This paper aims to study patterns of young people s financial behavior and to analyze which factors of this behavior may be contributing to the indebtedness of this public. A study was also conducted on the Brazilian credit market. A survey was conducted with young people from Rio de Janeiro, most of them undergraduate students or recent graduates. The public s financial behavior was studied, especially with regard to consumption; their relationship with credit and how much these young people are getting into debt. The study found that these young people often consume impulsively, and have a near dependence on credit. It also showed that this public has deficient knowledge about debt, equity and third parties. This scenario, however, in most cases did not result in indebtedness. The result of this study provides opportunities for further research on the subject, being of interest to both the studied public and institutions active in the Brazilian credit market.