For those who have money… or want more of it! Join Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench (from BiggerPockets.com) weekly for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Each week, financial experts Mindy and Scott interview unique and powerful thought leaders about how to earn more, keep more, spend smarter, and grow wealth.
https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcasts/money
episode 312: Buy Now, Pay Later: Consumer Convenience or Predatory Pricing Scheme?
“Buy now, pay later” companies have been around for decades, but not in the form they take today. You may have noticed that when you check out from an online store, a little prompt asks you if you want to purchase your goods for just “four easy payments of…” It seems like a good deal, doesn’t it? You can buy the same goods, for less, today, with no interest payments! Before you add those shoes to your cart, think twice before selecting the “buy now, pay later” option.
Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi, NPR reporter and host of Planet Money, was interested in how this type of interest-free internet shopping is affecting consumers. Through his research, he found numerous examples of online shoppers overspending, getting into debt, and not knowing their total purchase price. The ease of paying just a fourth of a product’s price and getting it delivered in days became too much for many consumers to resist. And now, they’re paying the price.
If you don’t want to fall prey to this type of split-up pricing, you’ll want to hear what Alexi, David, and Mindy have to say. Using this type of “interest-free” credit could put your financial freedom in jeopardy—and no one wants to trade early retirement for a new swimsuit.
In This Episode We Cover
The “buy now, pay later” programs and how they target online shoppers
How buying now and paying later could affect your credit score in the long run
What happens when shoppers can’t pay their future installment loans?
Why US legislators are taking “buy now, pay later” companies to court
The marketing tactics used by these companies to get you to spend more at checkout
Why saving now and buying later will help your future finances
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
BiggerPockets Forums
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Mindy's Twitter
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Podcast Talent Search!
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Check out our sponsor page!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices