2026’s New ‘Invisible Expenses’ — The Quiet Costs Draining Americans’ Budgets
Written by
Sarah Li Cain
Edited by
Brendan McGinley
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You’re not imagining it if your budget feels tighter despite buying the same items you normally do. More products are being hit by so-called “invisible expenses,” which are costs that rise without any obvious signs of price hikes.
These costs slowly creep up on you, designed to get you to spend more without noticing. Over time, they can drain your household budget of hundreds per year. Here are three of the biggest ways you’re being charged more right now and what you can do to fight back.
Shrinkflation
Shrinkflation is when the per-unit price of an item changes while the sticker price remains the same. Your typical purchases suddenly show up as smaller products for the same cost, or slightly larger containers replace standard size to disguise their per-unit price hike. Shrinkflation tends to be common in household staples like groceries and personal care products.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, shrinkflation happens because companies believe consumers are more likely to notice and react negatively to price increases rather than small changes in package or product size. That way, they earn more in revenue without raising prices for (and ire in) consumers.
Research published by the Kilts Center at Chicago Booth Marketing Data Center found that shrinkflation is indeed real, with the median product being reduced by 11% in package size, and there has been minimal reactions from consumers.
How you can fight back: Instead of looking at sticker prices, look at unit prices to see what you’re really paying. Don’t be loyal to any brand, especially if it means savings. Purchase generic or store brands if you can to mitigate across-the-board percentage hikes in a product category. Most of all, avoid convenience packaging like serving-size bundles, as these are more susceptible to shrinkflation.
Pay attention also to the possibility of skimpflation. Though harder to prove, if your favorite product suddenly tastes different or seems to dip in quality, the manufacturer may be cutting corners in the factory to increase profit margins.
Subscription Creep
You probably subscribe to a few streaming services, but over time, they slip from your notice. Enter: subscription creep, where you end up with more recurring subscriptions than you can track, even though you don’t really use most of them. It could be because you forgot about them, intend to use them but never have the time, or let trial periods end as subscriptions roll into paid ones.
A CNET survey found that Americans spend an average of around $1,000 per year on subscriptions, and $200 of that are on unused ones. We may even underestimate how much we’re really paying.
How you can fight back: Setting yourself reminders for free trials can help you to remember to cancel it if you end up not liking the service. You’ll also want to look at your bank or credit card statements to see what you’ve subscribed to and see whether you’ve used it. Consider turning off auto-renew so that you don’t end up continuing your subscription if you forget to cancel it in time.
You can also use services like MoneyRocket, Billshark, and others, which will search subscription services for you and find hidden ones draining your finances.
Surveillance Pricing
Surveillance pricing is when companies use data like your location, device type and browsing behavior to offer you individualized pricing. Yes, that could mean that two different people could see different prices for the same products. And yes, somehow this is legal.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that companies have been relying on personal data to set prices. Surveillance pricing is more common for online retailers, delivery services and travel costs.
How you can fight back: Take the time to compare prices on different devices, like your laptop and phone to see if there’s a difference. Sometimes, even using a retailer’s app may have different pricing. Although there may not be much you can do, see if you do notice any inconsistencies. And if you’re not sure, track the price on sites like Google Shopping to see if they change. Using a VPN or a third-party purchasing platform may also baffle the bots to reveal savings you can seize.
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