In November 2025, Statistics Canada reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up about 2.2% 12 months‑over‑12 months, pushed by increased grocery and different family costs. Grocery costs alone rose nearly 4.7% over the identical interval—one of many highest will increase since late 2023.
In the meantime, surveys present that Canadians are still feeling the squeeze. In late 2025, greater than 4 in 5 Canadians cited inflation as a prime concern, and greater than half mentioned their earnings is just not maintaining with rising costs.
All of this makes saving cash and discovering inventive methods to stretch the greenback not simply fascinating, however obligatory. Private finance gurus usually provide the identical fundamental recommendation—drop your each day espresso order, pack your lunch, cancel that subscription—and, sure, these issues assist. However there are different, extra sensible methods to place a reimbursement in your pocket that you just may not be doing but.
Under are some on a regular basis hacks primarily based on actual instruments and experiences Canadians have shared with me—and none of those is sponsored.
1. Get compensated for flight delays with Airfairness
Whether or not you’re heading house for the vacations or making an attempt to seize a final‑minute getaway, flight disruptions are annoying, and costly. What many travellers don’t notice is that in case your flight is delayed greater than three hours or cancelled, otherwise you’re denied boarding as a consequence of overbooking, chances are you’ll be entitled to compensation from the airline—and never simply with gratuitous meals vouchers.
Airfairness is a Canadian‑primarily based on-line service that helps passengers declare this compensation—usually as much as a number of hundred {dollars}, with out your having to navigate difficult airline guidelines your self. It really works by checking your flight particulars towards eligibility after which serving to submit a declare in your behalf. Firms like Airfairness have helped 1000’s of travellers get better cash they didn’t even know they may declare.
Should you’ve been out of pocket after a visit went sideways, that is a type of hacks that’s actually cash you didn’t know you may have again.
2. Save on produce with OddBunch.ca
Grocery costs had been one of many greater ache factors for Canadian households in 2025. Whereas the headline inflation charge could look average, meals costs, particularly recent produce and meat have grown sooner than the general Shopper Worth Index.
OddBunch.ca is an effective way to chop that price with out sacrificing diet. It’s a grocery supply service obtainable in most provinces (not in Atlantic Canada—but) that sources “odd” or imperfect vegetables and fruit that don’t meet visible retail requirements however are in any other case completely good. As a result of these things would in any other case go to waste, they’re delivered at a major low cost—and it doesn’t matter if the produce isn’t image‑good.
Many Canadians I’ve spoken to say their weekly grocery prices dropped noticeably as soon as they began utilizing this and related companies for fundamentals like carrots, potatoes, apples and leafy greens.
3. Reduce prescription prices with InnoviCares
Pharmaceuticals are an enormous a part of many family budgets, and model‑identify drugs might be shockingly costly for those who’re paying out of pocket. InnoviCares is a free prescription financial savings card used throughout Canada that helps you decrease the price of model‑identify drugs by making use of eligible financial savings on the pharmacy.
You current the cardboard when your pharmacist fills a prescription, and the low cost is utilized routinely in case your medicine is roofed. The perfect half? It really works along with your current insurance coverage plan, not as a substitute of it, so that you don’t have to decide on between the 2. It’s not obtainable for each drug, however for these the place it’s, this may imply tens and even a whole bunch of {dollars} saved yearly, for gratis to you. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have already used this card to chop their drug prices with out switching manufacturers.
4. Purchase used books (even on Amazon) as a substitute of paying full value
Let’s be sincere, books are costly. Fiction, non‑fiction, textbooks, manuals—they add up. One easy strategy to save if you desire a ebook however your price range says “possibly later” is to purchase it used.
Platforms like Amazon’s used books market usually checklist the identical title at a fraction of the brand new‑value price. The books are usually in good situation, could ship at low price or at no cost when you’ve got a Prime membership, and you continue to get the identical content material for a lot much less. It’s a small behavior, however over time it will possibly save a stunning quantity whereas nonetheless letting you learn what you need, if you need.
Incomes, saving and spending in Canada: A information for brand spanking new immigrants
5. Time rewards gives on credit score and loyalty applications
Most Canadians carry at the least one rewards bank card, and plenty of don’t use them strategically. One simple hack is to concentrate to bonus gives, spot promotions and level multipliers, and to time your purchases accordingly.
Drug shops, gasoline stations and enormous retailers, for instance, often run 4x or 5x factors promotions for sure classes. Should you’re planning a pharmacy run or a fill‑up anyhow, doing it throughout a promotion can dramatically improve your factors earnings, which you’ll redeem for journey, assertion credit or reward/grocery playing cards later. This doesn’t imply spending cash you wouldn’t in any other case spend, however it does imply you squeeze extra worth out of on a regular basis bills.
