bonds. On November 1, the new six-month I bond rate reset to 4.03%, down from highs just a few years ago — but without the risk of a sudden stock market drop.
Series I bond interest rates are a combination of a fixed rate and the inflation rate, changing every six months. These are the only inflation-protected security offered by the Treasury Department.
32. Don’t Panic About Investments
Even though the stock market looks bleak and your retirement account probably took a beating in 2022, don’t lose hope.
Most of us are investing for the long term. Over time, a diversified investment portfolio tends to pay out — and much more than bonds and high-yield savings.
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