Buy Now, Pay Later Responsibly This New Year

Blog | 1st Jan 2022 | 7min read

The new year creates a sense of hope for consumers around the globe as they focus on what changes they can make in the coming year.

Millions of individuals focus on improving their health and wellness, while others direct their resolutions toward improving their financial wellness.

Customers can use buy now, pay later, or BNPL services, to guide them in a positive direction.

Some Buy now, pay later services offer consumers the opportunity to spread their payments over time without the downsides of traditional credit, like having to pay late fees with BNPL providers such as Zilch.

Most BNPL platforms allow shoppers to complete purchases while only paying a fraction of the expense upfront. The rest of the purchase is then completed through instalments paid over a set period of time.

Introducing Zilch, A New Way to Pay in 2022

Zilch is a BNPL platform that allows consumers to shop at any location Mastercard is accepted. Consumers pay 25% of their purchase upfront and the rest over three instalments, each equaling 25% of the purchase. instalments are set two weeks apart; six weeks after the purchase, the item is paid off. Zilch prides itself on offering shoppers the ability to buy now, pay later responsibly, and is helping consumers meet their New Year’s resolutions. Here’s how:

Stay Within Your Budget

The first step to financial responsibility is staying within budget, which means creating a budget that fits your lifestyle. To do this, calculate your expenses and subtract them from your income — this will provide insight into your leftover cash each month. From there, you can allocate an average amount for essential expenses like rent, bills, groceries, and transportation costs. Then set aside a fixed amount for the things you want and save the rest for rainy days.

BNPL can help shoppers stay within budget by splitting up payments on specific items or services. This is especially useful during months when unexpected expenses arise. Avoiding overspending altogether is ideal, but when life happens, BNPL can help navigate through the challenges.

Create Healthy Shopping Patterns

624 New Years Resolution blog landing desktop - Zilch
Using Zilch may help make your goal of financial wellness a possibility.

Shopping and experiences – both of which can be purchased with BNPL services but responsible spending should be practised first and foremost. As a New Year’s resolution, shoppers should focus on finding the middle ground. This middle ground can form the foundation for healthy shopping patterns and create a positive year. Leveraging one’s budget is the key to creating a healthy shopping spending plan.

Focus on Saving

Financial health is not just about responsible spending but also savings. For the coming year, setting aside a certain amount each month can help you save for emergencies or that big-ticket item, such as your dream home. However, saving is not so simple in today’s world. Those looking to save this year can follow a few tips from Generation Z:

Instead of spending frivolously throughout the week, swap that with doing something you love. Filling your life with more meaningful experiences and habits can bring a feeling of fulfilment and reduce spending.

Invest in learning something new. Instead of spending on items, spend your money on relevant courses or certifications. Not only will these skills improve your self-esteem, but they could also help you land a higher-paying job.

Turn your passion into a side gig and cash in on your skills to save some extra money. Great tools for this include selling items on Etsy or offering your services on Upwork.

Use Zilch to track your spending and save for that next purchase. Or leverage the Zilch payment options to buy what you need and spread out the costs over time.

Shop in Moderation

Using Zilch can help you shop in moderation. It can spread out payments over time to ensure you meet your budget.  When making purchases this year, follow these tips to spend responsibly:

— Pay on time. Before making a purchase, be sure you have the funds to cover your instalment payments. If you can’t pay on time, contact Zilch to let them know. They can work with cardholders during times of financial difficulty.

— Avoid overspending. Don’t just buy to buy; buy with a purpose. Avoid extravagant spending and focus on buying what will bring value to your life.

— Monitor your money. Track all spending and understand where your money is going. Knowledge is power, and knowing your spending can offer insight into intelligent financial decisions.

— Spend rationally. Practice mindfulness when making a purchase and avoid impulsive shopping. This can alleviate an immense amount of stress and allow you to stay within your budget.

— Keep it real. Focus on purchases that bring happiness to your life, not those that bring perceived happiness. Don’t buy to impress others; instead, treat yourself when you can afford it.

— “Moderation is key.” The most important tip to remember is that moderation is key —don’t overspend, but buying items that will be used on a long-term basis could be reasonable. It’s all about balance.

Leverage Tech to Meet Every New Year’s Resolutions

Not only can Zilch be used to monitor spending and meet a budget, but it can also be used to purchase apps that help consumers improve their chance of hitting every New Year’s resolution. In addition to financial responsibility, New Year’s resolutions often include reading more, getting to the gym, or taking a vacation. Zilch can be used to split payments for everyone’s goals for the coming year. Here are some of the top apps that can be used this year:

Get your book on through Blinkist. This app summarizes “dense chapters of non-fiction books into one or two sentences, basically condensing tomes of knowledge into less than a page.

Track your fitness and food habits with MyFitnessPal. This app lets users input food and exercise to ensure they meet their daily fitness and nutritional goals.

Book your next vacation with Airbnb, a flexible and affordable booking system. This app lets individuals book housing and experiences for their next getaway.

Track sleep through AutoSleep, which helps put everybody to rest. This app tracks sleep through an Apple Watch.

Get what you need from Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce store. Amazon lets you purchase all items necessary to meet your 2022 goals.

Get Started With BNPL Provider Zilch

Getting started with Zilch can put you on a positive path to accomplishing your New Year’s resolutions. It can offer guidance on financial wellness and allow you to access the tools and resources to accomplish other goals. To sign up, simply visit  https://www.zilch.com/uk/. Once you create an account and update your payment information, you’re ready to shop. Browse the numerous stores that are affiliated with Zilch — affiliates that offer shoppers the ability to shop at no cost because they cover the associated fees. Or, browse all the other shops where Mastercard is accepted and pay using Zilch. These stores require you to pay a transaction fee.

Zilch allows you to shop at some of the world’s most prominent merchants across all industries. Here are a few to check out:

— Fashion: Nike, Zara, H&M, Asos, Sports Direct, and Shein.

— Fast Food and Groceries: Uber Eats, Aldi, Just Eat UK – Takeaway Delivery, and Deliveroo.

— Home and Electronics: Ikea, Apple, Dunelm, and Wickes.

— Beauty and Wellness: Treatwell, Charlotte Tilbury, Cult Beauty, and Stretch Inc.

— Experiences: Cineworld, Disneyland Paris, Airbnb, Trainline, Vue International, lastminute.com, hotels.com, and Expedia.

Once you make your first purchase and paid the initial 25% upfront, the following three instalment payments will be scheduled. You’ll need to pay 25% every two weeks until the purchase is paid in full. If you ever need an extension for payment, simply select “Snooze,” and Zilch will give you a few more days to submit the funds. This feature can be unlocked for certain users, who will get 4 extra days to make their next payment. Usage may incur a fee. Zilch is safe and secure and just the right tool to help you meet your 2022 goals!

*Spend responsibly, spending more than you can afford could seriously affect your financial status. Credit subject to status, 18+, UK residents only. Representative APR 18.1% (fixed). Rep Example: based on total spend: £240 (+ £2.50 transaction fee). Total repayable: £242.50 paid over 6 weeks, 1st payment £62.50, then 3 payments of £60.00 every 2 weeks. T&Cs apply.