The research aimed to understand the factors that influence credit card usage and impulsive buying behavior among Gen Z students in Hanoi, Vietnam, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Data from 487 students were collected using random sampling and analyzed with SmartPLS4 software. The study found that students’ financial management skills have a positive impact on impulsive buying and credit card usage. This underscores the importance of equipping students with strong financial knowledge and management skills to help them make effective financial decisions. Additionally, the study revealed a strong positive correlation between materialism and both credit card usage and impulsive buying behaviors among Gen Z students. This suggests that individuals who place a higher value on material possessions are more likely to engage in these behaviors. Furthermore, impulsive buying behavior was found to have a significant positive effect on credit card usage. These insights provide a basis for developing targeted financial education programs to enhance personal financial management and promote responsible credit card use among young people, especially within the Gen Z demographic. The study emphasizes the need to integrate financial literacy into educational curricula to better prepare the younger generation for modern financial environments, potentially mitigating the risks associated with impulsive spending and credit card misuse.