Bobbi Rebell, CFP®, CFT™, Chief Financial Education Advisor at Accredited Debt Relief, appeared on Fox 5 New York to discuss why more people are using buy now, pay later (BNPL) plans to cover everyday expenses, and what happens when those plans start to stack up.
The anchors opened the segment with a new poll that says nearly half of BNPL users now rely on the plans for daily costs like groceries, and some use them to make payments on debt they already carry.
Rebell said the shift reflects how expensive daily life has become. BNPL used to be a way to spread out the cost of a vacation or concert tickets. For families working out how to cover food this month, it’s now one of the easiest options within reach.
“Buy now, pay later is fairly accessible and it is a solution to the problem of paying for daily life for so many people increasingly,” she said.
Asked how a convenient checkout button turns into a bigger problem, Rebell said the risk is in the layering. The first plan feels manageable. Then a second one starts, then a third, and the payment dates get harder to track. A late or missed payment can follow, and from there it can start to affect a credit score, on top of the stress.
“It’s buy now, but it is very much pay later and the debts do come due,” she said.
Rebell named the signs that BNPL use has become a problem:
- More than one plan open at the same time
- Plans covering daily expenses
- One plan being used to pay down another
- Not knowing the total amount owed
“If you are losing sleep, if you have stress and anxiety, that is time to go and get help,” she said.
For people whose income no longer covers the essentials, Rebell suggested starting with the budget. That means reframing what counts as essential, looking closely at the grocery bill, meal planning and finding ways to bring in more income. She also pointed to the debt itself, since existing balances are often what’s crowding out daily expenses.
“Sometimes what gets away from us is we can’t pay for our daily expenses because we have this debt that you’ve talked about piling up,” she said.
When that’s the case, Rebell said outside help can make a difference, and she named debt relief companies, including Accredited Debt Relief, as one place to look for it.
About Accredited Debt Relief
Accredited Debt Relief is an award-winning and highly rated provider of personalized debt relief options. Their mission is to make debt relief accessible so that no one has to face debt alone.
Accredited Debt Relief has helped more than 1.3 million people. To date, they have resolved $15+ billion in debt.
Accredited Debt Relief earned 2025 ConsumerAffairs Buyer’s Choice Awards for Best Customer Service, Best Value and Best Overall Process. They also hold an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and accreditation from the Association for Consumer Debt Relief.