There are many ways to get credit and not pay interest over time. Some can work to your advantage but you need to know what you are doing. Doing it wrong and not sticking to the plan will end up in a endless cycle of debt. Do it right and you might even gaming the system and be better off than just paying by cash.
For example, say you want buy something for £1000. You have the cash.
You could
1 - By with cash or Debit card and have the item and that is job done.
Or….
2 - Pay with credit card, and pay it off when the statement arrives. The advantages are
A - No interest because you are paying it off ASAP
B - You get Credit cover, sometimes accidental cover
C - You get more consumer protection as it is technically not your money. So any dispute the credit card company will deal with it. By law everything over £100 will be. When you buy a car for £10,000. Put £100 on the credit card, and if the car goes really wrong, you have this same protection.
D - You get any credit card benefit, such as Amex points which can transfer to shopping or air miles, free flights, free hotel stays etc.
E - Cash back from credit card.
F - other perks of having a credit card such as - lounge access at airports, free hotel upgrades, travel protection etc etc.
G - Not to mention if your card information is cloned, you are protected. It is not your money.
If you don’t have the cash then.
3 - Pay via interest free loan from the retailer.
4 - Get a new credit card with a 12-18month interest free period and spread the payment over that.
Option 3 and 4 you have to be really careful and discipline to pay it off on time and on schedule or it will cost you a lot more than what you think you signed up for.
The best option is Option 2, this is where the rich gets richer. This is where the game of credits and credit cards comes in. People like The Points Guy, scheme such as AVIOS, cards such as Amex Platinum can be HUGELY beneficial if you are in a position to take advantage of the perks. For example the Amex Platinum (actually a charge card) allows members entry into over 1300 lounges and centurion lounges at airports world wide where it will have free food, free alcohol, massages, showers etc. It does cost around £600 a year but if you travel frequently for work, say every week. This is easily offset with meals and refreshments within the first couple of months. On top of which you will be accumulating points for air miles.
These people you see travel in Business and First Class, some of them don’t actually pay for it (not directly), it is all done via points earned and then redeemed.
Personally I have never taken any finance options through the retailer, not even buying a car, the best way is the save up and buy it through with a credit card. Then you get all the perks, no debt. That said, I do have some credit card bills, but they are interest free and set up DD to pay them off on time, while my money is in my account collecting a bit more interest, small that it is.