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AAP
AAP
Andrew Stafford

Reality bites as Gen X defers cost of living

Brendan Malone Bianca De Marchi BNPL
Spending via instalments has surged but by no means just on discretionary items. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

More Australians than ever are choosing buy now, pay later financial schemes, with families looking for new ways to cover daily essentials as cost-of-living pressures bite.

New data shows consumer spending via instalments has surged 26 per cent in three years, from $469 per month in January 2023 to $589 in January 2026.

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