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Inflation is still hitting hard across America, and even Eric Trump, son of President-elect Donald Trump, claims to feel the pinch in his wallet.
During a September Fox News interview, Eric Trump lamented, “It cost me $130 to fill up my SUV. People can’t afford life anymore.”
Gas prices peaked at $5.016 per gallon in June 2022, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), before falling to $3.009 by November 2024.
Still, many households remain burdened by high costs, so it might be time to start strategizing how you can better protect the value of your dollar and build your net worth.
Protecting your purchasing power
President-elect Trump’s promises on gas aside, inflation continues to erode purchasing power across the board.
Eric Trump’s claim about his $130 fill-up sparked a wave of skepticism online.
“What kind of SUV is he driving? Mine costs me about $55 at Costco gas,” commented lawyer Bradley P. Moss on X.com.
Whether you buy into Trump’s $130 fill-up story or not,, prices for essentials like food and shelter remain high, with the food CPI up 26% and the shelter index up 24% since 2020.
The good news? Americans now have more tools than ever to protect against inflation’s impact.
For example, One way to turn inflation into an opportunity is by finding ways to invest while you spend. Acorns makes this effortless.
By simply linking your bank account to the app, every purchase you make with your debit or credit cards helps grow your investments automatically by rounding up the price to the nearest dollar and placing the excess in a smart investment portfolio.This way, even the most essential spending translates to money saved and invested for the future.
Sign up now and you can get a $20 bonus investment.
Investing to hedge against persistent inflation
Nowadays, there are plenty of accessible strategies for investors to shield themselves — and their portfolios — from inflation’s bite.
Real estate
Real estate has long been a reliable way to hedge against inflation. As material and labor costs rise, building new properties becomes more expensive, driving up the value of existing real estate.
In addition to price appreciation, well-chosen properties generate rental income, which typically increases with inflation, helping to preserve and grow real income over time.
But you don’t need to buy a house to start investing, real estate crowdfunding platforms make it accessible to more investors.
For instance, if you are interested in tapping into the income-generating properties, Arrived makes investing in those assets simple and accessible no matter your income or portfolio size. Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived offers SEC-qualified investments in rental homes and vacation properties — and you can invest with as just $100.
The Arrived team handles the hard work of finding and managing the properties. As an investor, you can simply browse curated properties, select the amount of shares, and enjoy the benefits of investing in real estate without becoming a landlord.
And you aren’t limited to residential real estate.
Commercial real estate has also long been touted as a wise investment for adding stability to your portfolio, outperforming the S&P 500 over a 25-year period.
While commercial properties leased as office spaces have taken a serious hit over the past few years, two sectors have remained surprisingly resilient: grocery-anchored properties and health-care facililities. These sectors are necessity-based, meaning their demand tends to remain strong no matter how the economy shifts.
For accredited investors looking to dive into commercial real estate, First National Realty Partners (FNRP) allows you to invest in institutional-quality commercial real estate.
FNRP’s team makes investing in commercial real estate convenient and simple by offering white-glove service to investors. They act as the deal leader, providing expertise and doing the legwork, while investors can use their secure platform to explore available deals, engage with experts and easily make an allocation.
FNRP has developed relationships with the nation’s largest essential-needs brands, including Kroger, Walmart and Whole Foods, and provides insights into the best properties both on and off-market while investors have an opportunity to passively collect distribution income.
Gold
Gold has been a trusted store of wealth for centuries, and is prized for its stability during economic downturns and inflation by professional investors like Peter Schiff and Ben Mallah.
Over 2024, gold is up 34%, surpassing $2,700 per ounce.
For investors seeking tax advantages and long-term stability, a gold IRA is an excellent option if you’re looking to hedge your retirement fund against inflation. By including physical gold in your retirement portfolio, you diversify beyond stocks and bonds while cushioning your savings against inflation and market volatility.
One way to invest in precious metals that also provides significant tax advantages is with a gold IRA — and you can open one with the help of American Hartford Gold.
One of the country’s most trusted precious metals companies – with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau – American Hartford Gold has helped thousands of clients protect their retirement.
Economist Peter Schiff has previously told investors that the metal was underpriced due to persistent inflationary pressures.
“I think it has to be repriced higher to reflect the reality of much higher inflation. We’re not going to go back to 2%, probably in my lifetime,” he said. “It’s going to be much higher than that, and when investors come to terms with that, they’re going to bid up the price of gold much higher.”
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
