It depends. Credit cards allow you to own your purchase immediately and don’t require a down payment to do so. Using them responsibly can build your credit score, which layaway plans usually don’t do. Furthermore, credit cards come with rewards programs, unlike layaway plans. That said, layaway plans usually don’t charge interest, while credit card interest rates can be quite high and mount quickly. And in the case of a default, with a credit card, your credit score will be damaged; with a layaway plan, it won’t be affected. And of course, you need good credit to get a credit card but not to be eligible for a layaway plan. If you can pay your credit card bill in full every month, it is a better way to buy goods than a layaway plan is. If you can’t, however, then layaway is probably the way to go.