__It’s more important than ever these days to stretch your budget further, so how do you get the most bang for your buck?__

Saving a dollar here and there is great, but you may need inflation fighters that give bigger, quicker results.

Inflation is attacking everyone’s budget, so we’re all in the same boat. In times like these, it’s helpful to put things in perspective. We should *always* be looking for ways to save money and be faithful stewards of what God has given us. The Bible doesn’t tell us to do that only when times are tough.

Proverbs is often our “go to” book for wisdom on saving. Proverbs 21:20 reads, *“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.”*

Following that up, Proverbs 10:4 tells us, *“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”*

There are only so many hours in the day, so we’ll focus on a few money-saving ideas that will pay off the most.

__The first is no surprise and it’s probably the biggest thing you can do to save money— avoid debt, and if you’re in debt, get out of it as quickly as you can.__

Stop using credit cards unless you pay off the balance each month. Pay down what you owe. Use the [snowball method](https://www.faithfi.com/art-rainer/3-reasons-why-research-says-the-debt-snowball-works-801), starting with the smallest debt. When that’s paid off, move onto the next, and so on.

If you’re paying thousands of dollars a year in interest on credit cards, imagine how that could beef up your emergency fund or retirement account. Put your money to work for you, rather than *you* working for *it*.

__On to the next inflation fighter— *automate your savings*.__ Have part of every paycheck transferred automatically into savings. You want to make sure you have three to six months’ living expenses in your emergency fund and with inflation, those expenses are rising. The [FaithFi app](https://www.faithfi.com/manage) is a great  management tool for automated steps like this one--set it and forget it.

The next idea— put away something from any pay increases or tax refunds you get. Try to bank at least *half* of your raises and *all* of your tax refund.

Another way to save more and fight inflation is to *take care of yourself* so you stay healthy. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise and get plenty of sleep. Watch your weight.

Health care is *expensive* and no matter what kind of plan you have, the less you use, the less you’ll pay in deductibles and the more you save. Studies show that if you’re overweight and out of shape, you’re more likely to need health care, especially in your later years.

__The next inflation fighter is to *earn more*.__ Take a side job or put in extra hours at work. Think outside the box. Maybe you can drive for Uber or Lyft, or rent out a room through AirBnB. If you work just 10 hours a week at 12-dollars an hour, it adds up to more than $6,000 a year, more than wiping out the effects of inflation.

Is your time worth a hundred, or maybe two hundred dollars an hour? Unless you’re a brain surgeon, it’s probably not. However, that’s what you can save by spending an hour or two on the phone every year with each of your monthly creditors, such as home, auto and health insurance companies and your smartphone, Internet and cable providers.

Go over your plans with a customer service rep to make sure you’re paying as little as possible for the product or service you need. Do this *especially* if you have automatic renewal. Providers will sometimes add  items you don’t want or need.

__This last money inflation fighter is for those who haven’t completed the first one yet, getting out of debt.__ It’s more difficult in times of rising interest rates, but an annual call to your credit card issuer to ask for a lower rate could result in saving hundreds of dollars a year.

Those are some practical ways to fight inflation. Let us know how it works out!

You can also __[listen](https://www.moneywise.org/search?q=Inflation%20Fighters&videos=true&articles=true&podcasts=true&posts=true&groups=true&events=true&support=true)__ the related podcast on this topic.

FaithFi

Articles

It’s more important than ever these days to stretch your budget further, so how do you get the most bang for your buck?

SPENDING | May 5, 2025

4 Game-Changing Inflation Fighters

By: Rob West & Jim Henry

Where Faith Meets Finance

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