3 Essentials Americans Struggle To Budget in 2026 — And How You Can Afford Them
Rising prices have taken a toll on households nationwide.
A new LendingTree survey of 2,000 people from all generations found that six out of 10 U.S. consumers entered the new year doing the same or worse than in 2025, with inflation as the primary villain in their financial lives — but there's also good news.
Overall, Americans are optimistic that their fortunes will improve in 2026. If you endured a difficult year, the following spending categories are likely the reason, but they don't have to keep holding you back. Here are the most common non-negotiables you might be challenged to spend enough on, along with how to fix those crunched budgets.
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Groceries and Household Essentials
The study's authors noted that, unlike streaming subscriptions and gym memberships, families can't cancel grocery shopping when the cost increases — and the highest percentage of respondents, 22%, cited the supermarket as the expense they struggled with most.
However, the pain is unevenly distributed. Consumer Reports found that grocery store inflation in the hardest-hit states was twice that in the most fortunate states, with supermarket inflation breaching 8% in Pennsylvania.
Fix: Shopping for specific items according to a meal plan is the best way to minimize food waste, which costs the average family of four $2,913 per year, according to the EPA. You can save more by buying generic, using coupon apps and joining rewards programs.
Debt Payments
The next-largest group of respondents at 11%, debtors cited debt payments as the expense that rankled them hardest. Credit cards caused the most headaches by far, with a share more than double that of personal loans, medical debt, BNPL, auto and home loans, student debt, home equity loans and HELOCs.
Fix: Use a balance transfer card to park some or even all of your debt with a 0% introductory APR — U.S. Bank Shield Visa can buy you two full years — while using the avalanche or snowball strategies to eliminate your balance.
Utility Costs
Rounding out the top three are utility bills, which 10% of the study's participants struggled with the most — and it's easy to see why.
According to the nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocate group PowerLines, utilities were the primary driver of inflation in 2025, affecting 81 million consumers, as gas and electric companies doubled their 2024 rate increases.
Fix: Visit the EPA's EnergyStar site to learn about low-cost yet highly effective energy-efficiency upgrades with the potential to save you thousands.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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