The Military Money Manual Podcast Buy Now, Pay Later Traps for Military Families with Lacey Langford #195
Dont' fall for these traps! This "convenient" payment option could be sabotaging your financial future and even your security clearance!
Military financial expert Lacey Langford returns to sound the alarm on what she calls "the new payday loan," Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services. With over $170 billion in BNPL transactions this year and 91.5 million Americans using these services, this seemingly innocent payment option is creating a financial minefield for military families.
Main Topics Covered:- What Buy Now, Pay Later really is
- The psychology behind BNPL - how it removes the "pain" of spending and makes overspending dangerously easy
- Hidden dangers for military families:
- Multiple small debts that are impossible to track
- Late fees and additional charges that can turn a $5 purchase into a $35 expense
- Potential impact on security clearances as reporting to credit bureaus increases
- Marriage and relationship stress from hidden debt
- The trap of "death by a thousand cuts" - why small payments add up to big problems
- How BNPL differs from traditional credit - and why it's actually worse in many ways
- Recovery strategies for those already caught in the BNPL web
- Why layaway was better - and how its disappearance pushed consumers toward dangerous alternatives
- Lacey Langford's website: Milmo.co
- Podcast: The Milmo Show (available on Apple, Spotify, and all podcast platforms)
- Conference: MilMoneyCon: milmoneycon.com
- UPDATE! Dates are announced now! May 6-8, 2026 in Savannah, GA
- Social Media: @Milmo (all platforms) or @MilMoneyCon
- Military financial counseling: Available free through base aid societies and Military OneSource
If you're already using BNPL services, don't panic - but do take action. This episode provides a clear roadmap for getting back on track before small conveniences become big problems.
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