This holiday season, those wanting to splurge despite the economic pinch of high inflation can easily take advantage of the growing number of buy now, pay later plans offered by various financial companies and apps. These plans essentially provide small, short-term loans that allow consumers to get the items they want right away as well as make interest- and fee-free payments in the new year. Being an economist interested in holiday spending and the cashless society, these options found my attention while researching my book. In recent times, my students have been looking into plans to acquire presents for the holiday season which were only put into consideration a few years ago. I pondered if these deals could possibly be real. It is the time of year. Holiday shopping is predicted to hit a new high in the U.S. this year, with customers anticipated to spend an estimated one trillion dollars in the months of November and December. Gift giving is popular at this time of year, causing an upsurge in spending, often done to put gifts for loved ones beneath a Christmas tree. On average, around a quarter of all yearly retail sales are due to shoppers increasing their expenditure. On average, that comes out to about $830 for each individual. In the past, prior to having credit cards, people were limited in terms of how they could afford to purchase extra items during the holidays; other than relying on their own savings. Certain banks provided Christmas savings clubs where clients could make automatic payments during the year that they could spend on gifts when the season arrived.
