How to Spread the Cost When It Comes to Retail Therapy

Living a champagne lifestyle on lemonade money is something that many can relate to. With the cost of living rising, and the pressure of the perfect lifestyle being shoved down our throats online, it’s the perfect storm of wanting to create our own perfect lives. Mainly, biting off more than you can chew when it comes to your finances and retail therapy.

Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your view point), there are ways around your limited funds. Aside from loans, credit cards or borrowing money, there are now ways for you to split your payments over several months.

With the spending season almost upon us, it gives you a little more breathing room when you go to grab your Crimbo pressies. However, always remember the best gift you can give is your time and attention! Don’t spend what you know you can’t afford; no one who truly cares about you would ever want you to put yourself in that situation for the sake of a present!

Catalogues

When it comes to shopping, one of the best selections you will ever have will be from catalogues!

From Very, to Studio, to Freemans, the list goes on. The great thing about most catalogues, is that their stock is so varied. Want some new pyjamas?  Check the catalogue. Want a new garden waterfall? Yup, that will be in there too. A sofa and fridge to boot (yeah, they’ll sell boots too!) and you can soon fill up your entire home on the contents of your fav shop.

Be aware though, that once you’ve passed your credit check, you will start on a low budge… And if you want any hope of raising it, you need to be paying it back!  

PayPal

One of the oldest payment methods online, PayPal has been around for a long while. PayPal is accepted worldwide, from small companies and sole traders, to giant global retailers. You also have the option of splitting your payments in several ways.

You can have your Pay in 3, no interest, no fee loan on your shopping sprees of between £30 and £2,000. You can also split your payments between friends; if you go for a meal, splitting the bill becomes easy. You also have a third option of splitting your payment method – so if you have some money already in your PayPal account, you can use that first, before using the payment method of your choice.

Klarna

Similar to PayPal, more recent but just as popular. Klarna also offers you the option to pay in three easy interest free instalments. Your first payment is due at the time of your purchase, with the following payments due in 30-day increments.

Klarna also offers a ‘try before you buy’ option, where you can literally do just that. Once you have purchased your item, you can either pay in full up to 30 days later, or simply return your item.

Klarna is also accepted across the globe, meaning you are not restricted to where or how you shop.