Prices are rising for many Americans, with 65% of consumers saying the increases are outpacing their income, according to a J.D. Power survey of 4,000 U.S. adults conducted in February 2026.
Recent inflation data adds to that pressure, with the annual rate rising from 2.4% in February to 3.3% in March, according to consumer price index data released Friday. The increase was driven largely by a surge in energy costs as gasoline prices spiked amid the Iran war. Gasoline prices rose 21.2% in March, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the overall increase, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
I cut out almost everything last year. No streaming, I use Tubi for free. Cut Spotify, using Radio Garden to listen to music for free. Deleted my Amazon account, including Kindle Unlimited. I read a lot so that one was harder to ditch, but now use the library for free. Cut out almost all spending except for groceries, but no junk food, alcohol (I miss beer 😞 but $12 for a six-pack is too much) or soda. I miss that stuff but I’m old enough I grew up without online subscriptions and I can live without all that. No unneeded driving, I save my errands up and do them all in one go. It kinda sucks, not going to lie. But I can’t afford to live and still let myself get nickle-and-dimed to death.