You know things are getting pretty bad when you see that many Americans are borrowing money just to pay for groceries.
Wait! What?
This is a result of what happens when consumers end up financing the basic necessities of life because their paychecks are no longer stretching far enough.
According to research from the Associated Press (AP) the industry’s Buy-now-pay-later financing has exploded into a $160 billion giant.
Not surprisingly, the use of short-term pay-in-four loans has increased nearly 80% since 2023.
You have most likely seen how – with nearly everything you purchase on line – you are given the options to “Make Three or Four easy Payments” of ____.
This concept originally started with electronics or clothing.
But it’s now being used for groceries, transportation, household bills, and even rent.
TRANSLATION: We have reached the point where people are borrowing against their next paycheck to purchase things they need to survive today.
Borrowing Money to Survive
This is a serious problem that’s only getting worse and has quietly been swept under the rug.
And that’s considering how the Federal Reserve’s October 2026 Survey of Consumer Finances reveals that this financial deterioration extends far beyond installment purchases.
Keep in mind this does NOT INCLUDE the fact that America is borrowing $3 Billion PER DAY just to pay the interest on our national debt.
But that’s another story for another time.
The Fed also reported that real median family income increased 7% between 2022 and 2025, reaching $82,200.
But…and this is a very Big Butt… median net worth increased only 2% after adjusting for inflation. And the bottom quarter of households experienced a staggering 50% decline in net worth.
Speaking of inflation… prices surged during the fake pandemic, but those increases were NEVER reversed.
Instead, any inflation we have had since then has been compounded on top of it illustrating how a family that was spending $1,000 on necessities before the fake pandemic may now need approximately $1,300 to purchase a comparable basket of goods and services, depending on the items involved.
Even Bank of America Institute reported that nearly one in five households using buy-now-pay-later financing had repayments exceeding $500.
And that’s in addition to mortgage, auto, insurance and utilities payments.
The Banksters act as if they are rescuing everyone with their buy-now-pay-later system.
However, the financial industry has discovered how to divide an unaffordable purchase into four manageable-looking payments, but it has not solved the underlying problem.
Every installment is a claim against future income, and when enough of those claims accumulate, the household loses the flexibility to absorb even a minor emergency.
So, how do we fix this mess?
A great place to start would be for our government setting a precedent by stopping its reckless spending.
But that’s not likely to happen.
Instead, we need to fix our own problems first if we are to survive.
Learn more about how to reverse your trend (HERE).
And share this with a friend…especially if they buy groceries on a payment installment plan. They’ll thank YOU later.
And tell them:
