Cynthia Bowman

Wed, May 14, 2025, 7:01 AM7 min read

Welcome to 2025, where economic pratfalls seem to be around every corner, so if you are living paycheck to paycheck, not knowing how much you’ll be spending on groceries or utilities from month to month can make budgeting a little baffling. When it comes to your grocery cart, many economists are forecasting that food prices will continue rising, though the extent to which varies. The USDA predicts a 2% increase in food prices for 2025 due to a combination of factors such as the impacts of Trump’s tariffs and supply chain disruptions.

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Keep in mind that even your local mom-and-pop grocer or supermarket imports a good percentage of their items, and with 10% tariffs tacked on, your bill could get much higher than you can afford in one payment. Fortunately, there are Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services you can use to buy groceries and provide services that let you split your payments into smaller, scheduled, manageable chunks, making it easier to budget and afford everyday expenses.

BNPL apps can also help your budget stretch if you know the pros and cons of how they work. Before using any pay-later service for grocery shopping, it’s essential to understand the terms, conditions and potential costs. Missing payments can lead to late fees and interest charges, making your groceries more expensive in the long run. Always read the fine print and ensure that the service aligns with your budget and financial goals.

Take a closer look at GOBankingRates’ picks for four great Buy Now, Pay Later services you can use to buy groceries.

Affirm is a great option for online or grocery store shopping. When you shop from the list of thousands of approved retailers, you’ll see the option to use Affirm online at checkout. Affirm also offers high financing limits and is an option at so many big-box retailers that it makes the app a convenient option for big-ticket purchases.

Or for physical stores, an Affirm virtual card is available for payment. Affirm’s strongest suit is its major-retailer options for grocery shopping, including Target, Costco, Lowe’s, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, Walmart and BJ’s Wholesale Club.

• No fees on Pay in 4 plans

• No hard credit pull to get approval

• No late fees or prepayment penalties

• Interest rates can be high for longer-term plans

• Limited supermarket options

• Fees: Up to 36% APR based on credit for monthly payment plans, no fees for Pay in 4

• Payment terms: Pay in 4 (four payments every two weeks) or monthly installments

• Grocery stores: Target, Walmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club