5 Bills Most Likely To Eat Into Your Paycheck Under Tariffs -- and How To Cut Them
It’s been about a year since President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs across many industries, and policies have changed a lot since then. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that many Americans are still feeling the pinch in their pockets.
Tariffs are not the only reason prices of items are up, but they can raise costs throughout the supply chain, resulting in higher prices on everything from groceries to cars. When businesses pay more for imported goods, parts or materials, some of those costs are often passed on to consumers.
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And the result? Some of your household bills may be costing you more out of your paycheck than a few years back. Fortunately, there are ways to fight back.
Here are the bills most susceptible to tariff-driven price hikes, and what you can do to keep more money in your pocket.
1. Gas and Fuel
Energy tariffs have pushed up gas prices, but that’s not the only thing. The U.S.-Iran conflict, which started in early 2026, has made the problem much worse. The national average price for gasoline has climbed to $4.12 per gallon, up roughly 54% from $2.96 just before the conflict began in late February. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil trade passes, has created what the International Energy Agency calls the biggest supply disruption ever in the history of the global oil market.
To save money, use apps like GasBuddy to find the lowest-priced station near you before you fill up, do errands in one trip and sign up for a grocery store gas rewards program (lots of them give you 10 cents to 20 cents off per gallon). Proper tire inflation and routine vehicle maintenance increase fuel efficiency and could save you $100 to $300 a year depending on your driving habits.
2. Groceries
You’ve probably felt the impact on your regular grocery shopping trips. Tariffs make imported food, packaging materials and farm supplies more expensive. Higher fuel costs also add to the cost of moving food from farms to store shelves.
The good news is that you can lower your grocery bill by replacing national brands with store brands on pantry staples. And if you plan your meals around weekly sales and seasonal produce, which is 30% to 50% cheaper than out-of-season imports, you’ll save even more. Wholesale memberships like Costco and Target can also provide meaningful savings if you shop items in bulk.
3. Utilities
Many factors are squeezing your electricity bill. The U.S. imports about 80% of its electric transformers, and tariffs on the steel and aluminum used to make them are raising the cost of grid infrastructure — costs that utilities pass directly to consumers through higher bills.
If you want to lower your electricity bill, replacing every bulb in a house with LED lighting could save the average household roughly $225 annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Additionally, make sure your thermostat is set to adjust automatically when you are asleep or not home. You may also want to check your utility’s website for rebates on smart thermostats and insulation upgrades — many state and local programs offer them at a discount or free of charge for qualifying households.
4. Streaming Services
Tariffs don’t directly impact streaming platforms. However, these services have been aggressively passing along the costs of the hardware and infrastructure that support them. Recent research by Antenna has found that ad-free and ad-supported streaming services have increased their prices by over 20% since 2023. The average U.S. household spends roughly $69 a month on streaming services.
To save money, audit your subscriptions and cancel anything you haven’t watched in 30 days. Consider ad-supported tiers where they exist, like Netflix’s ad-supported plan, which is $8.99 a month compared to $19.99 for the ad-free Standard plan, a $11 monthly difference on just one service. Use your bank’s subscription tracker or an app like Rocket Money to find forgotten charges.
5. Car Repairs
The 25% tariff on imported cars and parts has made repairs a lot more expensive. Everything from a routine brake job to collision repair costs more if imported parts cost more.
To cut costs, fix small maintenance problems before they become costly repairs. If you need a repair done, get at least two or three estimates because labor rates and parts markups vary widely between dealerships and independent shops.
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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