Using 'buy now, pay later' for groceries? Report shows more people taking out loans to afford food

ATLANTA — As grocery prices continue to fluctuate, more people are resorting to short-term financing just to put food on the table.

A new survey from LendingTree reveals that 1 in 4 buy now, pay later users are using the loans to buy groceries, nearly double the number from last year.

For people like Carolyn Corey, every dollar matters. Living on a fixed income, she says grocery bills have become nearly unmanageable, even with SNAP benefits.

"It was running me from $50 to sometimes $200 a week," Corey said. "I can't afford that."

To make ends meet, she turns to the Goodr Community Market in Southwest Atlanta, where families can receive free groceries once a month.

Goodr Founder Jasmine Crowe-Houston says demand for the program has skyrocketed.

"We received over 1,400 submissions