Spending and credit use in the private household

Economic decisions in private households involve two aspects: what to buy and how to finance it. Models of spending and financing are presented, and determinants of credit decisions in the private household are discussed. It is proposed that both situational characteristics (e.g., gender roles, children, and relationship quality) and process characteristics (e.g., mental accounting and utility prediction) need to be taken into account. Moving from an individual perspective to a household perspective has implications for theoretical conceptions of credit decisions, and for consulting policy of banks and consumer organizations.