The Sen Times

Buy now, pay later doesnt feel like debt. For young people, that can be a big problem

September 15, 2026 (Conversation) The way a product is labelled can change how consumers think about it. No added sugar or 99% fat free can make food sound healthier than it really is. The same might apply to buy now, pay later schemes. Marketed as a convenient way to pay for purchases over time, they are fundamentally still a form of debt. Products such as Afterpay, Klarna and Zip (which recently exited the New Zealand market) offer consumers access to items they may not be able to immediately afford. Speedy approval and an easy checkout add to the appeal, but