Approximately $79 million of the $9.8 billion sales recorded on the infamous discount day were purchased using “buy now, pay later” options. The 47 percent increase in the use of flexible payment options suggests that Americans, who technically shelled out more on Black Friday purchases in 2023 than they did last year, still find it difficult to pay for those purchases in full.

Even with the promise of steep discounts and bargains, many consumers are too tied up buying food, gas, and other essentials, which become pricier nearly every month, to squander their income over one holiday weekend. Instead, buyers will rely on credit cards, which recently reached a record $1 trillion debt total, to support their annual overspending.

[The bill is coming due, both literally and figuratively. And it will come due at the worst time for Biden — early in an election year. That’s one reason why Democrats want to frame 2024 as a referendum on Trump rather than Biden. — Ed]