You’ve picked the phone you want. Now comes the real question: do you take it home today on Buy Now, Pay Later, or do you save up and pay cash?
People will give you strong opinions both ways. “Never buy on credit!” “Why wait when you can enjoy it now?” The truth is that both can be smart. It depends on your situation. Here’s how to decide.
The Quick Comparison
| Buy Now, Pay Later | Saving up | |
|---|---|---|
| When you get the phone | Today | In weeks or months |
| Total cost | Usually higher than cash | The cash price only |
| Pressure | Fixed payments you must keep up | You control the pace |
| Risk | Phone lock or fees if you miss payments | Savings can get “borrowed” or spent |
| Best for | Urgent needs or phones that earn you money | Phones you want but don’t urgently need |
When Buy Now, Pay Later Is the Smarter Choice
1. Your phone helps you earn money
If you sell on WhatsApp, take mobile money transactions, drive for a ride-hailing app or deliver food, your phone is a work tool. Every day without a working phone is money lost. Paying a bit more to get it today can easily pay for itself.
2. Your current phone has died
If your phone is completely broken and you can’t wait two or three months, BNPL gets you connected again now.
3. You have steady income but no lump sum
Many people earn enough every day or every month, but never have GH₵2,000 sitting in one place. BNPL turns a big price into small amounts that match how you actually get paid.
When Saving Up Is the Smarter Choice
1. Your current phone still works
If your phone is just slow or old but still works, you have time on your side. Save, and you’ll pay only the cash price.
2. Your income is unpredictable
If some weeks you earn well and other weeks nothing comes in, fixed instalments can become stressful. Saving lets you put in more in good weeks and less in slow weeks, with no penalty.
3. You want the lowest possible price
Cash is almost always the cheapest way to buy. You also get the freedom to grab a sale or promotion when it comes.
Let’s Do the Maths
Say you want the Samsung Galaxy A16, which costs GH₵1,920 at Simcel Ventures.
Option 1: Save up. If you put aside GH₵20 every day, you’ll have GH₵1,920 in 96 days, about three months. You pay exactly GH₵1,920.
Option 2: Buy Now, Pay Later. You get the phone today. You’ll pay the deposit plus instalments, and the total will usually be more than GH₵1,920. The difference is the cost of having the phone three months earlier.
So the real question is: is having the phone three months sooner worth the extra cost to you? If the phone will help you earn more than that difference, BNPL wins. If not, saving wins.
The Hidden Risk of Each Option
BNPL risk: taking on payments you can’t keep up with. Only commit to instalments you could still afford in a slow month.
Saving risk: the money disappears. A relative needs help, a “small” emergency comes up, and suddenly your phone fund is gone. If you choose to save, keep the money somewhere you won’t touch it, like a separate MoMo wallet or a susu.
A Smart Middle Path
You don’t have to choose all one way or the other:
- Save for a bigger deposit, then use BNPL. A larger deposit means smaller instalments and often a lower total cost.
- Save for a cheaper phone now, upgrade later. Get the itel A200 for GH₵1,200 or the Tecno Pop 20 for GH₵1,550 with cash now, then save for a bigger upgrade.
- Choose a phone that lasts. Whichever way you pay, phones with long software support, like Samsung’s Galaxy A16 and Galaxy A26 5G, give you more years for your money.
Our Honest Verdict
- Need it urgently, or it earns you money? Buy Now, Pay Later is smart, as long as the instalments are comfortable.
- Can wait, and want the lowest price? Save up and pay cash.
- Somewhere in between? Save a bigger deposit first, then pay the rest in instalments.
Whichever You Choose, We’ve Got You
At Simcel Ventures, you can pay cash with MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash or AT Money, or ask about Buy Now Pay Later on selected phones. Browse our shop to compare prices, and contact us to see your instalment options and total cost side by side before you decide.
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