Money-saving hacks to cope with higher prices - from our readers

By Genna Contino

I asked people what they're doing to make life more affordable today. I'll definitely be trying some of these.

From gamified grocery shopping to outsmarting the gas pump, here are some habits people have picked up to cope with inflation.

Just because everything is getting more expensive doesn't mean you can't afford some moments of joy.

Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that prices rose faster than expected in September. This probably isn't surprising if you've bought gas, groceries or just about anything else recently. And as a price-fatigued consumer myself, I'm getting tired of doomscrolling through headline after headline about inflation.

What I'd rather write about is what people are doing to keep living their best lives despite rising prices.

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So I asked MarketWatch readers, financial experts, friends and family to see how we're all making it work right now. I received plenty of creative responses that actually seem doable - and I'll definitely be trying the grocery one.

5 hacks to stretch your dollars today

What surprised me most was how resourceful and resilient people have been in meeting economic challenges, even while cutting back on spending for extras. Instead of surrendering to sticker shock, people are finding ways to gamify their daily expenses, hunt down hidden perks and even double down on their goals for the future. Adapting doesn't have to mean sacrificing joy.

🎮 Gamify grocery shopping: Rahkim Sabree, a financial therapist based in Connecticut, challenges himself to spend less than $25 - roughly the same amount he'd spend on takeout or a ready-to-eat meal - when he makes a quick trip for groceries. This trick can stop him from making impulse buys and push him to comparison shop for better prices. "The way I see it, I can spend the same amount of money on a prepared meal at a fast-food restaurant or buy ingredients that make a whole meal for multiple days," Sabree told me. "Usually the quality is better, the dollars stretch further, and I can get [or] make what I want. A win!"

? Outsmart the gas pump: The average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. was $4.30 as of Friday, according to GasBuddy. That's $1.27 higher than at this time last year, and it means that filling up a 14-gallon gas tank now costs about $60 on average. Skyrocketing gas prices have pushed my credit-card-savvy friend Augusta Stone to seek out gas rewards recently. She finds discounts with Harris Teeter fuel points or uses the free Walmart+ subscription through her American Express Platinum card that offers 10 cents off a gallon at some pumps. We've got more tips for saving money on gas here.

📸 There is such a thing as a free lunch - if you take a picture of it first: Another money habit Stone has picked up recently is taking photos of DoorDash items after they arrive. DoorDash offers some consumers several dollars in credits if they submit a photo of their food that can be used for the online menu. Those credits can be easily applied to future food orders.

🎤 Ditch pricey concerts for free local gigs: One X user told me they've stopped buying tickets for big music events, opting instead for free shows at breweries and parks. This leads to free music, free parking - and spending less money on drinks, they said. So you can still enjoy live music, and maybe discover your new favorite artist or the next breakout star, without ending up hundreds of dollars in the hole. At the very least, you can scratch your concert itch while you save up for Beyonce's Act III tour (which has not yet been officially announced - this is me speaking it into existence).

💸 Don't skimp on your future self just because things are tight now: It's important to keep contributing to savings and retirement accounts, even while you're penny-pinching elsewhere. The contributions don't have to be huge, but every little bit counts. Rasheed Bennett, a consumer sales marketing manager in Philadelphia, puts 1.5% of his total pay toward his 401(k), along with a $25 weekly contribution toward his Roth IRA and $34 a week toward his health savings account, even as inflation squeezes his budget. "[I'm] trying to make sure I secure my future financially," Bennett said.

📋More MarketWatch money tips

If it feels like classic budgeting rules aren't working for you, you're not alone. Try these instead.

If you need a credit-score boost, asking your card issuer this question could help.

Try these other smart ways to save on gas.

Don't like what you see on a price tag? Ask for a discount. Getting over your fear of haggling can save you real money.

Check your rent bill to make sure you aren't paying for any services or junk fees you weren't aware of.

Plus, how to take advantage of high bond yields right now while keeping a diversified portfolio.

💵 Your money tips

Have some money advice that didn't make it in this week's newsletter? Send us your favorite way to save or grow your money to dontshortyourself@marketwatch.com and we might share it with our readers.

🔑Key money reads

- Home-buying traffic has dropped to a 14-year low. Builders are slashing prices to boost demand.

- Here's how Apple's new foldable iPhone stacks up against Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models.

- The chip sector is on the mend after a nearly two-week tech stock selloff.

- Finally, check out the refreshed Need to Know newsletter with stories handpicked by MarketWatch editor in chief Mark DeCambre.

👋About Genna

*** ONE-TIME USE ***

I'm Genna Contino, an award-winning journalist on MarketWatch's personal finance team. I'm 28 years old, originally from South Carolina, and currently splitting the rent on an overpriced apartment in New York City with my fiancé. When I'm not writing about my hack for saving hundreds of dollars on airfare, or the four must-have money conversations before moving in with your partner, you can find me reading a celebrity memoir, overanalyzing reality TV, junk journaling, borrowing DVDs from the library or getting thoroughly humbled in an adult ballet class after a 10-year hiatus.

-Genna Contino

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