Black Friday shoppers are being warned to exercise caution as "buy now, pay later" offers flood online checkouts. Record numbers of people are seeking help with shopping debts, and charities are urging caution when tempted by the convenience of spreading payments over time.
This year's Black Friday is expected to see billions spent on online and in-store purchases, with over a third of Britons planning to use "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) credit to stagger their spending. However, money experts say shoppers should think twice before succumbing to the temptation of clicking on the BNPL button.
Debt charities such as Citizens Advice and Money Wellness are seeing an increase in people struggling with BNPL-related problems, with many turning to these services for help. The organisations warn that while BNPL can be a convenient option, it is still a form of credit that requires careful consideration.
Citizens Advice says it's helping more people than ever before with BNPL-related issues, and urges shoppers to take caution, especially if they are already struggling with bills. Money Wellness warns that juggling multiple BNPL payments alongside rent, bills, and other debts can quickly become overwhelming, leading to missed or late payments and spiralling debt.
Regulators have long raised concerns about the risks associated with BNPL, including the potential for consumers to take out loans they cannot afford to pay back on time. The Financial Conduct Authority will start regulating BNPL on July 15th, 2026, requiring lenders to carry out affordability checks on even small loans.
In the meantime, shoppers are being encouraged to budget carefully and avoid taking on too much debt. With record numbers of people seeking help with shopping debts, it's clear that the temptation of convenient payment plans can be a costly mistake.
This year's Black Friday is expected to see billions spent on online and in-store purchases, with over a third of Britons planning to use "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) credit to stagger their spending. However, money experts say shoppers should think twice before succumbing to the temptation of clicking on the BNPL button.
Debt charities such as Citizens Advice and Money Wellness are seeing an increase in people struggling with BNPL-related problems, with many turning to these services for help. The organisations warn that while BNPL can be a convenient option, it is still a form of credit that requires careful consideration.
Citizens Advice says it's helping more people than ever before with BNPL-related issues, and urges shoppers to take caution, especially if they are already struggling with bills. Money Wellness warns that juggling multiple BNPL payments alongside rent, bills, and other debts can quickly become overwhelming, leading to missed or late payments and spiralling debt.
Regulators have long raised concerns about the risks associated with BNPL, including the potential for consumers to take out loans they cannot afford to pay back on time. The Financial Conduct Authority will start regulating BNPL on July 15th, 2026, requiring lenders to carry out affordability checks on even small loans.
In the meantime, shoppers are being encouraged to budget carefully and avoid taking on too much debt. With record numbers of people seeking help with shopping debts, it's clear that the temptation of convenient payment plans can be a costly mistake.
they sound so tempting but trust me idk about taking on more debt than u need to 
i mean i see lots of ppl struggling with it already and its only gonna get worse if ur not careful 
dont spread out payments like u r dodging a bill or something, just cuz its easier 
i know its hard to resist but u gotta think about the long term, dont wanna end up in debt crisis mode 
It's just a fancy way to say 'you'll pay us back when you're stuck with nothing'. I mean, what even is the point of spreading payments over time if it's just gonna lead to debt? 
My aunt had to deal with this last year and now she's still paying off credit card debt... 
It's just not worth it. Can't people just budget and plan ahead like normal?! 
The Financial Conduct Authority is finally getting involved, but I'm like, what took them so long? 
Anyway, did you know that 1 in 5 BNPL users end up in debt? 
I mean, regulators are now requiring lenders to do affordability checks... finally, some accountability? 
July 15th, 2026 can't come soon enough. Let's hope people take this as a warning and budget carefully. 
But I guess some people need to be reminded that it's still credit and you gotta make those payments on time or else... 
I swear, I got sucked into buying some gaming accessories last year and now my wallet is crying 
. Like, have you seen those ads where they're all like "just click and split the cost into easy payments"? 
.
. Like, can't we just find a way to make these payment plans more sustainable and affordable? 
. Do our research, read the fine print, and make sure you're not taking on more debt than you can handle 
.
. have u heard of any horror stories about BNPL? i wanna make sure i dont fall into that trap 
its not all fun and games, you gotta think about the long game (or should i say, long debt game lol) and how youre gonna make those payments. i mean, 1/3 of britons planning to use bnpl? thats just crazy talk 
. I mean, who doesn't love clicking "buy now" without actually thinking about the consequences? It's like we've all forgotten how to do basic math in our heads 
.
. We need to be more responsible and think twice before clicking that "buy now, pay later" button 
. it's crazy to think that people are struggling with debts just because they thought buying things now and paying later would be easy 
. newsflash: it's not 
). it's like, yes please let's keep us from getting ourselves into debt over some cheap sneakers or a new gadget 
. budgeting and being responsible with money are key, folks! 
.
debt charities r doin the right thing by warnin us 
we should be careful not to get in over our heads