Payday loans, Klarna, Affirm, buy now pay later… they look like quick fixes. In reality they lock people into payments and fees that never seem to end. Families in the U.S. are carrying record debt while these companies profit from financial stress.
Some numbers
- About 12 million Americans use payday loans each year in states where they are legal. Interest rates often hit 200 to 300 percent APR, and rollovers keep people stuck.
- 21 percent of Americans with a credit file used BNPL in 2022. The average loan was only $131, but many people juggle multiple at once. BNPL users also carry credit card balances 60 to 66 percent higher than non-users.
- U.S. household debt is at an all time high of $18.39 trillion as of mid 2025. Credit card balances alone are over $1.2 trillion, with 4.4 percent delinquent.
Why Bitcoin matters here It flips the script. Instead of borrowing against the future, you save for the future. It is not about how much Bitcoin you already own. It is about building a habit of stacking little by little.
- Bitcoin can be saved in any amount, even a sats at a time.
- Holding it builds patience and lowers time preference.
- Dollars get weaker with inflation, Bitcoin’s supply does not change.
- Pairing Bitcoin with minimalism helps. Spend less on things you do not need and more on saving sats.
What this looks like in practice A family spending $60 a month on BNPL payments could flip that into $60 a week saved in sats. That becomes more than $3,000 saved in a year instead of owed. Add a small emergency cash buffer and payday loans lose their grip.
The takeaway Sats are not about getting rich quick. They are about slowly building ownership and avoiding debt traps. Even five dollars worth of sats at a time matters.
Stack a little. Own a little more of your life. ₿