If it feels like every trip to the grocery store or online order for household essentials costs a little more than the last, you’re not imagining it.
Although inflation has cooled to a rate of 2.7% year over year as of November 2025, consumers have been bearing the brunt of rising prices for the past few years. Since January 2022, for example, food prices increased 18%, while prescription drug costs increased 7% and apparel increased 5%.
Read more: CPI inflation print draws caution from economists: ‘It’s hard to take this data seriously’
These higher everyday costs are forcing Americans to tighten their budgets and lean on credit to get by. Total household debt increased by $197 billion to reach $18.59 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Fed’s latest Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. Credit card balances in particular rose by $24 billion from the previous quarter to a total of $1.23 trillion.
“Not everyone has the same buffer when costs go up. Lower- and middle-income households, and especially younger borrowers, often carry the biggest weight,” said April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education and communications at Consolidated Credit. “Without savings to soften the blow, they may rely on credit cards or ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options to cover their basics.”
According to Lewis-Parks, this reliance on credit often leads to higher balances, faster-growing interest, and a greater risk of missed payments. “These are the very pressures that strain credit scores — but they’re challenges many people face, and there are ways to navigate them with support and guidance.”
Here’s a closer look at how the pressure of rising prices can negatively impact your credit:
As your budget gets tighter, it becomes easier to miss a payment due date, especially if you’re juggling multiple bills.
Payment history is the most impactful credit score factor, accounting for 35% of your total score. Even one payment that’s 30 days late can significantly hurt your score and will stay on your credit report for seven years. Plus, you could incur additional late fees.
When groceries, gas, insurance, and utilities cost more, many people lean on credit cards to bridge the gap. However, that can push your credit utilization ratio higher.
Credit utilization measures the amount of revolving credit you’re using compared to the total amount of credit extended to you. “Amounts owed” is another important credit factor that makes up 30% of your score; the higher your credit utilization, the more negatively your credit scores are impacted.
In addition to credit cards, you may be tempted to rely on other methods of borrowing to cover your essentials, such as cash advances, payday loans, or Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services.
While these options may seem convenient in a pinch, they often come with high interest rates and hidden fees. They can be difficult to pay down, and can easily trap you in a cycle of borrowing just to get by. Plus, if you do manage to pay off your debt, it may not be reported to the credit bureaus and do nothing to actually improve your scores.
Read more: 4 ways to increase cash flow and pay off debt faster
Keeping your credit card balances within a manageable range is key to making sure that higher prices and monthly credit card payments don’t hurt your credit. A few best practices for smarter credit management include:
Check your credit reports and scores regularly
It’s tough to improve your credit if you don’t know where you currently stand and are unaware of potential issues. Catching red flags early can help you take the right steps to address them before they snowball into major problems.
You’re entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. Review these monthly to ensure there aren’t any errors you need to dispute or other negative marks that need attention.
There are also several ways to check your credit scores and track your progress over time. (Hint: You can view your VantageScore 3.0 from TransUnion for free by signing up with My Money.)
Since payment history is the most significant factor affecting your credit, one of the easiest ways to ensure you never miss a payment is to sign up for autopay. This ensures you never forget to pay a bill and risk damaging your credit scores. Just be sure to keep a buffer of cash in your checking account so you don’t accidentally overdraft.
The lower your credit utilization, the better it is for your credit. So, keep an eye on your balances and try to keep them as low as possible. Lewis-Parks recommended aiming for less than a 30% utilization ratio, though under 10% is even better. For example, if your total available credit is $10,000, try to keep your balances under $3,000, and ideally, under $1,000. “Credit scoring models reward that breathing room,” she said.
Even if you pay off your credit card in full every month, racking up a large balance beforehand can still impact your credit. So, rather than waiting until your credit card payment due date, consider paying down the principal bit by bit throughout the month to keep the balance down.
If you’re struggling to meet all your obligations and are in danger of missing a credit card or loan payment, the best thing you can do is reach out to your creditor as soon as possible. Many offer hardship assistance, which could involve deferring interest, pausing payments, and/or restructuring the debt to lower monthly payments until you get back on your feet.
“Higher prices are stressful, and it’s easy to feel discouraged,” Lewis-Parks said, “but protecting your credit isn’t about being perfect; it’s about making a few consistent moves like paying on time every month, keeping balances as low as you reasonably can, and using credit as a tool instead of a lifeline.”
