I'm not putting anyone down for using a lay-a-way plan, and I fully agree it's smarter than using a credit card. The problem I have with lay-a-way is (most of the time) you're locked in... usually you can't get that cash back. If I can pay 40 bucks a week to a lay-a-way, then I can stick the same 40 back each week... and I have the cash if a better deal comes along. Besides, ain't notin' like "cash-in-fist" to sway the deal in your favor during price negotiations.
The thing is, I don't need someone else to "hold" my money... and I don't need to face loosing the money I've already handed them to give me incentive to keep paying (saving)... and I also know that sometimes life kicks you in the teeth, and what you wanted yesterday is no longer what you can even use today. The truth is, I put a bit of cash back every week, whether I'm saving for something or not, been doing it for many years... it's my "slush fund". If I make few extra bucks, or sell something, it goes in the fund... some weeks I may only stash $10 or $20 from the paycheck, others it may be $100 or more from multiple sources. So if I decide, for example, I want a new saw, I count my "slush fund" and wow... I only need to come up with, say $130 more. Couple more paydays and I have it... and then I immediately start building the "slush fund" back up. That's how I bought the new grass cuttin' machine this spring... I decided I didn't want to fight with the old worn out JD anymore, counted the fund, it had just a bit over two grand in it, and I went out and bought a new $2000.oo grass cutter. Sure, a $5000.oo grass cutter would be nice, but I didn't have 5-grand, I had 2 in cash... and I like to pay cash.