pay-as-you-go

[pey-uhz-yoo-goh]

noun

1. the principle or practice of paying for goods and services at the time of purchase, rather than relying on credit.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or based on such a principle or practice.

   a pay-as-you-go budget.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pay as you go¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

The country’s tax code relies on a “pay-as-you-go” approach, where households incrementally pay their share of income taxes through the year.

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He breaks the segment’s revenues down into cloud backlog, referring to the unrecognized revenue from long-term contracts, and on-demand, or the pay-as-you-go business.

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"Nobody who signs up to Fused should be surprised that Unlimited Energy costs more than a traditional energy deal, in the same way you'd expect an unlimited mobile contract to cost more than a pay-as-you-go deal."

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Those on a pre-pay, or pay-as-you-go, electricity meter can also get the discount if they are eligible - for example via a voucher to top up the meter.

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But Mr Moodley was able to turn to a pay-as-you-go scheme that has kept the lights on and the medical equipment working.

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