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Over the past few months, many Americans have felt the sting at the pump.
As tensions around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz rattled energy markets, fears of $5 gas came roaring back. But now, the White House is taking a victory lap.
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In a post on X (1), the White House shared a photo of President Donald Trump and declared: “Record oil is flowing and gas prices are TUMBLING.”
The image included a quote from Trump: “19 Millions Barrels of Oil flowed out of the Hormuz Strait yesterday, an all time RECORD.”
That line came from Trump’s Truth Social post (2) on Tuesday, where he tied the surge in oil movement through one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints directly to falling prices.
“Oil prices are tumbling down, and the World is a much safer place!!!” Trump wrote.
For millions of Americans still squeezed by high grocery prices, utility bills and expensive rent, the question is simple: Is real relief finally arriving — or is this just another temporary break?
A crunch at the pump
According to AAA (3), the national average price for regular gasoline was $3.928 per gallon as of June 24, down from $4.025 a week earlier and $4.515 in late May.
That is a meaningful drop for drivers, but gas is still not cheap by pre-crisis standards. AAA data shows the national average remains well above the $3.224 level seen a year earlier.
So while the White House can fairly point to short-term relief, many Americans may not feel like the cost-of-living crisis is over.
In fact, Trump himself appears to see more work to do.
“The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock! In other words, customers are being ‘gouged,'” Trump wrote in a Wednesday post on Truth Social (4).
“I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing!”
But cheaper gasoline does not automatically mean Americans are out of the woods.
The cost-of-living crisis has never been about just one item. Gas prices are highly visible because drivers see them on big signs every day. However, household budgets are also being squeezed by food, housing, utilities, insurance and debt payments.
Since the beginning of 2020, the CPI food index (5) has risen 33.5%, while the shelter index (6) has climbed 32.3%.
In other words, even if gas prices do tumble, Americans could still be paying far more for basic necessities than they were a few years ago.
And the bigger problem goes back much further than the latest oil shock.
Inflation has been eroding Americans’ hard-earned money for decades. It doesn’t matter whether there is peace or war. And it doesn’t matter who sits in the White House.
Case in point, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (7), $100 in 2026 has the same purchasing power as just $11.74 did in 1970.
That’s right. $100 became less than $12. Falling gas prices will not change that.
That is why many Americans are looking beyond cash and traditional savings when thinking about how to protect their purchasing power.
Here are three ways to protect yourself from inflation, no matter who sits in the White House.
A safe haven shines
When it comes to preserving wealth and fighting inflation, few assets have stood the test of time like gold.
Its appeal is simple: unlike fiat currencies, the yellow metal can’t be printed at will by central banks. This inherently limited supply can help it store value.
Gold is also considered by many to be the ultimate safe haven. It’s not tied to any one country, currency or economy. In times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, investors often flock to it — driving prices higher.
Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has repeatedly highlighted gold’s role in a resilient portfolio.
“People don’t have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” Dalio told CNBC last year. “When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”
Over the past five years, as inflation continued to chip away at the purchasing power of the dollar, gold has climbed 131%. This is in addition to its ability to preserve its value during a downturn.
Other prominent voices see further potential. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has said that gold could “easily” rise to $10,000 an ounce.
One way to invest in gold that can also provide significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Goldco.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, thereby combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold. This can turn it into a potentially compelling option for those looking to ensure their retirement funds are diversified during rough economic times.
Even better, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.
If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today. Just keep in mind that gold is often best used as one part of your portfolio.
A passive-income play
Gold isn’t the only asset investors turn to during inflationary times. Real estate has also proven to be a powerful hedge.
When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts for inflation.
Over the past ten years, the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index (8) has jumped by 87%, reflecting strong demand and limited housing supply.
Of course, high home prices can make buying a home more challenging, especially with mortgage rates still elevated. And being a landlord isn’t exactly hands-off work — managing tenants, maintenance and repairs can quickly eat into your time (and returns).
The good news? You don’t need to buy a property outright — or deal with leaky faucets — to invest in real estate today. Crowdfunding platforms like mogul offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
As a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, mogul gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Sign up for an account and browse available properties here to start investing today.
Another option is Lightstone DIRECT, which gives accredited investors access to single-asset multifamily and industrial deals.
Lightstone DIRECT’s direct-to-investor model ensures a high degree of alignment between individual investors and a vertically-integrated, institutional owner-operator — a sophisticated and streamlined option for individual investors looking to diversify into private-market real estate.
With Lightstone DIRECT, accredited individuals can access the same multifamily and industrial assets Lightstone pursues with its own capital, with minimum investments starting at $100,000.
Diversify beyond Wall Street
Prominent investors like Dalio often stress the importance of diversification — and for good reason. Many traditional assets tend to move in tandem, especially during periods of market stress.
That message feels especially relevant today. Nearly 40% of the S&P 500’s weight is concentrated in its ten largest stocks, and the index’s CAPE ratio hasn’t been this high since the dot-com boom.
This is where, for many investors, alternative assets come into play. These can include everything from real estate and precious metals to private equity and collectibles. After all, if both stocks and bonds go down, where does that leave retail investors?
But there’s one store of value that routinely flies under the radar: It’s scarce by design, coveted worldwide and frequently locked away by institutions. Even better, it’s globally recognized and highly sought after outside of American markets.
We’re talking about post-war and contemporary art — a category that has outpaced the S&P 500 with low correlation since 1995.
It’s easy to see why art pieces often fetch new highs at auctions: The supply of the best works of art is limited, and many of the most desirable pieces have already been snatched up by museums and collectors. That scarcity can also make art an attractive option for investors looking to diversify and preserve wealth during periods of high inflation.
Until recently, purchasing art has been a domain reserved for the ultra-wealthy — like in 2022 when a collection of art owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for $1.5 billion at Christie’s New York (9), making it the most valuable collection in auction history.
Now, Masterworks — a platform for investing in shares of blue-chip artwork by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy — can help you get started with this asset class. It’s easy to use and, with 27 successful exits to date, Masterworks has distributed more than $65 million in total proceeds (including principal).
Simply browse their impressive portfolio of paintings and choose how many shares you’d like to buy. Masterworks then handles all the details, making high-end art investments both accessible and effortless.
New offerings have sold out in minutes, but you can skip their waitlist here.
Note that past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See Reg A disclosures at http://masterworks.com/cd .
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X (1); Truthsocial (2), (4); Gasprices Aaa (3); Fred Stlouisfed (5), (6); Minneapolisfed (7); Spglobal (8); Christies (9)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.