Some concertgoers use buy now, pay later loans for tickets. Start a 'Beyoncé fund' instead, analyst says

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Fans bask Taylor Swift's show during The Eras Tour astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, California, Aug. 7, 2023.

Allen J. Schaben | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

Many Americans person go accustomed to breaking up large purchases with buy now, wage aboriginal loans — including tickets for concerts and different unrecorded events.

Going to a unrecorded performance is not cheap: Tours of big-name artists including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Coldplay person successful portion spurred a emergence successful summons prices for unrecorded events successful caller years, a inclination economists telephone "funflation."

Admission fees to movies, theaters and concerts were up 3.9% successful the 12 months done June, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. And portion the Federal Trade Commission changed a regularisation successful May to make summons pricing much transparent, experts accidental the determination won't marque costs spell down.

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Almost a quarter, 23%, of respondents successful a new survey by LendingTree said they person utilized bargain now, wage aboriginal loans for performance oregon festival costs.

Rates are higher among younger generations, with 37% of Generation Z and 35% of millennials saying they've utilized the loans for these purposes. The tract defined Gen Z arsenic adults ages 18 to 28, and millennials arsenic those ages 29 to 44.

To compare, 19% of Gen Xers, which the tract defines arsenic adults ages 45 to 60 — said they've utilized bargain now, wage aboriginal loans for concerts, followed by 3% of babe boomers, those ages 61 to 79.

Carve retired wealth successful your fund arsenic your 'Beyoncé fund' oregon your 'Taylor Swift fund.'

Matt Schulz

chief recognition expert astatine LendingTree

LendingTree said it surveyed 2,050 adults successful the U.S. successful mid-June. Of those, 1,047 said they program to be a performance oregon festival successful the summertime oregon fall.

It's not antithetic to spot Gen Zers and millennials starring the usage of bargain now, wage aboriginal loans, said Matt Schulz, main recognition expert astatine LendingTree.

Young Americans are astir familiar with the form of payment, and their usage of it for concerts and festivals speaks to the "time of life" they're in, helium said.

"Part of the crushed wherefore I ended up successful recognition paper indebtedness successful my 20s was due to the fact that I was going to concerts and seeing my favourite bands," Schulz said.

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If concerts and different unrecorded events are important to you, helium said, enactment the expenses into your fund and make a savings money specifically with them successful mind.

"Carve retired wealth successful your fund arsenic your 'Beyoncé fund' oregon your 'Taylor Swift fund,'" Schulz said.

If you bash request to agelong retired the outgo of attending a concert, here's what to cognize astir bargain now, wage aboriginal loans versus recognition cards.

Not each bargain now, wage aboriginal plans are the same

Beyoncé performs onstage during the Renaissance World Tour astatine SoFi Stadium successful Inglewood, California, Sept. 1, 2023.

Kevin Mazur | Wireimage | Getty Images

Buy now, wage aboriginal plans person definite advantages, but they mightiness not connection the aforesaid protections arsenic recognition cards, particularly if things spell incorrect with the performance oregon unrecorded event, experts say.

The loans became a fashionable option due to the fact that they let consumers to dispersed the full outgo implicit installment payments successful a abbreviated clip frame, often without interest, said Greg McBride, main fiscal expert astatine Bankrate.

However, the signifier of outgo has evolved to the constituent wherever not each bargain now, wage aboriginal plans are "cut from the aforesaid mold," helium said.

Most plans dwell of 4 installment payments, but others person longer repayment terms. Those whitethorn complaint an yearly percent rate, oregon interest, of up to 36%, according to NerdWallet. 

Some plans besides complaint fees for precocious oregon rescheduled payments, which tin outgo up to $15 oregon adjacent 25% of the acquisition value, according to NerdWallet.

Credit cards tin beryllium pricier than bargain now, wage later, experts say, but they person different advantages.

Like immoderate bargain now, wage aboriginal plans, recognition cards charge precocious fees and involvement connected unpaid balances. While immoderate cards connection caller cardholders little interest-free offers connected purchases, the mean recognition paper involvement complaint is just implicit 20%, according to Bankrate.

But astir cards typically connection acquisition protections that you mightiness not get from a bargain now, wage aboriginal plan, said McBride.

"Paying with a recognition paper tin marque it easier to get your wealth backmost if the performance gets canceled," helium said.

Some cards connection rewards specified arsenic currency back, points oregon miles connected purchases. About 65% of those who program to be a performance oregon festival this twelvemonth said they volition usage recognition paper rewards to assistance wage for their costs, according to LendingTree's report. 

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