Back-to-school season has always been a budget test for families, but 2026 has made it something sharper: the year routine, expected purchases moved onto installment plans. A new survey from Omnisend and Cint finds that 45 percent of US households plan to use Buy Now, Pay Later to cover their kids' back-to-school needs this year, up from 39 percent in 2025. The necessities, not the splurges, are what families are now financing.
The 45 percent statistic
The Omnisend survey of 1,075 US consumers, fielded by Cint in June 2026, found that 45 percent of households plan to use BNPL for back-to-school spending. More striking is the depth of reliance: among those planning to use it, 31 percent expect BNPL to cover more than half of their total back-to-school bill. That is not a convenience at the margins — it is the primary mechanism paying for the season.
Clothing, shoes, and accessories remain the main BNPL category at 39 percent, but the fastest-growing category is groceries, which surged to 29 percent in 2026 from 14 percent two years earlier. The story is not that families are financing luxury items; it is that predictable, non-discretionary expenses — clothes, supplies, food — are being pushed onto short-term credit to smooth the immediate hit to the household budget.
Why necessities are now on installments
The back-to-school data is consistent with a broader squeeze. A separate 2026 survey from NerdWallet found 19 percent of shoppers expect to take on credit card debt for back-to-school, alongside 24 percent who say they are likely to use BNPL. Taken together, the surveys describe a meaningful share of US households financing routine costs with some form of credit — a shift from BNPL's early days, when it was a tool for occasional discretionary purchases.
For retailers and brands, this changes the frame. Consumers are still spending, but they are spending more deliberately, hunting for value, and stretching payments where they can. The value-for-money positioning that has defined the strongest women's brands this year matters most in seasons like this one. Shoppers want pieces that earn their place in a budget — which is exactly what a wardrobe built on dependable basics, like our /collections/tops, is designed to deliver.
What it means for women's fashion brands
Back-to-school is a women's-fashion moment as much as a kids' one — mothers are the primary buyers, and the season pulls in everything from layering pieces to workwear-adjacent staples. The 2026 shift toward installment financing signals that price transparency and durability now outrank novelty in the purchase decision. A shopper who is stretching payments over four installments wants an item she will still be glad she bought by the final one.
That reward-for-durability logic is why fabric composition and sizing accuracy have become conversion levers, not just compliance details. When every dollar is scrutinized, a garment that states its fiber content and fits in inches builds the confidence that justifies the purchase. It is the same reason we document every PHEFEE piece in inches and list its fabric up front — the information is the value proposition.
Smart ways to stretch a school budget
Financing is a tool, not a plan. The households that come through back-to-school healthiest are the ones that treat credit as a bridge rather than a crutch: they set a hard total before shopping, prioritize durable staples over trend pieces, and pay off any installment early when cash allows. A short list beats a long cart every time.
On the shopping side, a few habits compound. Buy the most-worn categories first and the trend items last, check fabric content before buying, and lean on pieces that layer across seasons. A well-chosen capsule — neutral tops, a versatile layer, one pair of reliable bottoms — covers more of the school year than a larger basket of one-season items. Value, in other words, is a function of wear, not of the number of items in the bag.
Frequently asked questions
How many families use BNPL for back-to-school in 2026?
Forty-five percent of US households plan to use Buy Now, Pay Later for back-to-school spending in 2026, up from 39 percent in 2025, according to Omnisend and Cint.
How much of the bill does BNPL cover?
Among families using BNPL, 31 percent expect it to cover more than half of their total back-to-school bill.
Is clothing still the top BNPL category?
Yes. Clothing, shoes, and accessories remain the top BNPL category at 39 percent, though groceries are the fastest-growing category, surging to 29 percent in 2026.
Are families also using credit cards for back-to-school?
Yes. NerdWallet found 19 percent of shoppers expect to take on credit card debt and 24 percent are likely to use BNPL for back-to-school.
How can I stretch a back-to-school budget?
Set a hard total, prioritize durable staples over trend pieces, check fabric content, and buy layering pieces that work across seasons. Wear, not basket size, is what creates value.
Sources
- Omnisend / Cint — 2026 back-to-school BNPL survey, via PaySpace Magazine: payspacemagazine.com
- NerdWallet — 2026 back-to-school shopping survey: nerdwallet.com
Editor's note: This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by the PHEFEE editorial desk for accuracy and tone. Statistics are drawn from the sources listed above.
