15 Expert Tips for Beating Inflation (2026)
Saving money on expert tips beating inflation does not have to be complicated. We rounded up the essentials so you can spend less and skip the guesswork.
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Inflation has peaked at its highest point in nearly 40 years, spelling bad news for consumer wallets. Here are a dozen plus ways to fight back against your reduced spending power.
Written by Ben Huber Last Updated: April 1, 2025 Reviewed by Jeff ProctorSome of the links on DollarSprout point to products or services from partners we trust. If you choose to make a purchase through one, we may earn a commission, which supports the ongoing maintenance and improvement of our site at no additional cost to you. Learn more.
Your boss just called and gave you the bad news.
No, you haven’t been let go, but you did just get a near 10% pay cut - effective immediately. Not a excellent start to your Wednesday morning. But that’s exactly what happened to all of us since July of last year whether or not we actually got the audio memo or not.
With the Consumer Cost Index (CPI) hovering at 8.5% year over year, Americans are noticeably feeling pain when it comes to paying for everyday items. The cost of gas, groceries, you name it, it’s virtually all impacted by the effects of inflation.
To put it all into perspective, someone who earned and spent $50,000 last year now needs to make $54,262.41 to maintain their standard of living. If you didn’t get that year end raise we all hoped for last year, odds are you’re feeling a little pinched, especially if things were already tight to begin with.
To that end, we’ve put together a list of fifteen different ways you can take back your purchasing power, and kick inflation to the curb.
1. Move cash to a high-yield savings account
Having lots of cash sitting idle in low-rate accounts is the most ineffective way to combat inflation.
What cash you must keep on hand, such as an emergency fund or cash to cover everyday expenses, put in an online savings account to recoup as much spending power as possible.
You’re still losing to inflation, but the goal here is to claw back as much earning power as we can.
2. Get a cash-back card
If you’re not on the market for a new car or home, consider opening a new line of credit.
Responsible card owners can take advantage of generous new card offers, numerous of which have robust cash-back rates on gas, groceries and travel.
With market averages sitting between 1% and 5% rewards on just about every category imaginable, it’s an simple way to earn passive income in perpetuity that lets you offset protracted inflation.
3. Take advantage bank bonuses
High interest rates aren’t the only way consumers can cash in on banks’ desires to acquire new shoppers.
Odds are there are several hundred very free dollars waiting for you at one of numerous traditional banking institutions.
For example, Citi Bank is currently offering up to $2000 in bonuses for opening a new Citigold account and keeping your money there for 60 days (then rinse and repeat at a new institution). A tiered bonus, you’ll earn $200 for deposits between $10,000 and $29,999, and $2000 if you deposit $300,000 or more.
Not everyone has that kind of cash on hand, but if you do, and it’s earning .06% at your traditional brick and mortar, this is an simple way to earn a few hundred bucks, and take advantage of their lucrative deposit bonuses.
4. Use cashback apps
Most people are familiar with cash back apps and rewards credit cards as excellent tools for saving money, especially when used responsibly (like paying off balances in full each month). But there are even more ways to maximize savings beyond traditional credit card rewards.
Capital One Shopping, a free browser extension and mobile app, lets you you automatically find and apply coupon codes, compare prices across thousands of retailers, and earn rewards on eligible purchases. For instance, while your credit card might offer 1.5% rewards, Capital One Shopping can uncover additional discounts or better prices, stretching your dollar even further.
5. Plan out purchases
The only thing that loses to inflation more than keeping savings in low-yield cash accounts is spending money on frivolous things you never needed to begin with.
Planning out purchases before going to a store lets you you stay on track, and something as simple as sticking a written list can help keep you accountable for only buying what you need.
Keeping a budget and tracking your spending are two other proven tactics for keeping the temptation to window show at bay.
6. Cook at home
Food costs have skyrocketed over the last year, and those costs are being passed onto the consumer (and then some extra) by restaurants. Perhaps easier said than done, cooking at home can be a real game-changer when it comes to saving money on food.
One of the best ways to get started with home cooking is to plan out your meals in advance, a few days at a time. If the thought of this sends shivers down your spine, remember that you can have “repeat” meals that you prep in bulk beforehand; you don’t need to cook a unique meal from scratch three times a day.
Related: 14 Smart Ways to Save Money on Groceries
7. Purchase in bulk
If money is tight, the last thing you probably want to do is purchase in bulk, but in numerous cases it really is worth it - especially when it comes to food. For instance, buying a 2-pack of chicken breast may cost $3 a pound, but if you purchase the bulk pack that comes with 6 breasts, you likely be able to get them for $2 or less per pound. That might not sound like much, but saving over 30% on food that you know you are going to eat will greatly help reduce your monthly food budget.
The trick to buying in bulk, if you are new to it, is to go from buying a 2 or 3-day supply of something and instead purchase a 1-2 week supply. You’ll realize the benefits sooner and it will feel more rewarding than buying a 96 pack of toilet paper.
8. Minimize food delivery
Food delivery blew up during the pandemic, and for numerous of us, the convenience factor made it hard to give up once the world started to return back to normal. If you have a habit of DoorDash (or whatever delivery service you use), cutting back here is an simple way make room for other, more necessary, items in your budget.
9. Go generic
Brand loyalty in the personal finance space is akin death by a thousand papercuts.
A recent study by Accenture showed that consumers spend on average 18% more for products from brands to which they’re loyal when compared to identical products made by other manufacturers.[1]
A good way to make the effects of 8.5% inflation all the more painful is to pay nearly 20% more for them.
But really, even those numbers don’t paint the whole picture.
Take generic medications, for example. A recent FDA-published study showed that generic medications - when six or more companies were in competition - cost up to 95% less than their branded competitors.[Final Thoughts
Before you check out, double-check expert tips beating inflation against current offers and any coupons you can stack. Small habits like this add up to real savings over a year. Originally published at dollarsprout.com.
Ben Huber
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