Your BNPL purchase can carry a zero-interest price tag and still cost more than expected. The problem may not come from the purchase itself. It can arrive later, when an automatic installment hits a checking account that has less money available than the payment requires.
It’s important to remember that “interest-free” describes only one part of the transaction. It does not necessarily describe every possible cost attached to the payment process. Many BNPL products charge no interest but may charge late fees, returned-payment fees, or other charges. Your bank or credit union may also charge an overdraft or nonsufficient funds fee if an automatic payment hits when the account lacks enough money.
