Shop Smarter With the Consumer Reports Price Tracker 2026
As inflation stretches on, we're following the prices of 16 popular products to help you navigate marketplace shifts
If you’re sweating over the price of gasoline these days, not to mention household staples like coffee, cereal, and meat, you’re not alone.
About 40 percent of Americans have found paying bills to be somewhat or very difficult in the past half year, according to a nationally representative survey of 2,212 U.S. adults conducted in March 2026 by Consumer Reports. Among people who have paid bills late in the past six months, at least a quarter said that financial pressures have pushed them to delay paying for utilities; phone, internet, or cable bills; credit cards; housing (rent and mortgage); medical care; or, yes, groceries.
Consumer Reports' Price Tracker
What to Know
In the past month, gas prices have placed a new strain on household budgets, AAA reports, with the national average for regular unleaded climbing from $2.98 to just past $4 a gallon. To help, CR’s auto experts have tips on how to save money at the gas pump.
Shop around. Using a smartphone app from AAA, GasBuddy, or Gas Guru, for example, can help you find the best price in your area. We’ve seen rates vary by as much as 80 cents per gallon in the same town.
Look for the best way to pay. Stations often cut you a break for paying in cash, but rewards cards and programs come in handy, too. And don’t assume you’re getting the cash price by using your debit card. Check the prices posted at the pump.
Keep your foot off the accelerator. “Reducing your speed to 65 on the highway can increase fuel economy by as much as 15 to 20 percent,” says petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan. By contrast, speeding up from 55 to 75 mph is like moving from a compact car to a large SUV.
Check the tire pressure. Keeping your car tires properly inflated to the pressure indicated on the sticker inside the driver’s door will make the vehicle run more efficiently.
Shopping Tips
Here are a few more things to keep in mind.
Don’t panic-shop. It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of rising prices, but don’t lose your cool and buy things you’ll regret owning later.
Choose reliable products. Higher prices could persist, so opt for products that are likely to serve you well in the long term. CR members can use our ratings to review the most and least reliable brands in many categories, including dishwashers, dryers, heat pumps, refrigerators, vacuums, and washing machines.
Shop for older models. TVs, laptops, and smartphones that are a year or two old often remain available at stores even after newer models arrive. Now that Samsung has introduced the Galaxy S26 smartphone (starting at $899), for example, you’ll find the Galaxy S25 priced as low as $530.
Consider a used or refurbished product. While this advice doesn’t work equally well for all categories, you might find that purchasing a factory-refreshed or gently used appliance, laptop, or phone can save you money. Apple, Best Buy, LG, Samsung, and others certify the items they resell and even offer new warranties.
Use CR for Smart Buys and up-to-the-minute deals. Consult our ratings for help finding products with a nice price and admirable performance. Apple and Samsung both sell well-made, budget-friendly phones, for example. (See the iPhone 17e and Galaxy A25 5G.) They’re much less expensive than flagship models but still do almost everything you want a modern smartphone to do.
Consumer Reports also has a devoted team of deal seekers who continually round up the best bargains on highly rated products. You can find their picks at the CR Deals hub.
