This publication describes what approximately 100 groups around the country are doing with regard to food, housing, energy, and health to beat inflation on the neighborhood level. The book is intended as a resource for citizens wishing to take the kind of consumer action that will save them and their neighbors money. Some of the programs featured are saving families hundreds of dollars annually. For instance, several groups are promoting community and backyard gardening. In 1979, backyard and community gardening projects nationwide produced $13 billion worth of produce. Another example is a corporate-sponsored ridesharing program in California which saves commuters $4 million in commuting costs and an estimated two million gallons of gasoline each year. Other groups have found less tangible ways to save while making life more enjoyable for those they serve. For example, some organizations are giving residents a new sense of pride by revitalizing their neighborhoods. In St. Louis, a dynamic innercity group has renovated $15 million worth of housing, created jobs for 450 residents by luring a shoe factory into the area, and opened a low-cost medical clinic. Many groups are fighting inflation by finding alternatives to the traditional marketplace. They have developed programs to promote medical self-care, food co-ops, and self-help home repairs. In New York City, for example, a homelike childbearing center offers residents an alternative to traditional hospitals. Still other groups are using old-fashioned political methods to achieve their goals. For example, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts a citizens coalition successfully lobbied a local hospital to adhere to a Federal law and provide emergency care for poor people. In addition to the descriptions of group projects, the resource contains lists of organizations that are eager to help consumer groups nationwide by providing published materials, technical assistance, or in some cases, funding. Information on federal programs that will be of assistance is also provided. (Author/RM)