Buy now pay later loans rise as grocery prices climb in NJ

(Updated 8/9/2025)

Now that a handful of the proposed 2025 tariffs are in place, the impact on grocery items has become pretty clear. And for so many across the country, it's not a comforting feeling.

Families all over are now feeling the pinch of higher prices on so many common everyday items, which in turn, makes it that much more expensive to manage expenses in an already expensive world.

And this couldn't be any truer than here in New Jersey, where the cost of so many goods is already expensive. But probably the bigger thing here is the fact that we have high taxes on top of those other hikes.

Not to mention the utility hikes, which are putting an even bigger strain on New Jerseyans. And that strain is putting additional pressure on some to find alternative ways to pay for necessities, such as the now more expensive groceries.

Keep reading to see the results of a national survey regarding how more across the nation are now paying for their groceries, followed by thoughts from those living right here in New Jersey.

Survey confirms worries

A recent Lending Tree survey from earlier in 2025 seemed to confirm those worries even before tariffs on grocery items were completely in effect. According to the data, 41% of Americans said they now use buy now, pay later loans to cover expenses.

That number is an increase from 2024, when 34% of Americans said they used buy now, pay later loans. In other words, we went from 3 in 10 Americans to 4 in 10 Americans who now cover expenses with this specific type of loan.

Of those who said they use buy now, pay later loans, 25% of them said they used it toward groceries. Think about that for a minute. That's a fairly large number of Americans using such a service for an everyday necessity such as groceries.

What those from New Jersey think

Curious, I brought this up on my Sunday morning show just as something interesting to share. But what I learned afterward was that yes, some of us in New Jersey are among the 25% mentioned in the national survey.

A handful of callers, actually. Simply put, some of us are also concerned with rising costs and are relying on services like buy now, pay later loans to cover necessities such as groceries.

RELATED: These items are now too expensive in NJ to spend money on

If you find yourself in this boat, just know you're not alone. 41% of Americans use buy now, pay later loans, and 25% of those use them to buy groceries.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.