If last year was about holding our financial breath, 2026 will be about playing defense.
Amid many Americans’ concerns about affordability, the end of remote-work flexibility for large swaths of employees and the expiration of subsidies that kept health insurance premiums manageable, many rules have shifted.
Here is what’s “in” and “out” for your money this year:
Affordable health insurance
Out: The subsidy safety net.
The nation’s uninsured rate is projected to climb for the first time in years as premiums rise in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, leaving an untold number of Americans one medical emergency away from bankruptcy.
The federal government was shut down for 43 days last year because Democrats were demanding that Republicans extend pandemic-era ACA subsidies. The premium tax credits used to lower consumers’ monthly health insurance bill expired at the end of 2025.
Average marketplace premiums are projected to increase by 26 percent, and some enrollees will see their costs double or triple if the enhanced tax credits expire.
As a result, 1 in 4 enrollees in the ACA marketplace will “very likely” go without insurance, according to a poll by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy organization.
“Without the subsidies, my monthly premiums will increase by nearly $750 a month,” said a 63-year-old California man quoted in the KFF report. “My budget is tight as it is, and there’s no way I can afford that additional hit.”
But the cost increases aren’t limited to the ACA marketplace; if you get insurance through your job, you probably experienced sticker shock during open enrollment. A survey from the consultancy Mercer also forecast higher costs: Based on projections from more than 1,700 employers, health benefit costs per employee are projected to increase by 6.5 percent — the highest since 2010.
In: Dropped coverage. For millions of families, health insurance will move from a “must-have” to “cannot afford.”
The ‘buy now, pay later’ love affair
Out: The digital debt trap.
“Buy now, pay later” plans are short-term loans designed to break up your debt and make you feel as though you’re making an affordable purchase. A typical BNPL loan is structured as four equal interest-free payments, with the first 25 percent due at checkout and the remaining installments paid every two weeks. BNPL appears to be a better short-term solution for a cash-strapped consumer.
According to a Bankrate survey, nearly half of BNPL users have experienced at least one financial problem with these services, with overspending being the most common.
In: Cash is king.
Curb your BNPL habit. Having the cash to pay for your wants may be old-school, but in an era of surge pricing and predatory lending, it is the most modern financial move you can make.
Ad-free streaming services
Out: Commercial-free streaming without an added charge.
After luring cable cutters with promises of no commercial breaks, streaming services now offer you a choice: pay a premium for ad-free viewing or accept constant advertising interruptions.
In: Binge and bail.
Are you using these services enough to justify the cost? Tired of your streaming expenses feeling like a utility bill?
A Deloitte survey published in March found that 47 percent of consumers say they pay too much for the streaming services they use. The average streaming subscriber has four paid streaming services totaling $69 per month, a 13 percent increase from 2024.
Here are ways to save on streaming in 2026:
- Watch what you want, then cancel. Many of your favorite shows can take a year or more to return with new episodes, so get a price break while you wait.
- Subscribe to fewer streaming services and use the savings to upgrade to ad-free content.
- There’s also the option of sharing costs: Netflix now allows account holders to share their subscription with someone outside their household for a reduced monthly fee.
Actively managing your subscriptions can make these services more affordable.
Algorithmic price gouging
Out: Unchecked dramatic pricing increases.
We’ve become accustomed to ride-hailing companies increasing prices in response to demand and to airlines hiking airfares during peak holiday travel days. But should we tolerate this trend for everyday consumer goods?
Using technology — notably, artificial intelligence — companies can change their prices frequently. You have to be an attentive consumer if you want to avoid being gouged by price increases.
I purchased two electric buffet servers just before Christmas because I was hosting our large family gathering. I decided to add a third one for my next party. But the online price had jumped by 46 percent ahead of New Year’s Eve.
Instacart ended a price-testing program “that resulted in different prices for the same item at the same store,” the company said in a blog post.
In: Setting a breaking point.
Instacart quickly learned that consumers weren’t happy with its experiment.
“At a time when families are working exceptionally hard to stretch every grocery dollar, those tests raised concerns, leaving some people questioning the prices they see on Instacart,” the company said. “That’s not okay.”
While you may accept surge pricing to hail a ride on a rainy day, you don’t have to tolerate it for many other discretionary purchases. If an algorithm is pushing a pricing premium, wait or walk away.
Remote work
Out: Working from home full-time.
In 2025, many major companies announced they wanted employees back in the office. Executives pitched the policy change as a way to improve workplace collaboration and communication, but some employees suspect it was more about filling office space. Managers want us to be “innovative” when it benefits them, but they’re stuck in the past when it comes to remote work flexibility.
In: Commuter budgeting.
Like it or not, the commuter tax is back, so you’ll have to adjust your budget accordingly. Resist defaulting back to old habits of buying lunch at work or justifying a higher clothing allowance because you have to go back into the office.
Jokes about adults moving back home
Out: “Failure to launch” humor.
With housing inventory low, rents high and the cost of buying a home out of reach for many, living with your parents should no longer be a punch line.
In: Multigenerational living.
Done right, it’s a strategic wealth-building move. If you can, moving back in with your parents or rooming with relatives to pay down debt or save for a down payment on a home is smart math.
Resistance to multifactor authentication
Out: Password-only protection.
Data breaches are at an all-time high. You can no longer afford to resist or procrastinate about creating strong passwords and using a variety of security measures to protect your financial information.
In: Digital defense.
Adopting enhanced security measures for your financial accounts is a necessity. Use Face ID, thumbprints and authenticator apps.
For your financial accounts, look for “Security Center” or “Login Preferences,” then enable the recommended measures, including push notifications or other alerts.
Check HaveIBeenPwned.com to see if your email has been compromised in a data breach.
Don’t treat these extra steps as a nuisance. Just do it. If you aren’t using additional layers of digital defense, you’re essentially leaving your financial front door wide open.
Hosting etiquette
Out: Guest invoice.
For many people, hosting the celebration they want is financially out of reach. As a result, some believe it’s acceptable to charge guests. But as more people struggle, there may be greater pushback against this trend. (Oh, how I hope so!)
If you have to collect money for your celebration, you’re not hosting a party — you’re selling tickets.
In: Living within your means.
This means potlucks, scaled-down events and the return of the “house party” instead of renting a venue or hosting a large restaurant celebration.
In 2026, live and celebrate the life you can truly afford.
The post Michelle Singletary’s money outlook for 2026: What’s in, what’s out appeared first on Washington Post.
