CEO and Founder of Plinqit, the only savings app of its kind that pays users for learning about finance and savings.

Between inflation, rising interest rates and other economic uncertainties, many Americans are concerned about their personal finances. These concerns impact their financial decisions. For some, this means relying on buy now, pay later (BNPL) products. In fact, a new survey from Credit Karma revealed that nearly 60% of consumer respondents said inflation is driving them to use BNPL products for items they need. The survey also revealed that 13% of BNPL users surveyed rely on the service to pay for items at the supermarket, 18% are using it at warehouse stores and 17% are using it at discount stores. These stats indicate consumers are using BNPL services to pay for food and other household necessities.

Overall, BNPL usage has grown rapidly in recent years, and the BNPL market is expected to hit $3268.2 billion by 2030. It is more important than ever for consumers to understand how these products work so they can make informed financial decisions, especially in the current economic environment. Whether they opt to use BNPL or not, consumers need to know the risks, the difference between BNPL and traditional credit products, as well as the pros and cons of each, and the potential implications of using BNPL when it comes to their financial goals.

Check out Kathleen’s full article published on forbes.com