'They get you hooked on having that money': Meet a 60-year-old who pays interest to get cash between paychecks and has nothing left over

When Anna Branch, 37, had her hours at work reduced in 2019, she suddenly noticed ads for an app called EarnIn. “You know how they get you — the algorithms — like they’re reading your mind,” Branch said. “The ad said I could get up to $100 this week and repay it in my next pay period.” Branch, who was working as an administrative assistant in Charleston, South Carolina, downloaded the app and added the suggested “tip.” The cash helped …