Skip to content
Consumer credit creep episode artwork

Oct 19, 2026 25 min

Consumer credit creep

from Marketplace All-in-One Hosted by Marketplace

Inflation is affecting all of us. But when costs go up, lower-income households are especially vulnerable to credit creep — that’s when consumers use credit for more and more transactions. One survey found 29% of buy now, pay later users took out the loans to pay for groceries, double the percentage from just a couple of years ago. Also in this episode: What might happen to the labor market if Fed raises interest rates, how immigration crackdowns are tied to a 14-year homebuilder confidence low, and why political candidates are competing for AI attention. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter. Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future. Read the stories in today’s episode: What will happen to the job market if the Fed raises interest rates? Struggling consumers are increasingly turning to high-cost credit for basic needs This farmer was promised a $20,000 grant to go solar. USDA changed the rules How immigration crackdowns are tightening the construction labor market Candidates campaign for AI attention Home-based coffee shops provide unique perks for owners and customers

Episode details come from the podcast's RSS feed.

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Consumer credit creep

0:00 25:26

No transcript yet.

Requests help us decide what to transcribe next.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this episode of Marketplace All-in-One?

This episode is 25 minutes long.

When was this Marketplace All-in-One episode published?

This episode was published on October 19, 2026.

Can I download this Marketplace All-in-One episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.