Recent tariffs on imports, combined with ongoing inflation, will likely make the cost of everyday essentials skyrocket. According to research from The Budget Lab at Yale University, tariffs may increase expenses for the typical American household by as much as $3,800 in 2025.
If you feel like your paycheck doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, there is good news: While you can’t control the broader economic environment, you are in total control of your money habits. As someone who paid off $300,000 of debt and plans to retire in 2025 at the age of 40, I’ve learned that small, consistent money moves can be powerful. Here are three moves that can help you stop inflation from eroding your purchasing power.
1. Pay your credit card weekly instead of monthly
As a money coach, one of the biggest traps my clients fall into is thinking that paying off their credit cards monthly is enough. By then, the damage may already be done.
Think of your credit card bill like the laundry: when you stay on top of it with a regular cadence, it’s less overwhelming, easier to manage and you avoid the surprise of a massive mess at the end. Paying your credit card weekly is like doing the laundry each week, instead of letting it pile up all month.
Not only does this method keep your spending in check, but it can also positively impact your credit utilization rate, which plays a big role in maintaining a good credit score.
If you carry over a credit card balance from month to month, consider switching to a debit card until the credit card is paid off, and stick to paying off what you can each week. With the average credit card interest rate above 20 percent, it’ll be hard to catch up on your debt when you stack rising living costs on top.
Try this today
Set a recurring calendar reminder for Friday night to log in to your credit card accounts and pay off the balance you’ve accumulated that week. I like to do this on Friday nights so I know how much I can splurge guilt-free before my weekend begins.
2. Find an extra $100 to pay toward your monthly car payment
Car prices are still inflated, and interest rates on auto loans are no joke. The average monthly car payment for a new car is an astounding $737 — that’s a huge chunk of your budget going to an asset that’s decreasing in value.
If you’re still paying off a vehicle, consider paying an extra $100 per month toward the principal to pay off the loan sooner. That’s just under $4 a day in extra debt payments to eventually wipe out hundreds of dollars in your monthly budget.
A car should get you from A to B, not hold you back from accomplishing other goals. Once that loan is paid in full, the money you spent on car payments each month can instead go toward achieving other financial freedom goals. I recently got this e-mail from a reader:
“I am so thrilled to report that I just paid off our auto loan today! I am now going to apply that $1000/month car payment toward our mortgage, which will allow us to pay off our house much sooner!
We were lucky to have gotten a low interest rate on the car loan, so it’s not like I’m saving thousands of dollars in interest by paying the car off early, but at least now I’m improving our debt-to-income ratio and saving thousands on mortgage interest.”— E-mail from a reader
If your car is already paid off — congrats! The smartest move you can make is to keep it safe and functional, even if it’s not shiny or new.
Try this today
Use this auto loan payoff calculator to see how much you can save in interest and how many months of payments you’ll save by putting in an additional $100 payment per month.
3. Stop doomscrolling and practice Screenless Sundays
It’s easy to fall into the trap of doomscrolling — endlessly listening to negative news about the economy, politics or the state of the world. Personally, I’ve been guilty of this a lot in 2025. But this habit doesn’t just mess with your mood. It can sabotage your money goals, too.
When you’re anxious or overwhelmed, you’re more likely to make impulsive or irrational money choices. For me, doomscrolling leads to stress shopping and overeating. Many of my clients report abandoning their budgets altogether to avoid financial anxiety.
Instead of scrolling myself into a spiral, I practice what I call Screenless Sundays: a full day off from screens to reset my mind and money habits. I literally lock my phone in the glove compartment of my car and do anything with my time other than look at a big, medium or small-sized screen.
I love using Sundays to focus on activities that reduce stress and support my finances, like exercising, exploring my neighborhood or playing board games with friends. My husband and I refer to Sundays as our day to practice analog joy.
Screenless Sundays is a simple habit that gives me the clarity to make confident, grounded money decisions by giving my brain a break from the daily dopamine doses of online activity — especially when everything else feels uncertain.
Try this on Sunday
Swipe less, smile more. Here are some fun Screenless Sunday ideas:
- Challenge your family to create a new recipe from what’s already in your kitchen.
- Meal prep by inviting friends over for a potluck, then eat the leftovers for Monday’s lunch.
- Use self-care products you already own and treat yourself to a spa day.
- Dust off your sports equipment and challenge a friend you haven’t seen in a while to a free match at a local park.
When I’m more intentional with my Sundays, I’m naturally more intentional with my spending in the week to come. And more importantly, I’m regularly engaging with people I know, like and trust in real life, not just strangers on the Internet.
Final thoughts: You have power
Yes, prices are rising. Yes, the economy is uncertain. But you aren’t powerless.
When inflation and tariffs shrink your buying power, the best response isn’t to panic. It’s setting intention. It’s going back to basics. It’s focusing on the areas of your life where you can exercise freedom of choice and joy.
These three habits may seem small, but done consistently, they can dramatically lower your bills and not only build your financial resilience, but your mental resilience, too.
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