Buy Now Pay Later: Weighing the Pros and Cons
Buying now and paying later is sometimes vilified, but that’s unjust. There are pros and cons linked to it, just like any other way of paying. Still, you should know what the pros and cons of Buy Now Pay Later are before engaging in this type of buying.
Pros
Access
It’s never been easier to arrange for responsible credit-based purchases. The benefits of buy now pay later apps and services include access to assets previously out of limits due to lack of cash upfront. For a long time, people who didn’t have much couldn’t buy certain things. All that is gone now. People can borrow what they want and just pay later. This evens the playing field a bit, and that can be a good thing for some people.
Now-ness
Saving for months, maybe even years, to buy something can be grueling. Paying later gives you a chance to enjoy the things you want or need right away. Keep in mind that life is short; being able to enjoy the things that make you happy or help your life in some way can make things much more manageable. People work pretty hard, so they should be able to have nice things now.
Motivation
Having access to the good things in life helps motivate you as well. Saving for an item can hurt your motivation, especially if you hit a few financial snags along the way. You know how financial emergencies are. These problems come out of nowhere and can force you to spend money you didn’t want to spend. Being able to borrow and pay back later motivates you to make more because you’ll always be able to get what you want.
Cons
Fees or Interest
Purchasing with buy now pay later loans and credit has a few drawbacks like anything else. Some services charge fees and interest that you have to consider. This is money you’re giving away to the company. The good thing is you can negotiate this and find a company offering favorable terms. Be sure to read everything carefully before you sign up for one of these services.
Payments
No one loves making monthly payments, but that’s precisely what you’re signing up for if you purchase something now rather than wait until you have the cash. These payments could only last a few months, but some could last a year or even longer. It all depends on the plan you chose. Remember, you’ll be charged fees or maybe interest as you pay off your purchase.
Stress
Knowing that you have mounting debt adds pressure to your life. That’s not a good thing. Of course, not buying what you want also causes some stress, especially if you need the item right away. You’ll feel obligated to work even more just to pay it off, and that’s not going to feel good. Most people already have a few monthly bills to worry about, so doing this just adds to the pressure you already have. The good thing is you can pay these purchases off quickly if you want, or you can only do short-term payment plans.
These are some of the pros and cons to keep in mind if you’re purchasing items with credit. The more you know about this kind of shopping, the more prepared you’ll be to handle it when you shop.
