The present study investigated characteristics of Korean hourehelds in the expanding stage of the family life cycle depending on decision-making of current and planned credit card use. Households which were selected for this study had at least one dependent child enrolled in primary, middle, or high school, 1998. Regarding current and planned credit card use, credit card holder (n=379) and non-holder (n=259) households and continuous (n=331) and discontinous (n=47) credit card holder households were compared. Comparisons were perfomed by t-test, one-way ANOVA, and X2-test. Related factors were households demographic characteristics, financial management behavior, perceived financial well-being, and attitudes toward credit cards. Findings indicated that holder households tended to be younger, better educated, white-collar workers, and of a higher economic status than non-holders. In comparison to non-holder households, credit card holder households had more favorable atti udes toward credit cards, reported more financial management practices, experienced less financial unbalance, and were more satisfied with their household finaces. Compared to discontinuous credit card holder households, continuous card holder households tended to be larger, have better educated wives and husbands, and have husbands who were white-collar workers. They were more likely to have higher average monthly income than discontinuous holder households. Continuous card holder households also had more favorable attitudes toward credit cards, and more strongly believed and expected financial improvement of their households, compared to discontinuous card holder households.