pay as (one) goes

pay as (one) goes

1. To pay for purchases immediately, rather than using credit or deferring payment to a later date. I don't like the idea of paying for a sofa over the span of an entire year—I'd rather pay as I go and own it outright!2. To pay for costs as they are incurred, rather than being given a bill at the end of a certain period of time. Hyphenated if used as a modifier before a noun. I find that paying as you go for electricity helps me control how much I use on a day-to-day basis. I eventually got rid of my cell phone plan and switch to a much cheaper pay-as-you-go SIM card.See also: goes, pay

pay as you go

to pay costs as they occur; to pay for goods as they are bought (rather than charging them). You ought to pay as you go. Then you won't be in debt. If you pay as you go, you'll never spend too much money.See also: go, pay

pay as you go

Pay for purchases immediately instead of deferring payment. For example, Ruth and Bob had no credit cards; they believed in paying as you go. [First half of 1800s] See also: go, pay

pay as you go

Paying for goods and services at the time of purchase. This notion is becoming increasingly rare in the age of the credit card, with commercial exhortations to Buy now and pay later (which may become a cliché). The term arose in the first half of the nineteenth century and made it into H. G. Bohn’s Handbook of Proverbs (1855): “Pay as you go and keep from small score.”See also: go, pay