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From Buy Now, Pay Later plans to monthly subscriptions, modern conveniences promise to make our lives easier. But these small payments can quietly stack up into a sizable debt that jeopardises our financial future.

For example, a £10-a-month streaming service seems harmless, but six months later, you might be paying for five you barely use. Or those 'Buy Now, Pay Later' purchases you thought were manageable could turn into growing debt.

Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the hidden cost of convenience:

• Founder of Go Fund Yourself, Alice Tapper;
• Director at Fairer Finance, Tim Hogg; and
• Head of Content Marketing at PensionBee, Danielle Skerrett.

Episode breakdown:

03:07 Spending season is here

06:23 £30 bill, or pay £10 today?

08:35 It's free for you, but someone's paying

10:12 The evolution of frictionless spending

13:33 Where's the regulation?

17:23 Don't let technology push you into high spending

19:51 Masterclass on proper usage

24:28 Dopamine hit of saving money

27:41 Tips for managing seasonal spending

Further reading, listening and watching:

To learn more about budgeting and debt, check out these articles and podcasts from PensionBee:

• Episode 44 transcript (Blog)
• Bonus episode: six tips for automating your personal finances (Podcast)
• E40: The ADHD tax - how much is it costing you? (Podcast)
• E10: What are the effects of debt and what can you do if you find yourself in it? (Podcast)
• 4 reasons why investing in your pension beats those Black Friday deals (Blog)
• 5 things I spent money on in my 20s and 30s that cost me greatly (Blog)
• 50-30-20: How the budgeting 'rule of thumb' is changing in the face of the cost of living crisis (Blog)
• How much money do you need to retire in the UK? (Article)
• The effects of debt and how we can break the cycle (Blog)
• What is the impact of debt on mental health? (Blog)

Other useful resources:

• Buy now, pay later credit: User characteristics and effects on spending patterns (Harvard Business School)
• Get free debt advice (StepChange)
• Help with debt (Citizens Advice)
• How much do we spend during the festive season? (Bank of England)
• How to save £667.95 in 2025 with the 1p Savings Challenge (MoneySavingExpert)
• Track your finances and budget app (Emma)
• Your personal money-saving app (Snoop)

Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube:

• The Pension Confident Podcast
• The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube

Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

Follow Alice Tapper (@gofundyourself) on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Follow Fairer Finance (@fairerfinance) on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.