America’s affordability crisis is straining household budgets. Many Americans struggle to pay for basic needs like housing, healthcare, and food while childcare costs are putting additional pressure on families that rely on two incomes to make ends meet. While there is no immediate end in sight to rising prices, there are steps you can take to stretch your paycheck and make every penny count.

Step 1. Revise your spending plan. Evaluate your monthly expenses and focus on reducing spending where you can, namely food and entertainment. If you typically shop for brand name items at the grocery store, switch to generic to help reduce your overall food bill. If you use grocery delivery apps, cancel your subscription to save on the yearly fee and tipping. If you subscribe to multiple entertainment apps cancel the ones you use less frequently. Keep in mind, you don’t need to give up the things you love, you just need to be mindful of what you are spending on them. 

Step 2. Dine at home. The average American eats out 5 times each week including takeout, delivery, and dine-in meals and spends up to $400 per year. Most of those meals are consumed at lunchtime. Meal prepping will help eliminate the need to go to a drive-thru during a lunch break or order delivery after a long workday. Not to mention, dining at home is often the healthier option.

Step 3. Adopt Better Driving Habits. Believe it or not, driving safely can reduce fuel consumption. Mind the speed limit to make your gas go further. Keep your tires inflated and your car in good shape. Underinflated tires lower gas mileage and an engine that isn’t tuned is forced to work harder and consume more fuel.  

Step 4. Don’t Buy Non-Essentials. The only way to survive America’s affordability crisis is to stop spending money on things you don’t need. Delete your Temu app, don’t stop by the mall on the way home from work – just stop shopping. Focus every extra penny you have on reducing debt.