Buy now pay later is a different way of paying back alone than most consumers are used to when the financial burden of your purchase isn't hitting your bank account all at once. People think that they can afford more than they really can, and buy now pay later feels like another new financial product that people are not used to managing or handling. Most buy now pay Later users aren't just using one service, they're using multiple on top of each other called loan stacking. Some with installments do every two weeks and another once a month.
With the economy in flux and prices continuing to rise, more consumers are saying yes to buy now, pay later offers. And not just for instant gratification on big-ticket items like a couch or a laptop. Struggling families are using it to spread out payments for essentials like food.
Bloomberg reporters Augusta Saraiva and Paulina Cachero join this episode to talk about the popularity of buy now, pay later services–and the fees for those who fall behind on payments. And we hear from a single mother who reluctantly uses the services to help make ends meet.
Read more: Americans Go Deeper Into Debt as They Use Buy Now, Pay Later Apps for Groceries.
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