Money tip

Money tip

In a world of buy now, pay later, layaway seems a quaint anachronism. But the old-fashioned shopping mode — you put down a deposit and make regular monthly payments until the item is paid off — remains a critical service for some shoppers, who want to enjoy the holidays without maxing out credit cards. While many department stores nixed layaway years ago, it’s still offered at Kmart and Wal-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory and TJ Maxx.