Business|‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Lenders Pitch Loans for Needs Like Electricity and Renthttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/business/buy-now-pay-later.htmlAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.The rapid growth of pay-later loans raises questions about whether their popularity is driven by consumer preference or desperation.Americans spent $160 billion last year throug...