Americans are increasingly using buy now, pay later services to finance purchases ranging from luxury goods to weekly groceries. A 2024 study from the Boston Federal Reserve found that women are 68% more likely than men to use these pay-in-4 services, even though men have more total debt than women.

Annie Joy Williams, an assistant editor at The Atlantic, joined Marketplace host Amy Scott to talk about her reporting on the rise of ‘cute debt.’

To listen to their conversation, click on the audio player above.