Press Release

Miami, FL - July 16, 2002 -- As part of its mission to empower borrowers with financial education, Household International (NYSE:HI), the nation's oldest consumer lender, will offer free credit reports and credit counseling to the more than 15,000 attendees expected at the National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) Homeownership Fair in Miami on July 20-21.

Household is the lead sponsor of the NCLR Homeownership Fair, which will offer attendees a unique opportunity to experience a simulated "path to homeownership" via a series of booths offering information on topics ranging from understanding credit and becoming financially fit, to applying for a mortgage and choosing a realtor.

"With Hispanic homeownership at its highest level in five years (at nearly 48 percent), there is an even greater need to educate Hispanic consumers to be smart, informed borrowers," said Lot Diaz, deputy vice president for Community Development, National Council of La Raza. "We welcome the contributions of industry leaders like Household who are helping to make a difference by providing the Hispanic community -- and other consumers -- with the tools and information they need to make smart financial decisions."

In addition to offering free credit reports and credit counseling, Household will educate conference attendees -- through a series of workshops offered in both Spanish and English -- on how to choose a reputable mortgage lender and how to select loans that further their financial goals.

"It's essential for consumers to be informed before making important financial decisions, which includes understanding their financial situation, their financial goals and their rights as borrowers," said Gary Gilmer, vice chairman of Household and president of the company's consumer lending division. "By providing credit reports, credit counseling and tips for working with reputable lenders, Household hopes to equip the attendees of the Homeownership Fair with the financial information and tools they might not otherwise have at their disposal."

In addition to Household's work with NCLR and the Homeownership Fair, the company regularly partners with a wide range of national and grassroots organizations that promote financial literacy across the country. Household recently contributed $1 million in grants to grassroots organizations in Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles that promote financial literacy. The company has slated an additional $2 million for financial education grants in the coming two years.

Household also helps customers and other borrowers effectively manage their finances through a variety of free tools and resources, including a Web site, www.yourcreditcounts.com, and a series of financial management booklets -- available in both English and Spanish -- that include tips and strategies for managing savings, spending and credit. Hard copies of both the English and Spanish brochures are available in all HFC and Beneficial branches. Content contained in the booklets is also available online: www.household.com/corp/himm_money_management.jsp.

About Household

Household's businesses are leading providers of consumer loan, credit card, auto finance and credit insurance products in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. In the United States, Household's largest business, founded in 1878, operates under the two oldest and most widely recognized names in consumer finance- HFC and Beneficial. Household is also one of the nation's largest issuers of private-label and general-purpose credit cards, including The GM Card® and the AFL-CIO's Union Plus® card. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.household.com.

About National Council of La Raza

The National Council of La Raza is the nation's largest national Hispanic civil rights organization. NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans, serving all Hispanic nationality groups in all regions of the country. NCLR has over 280 formal affiliates in 38 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia -- and a broader network of more than 30,000 groups and individuals nationwide -- reaching more than four million Hispanics annually. NCLR is recognized as the preeminent Hispanic "think tank" serving as a voice for Hispanic Americans in Washington, D.C.; the Albuquerque Tribune has called NCLR "the leading Hispanic think tank in the country," and the Baltimore Sun routinely refers to NCLR as "the principal" Latino advocacy group. NCLR has field offices in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, San Antonio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Editor's Note:

NCLR's annual conference will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Halls B and C, in Miami Beach, Fla. from July 19-24. The Household Homeownership Fair will take place on Saturday July 20 and Sunday July 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Household's Booth number is HO-1.

Household's "The Path to Qualifying for a Mortgage" workshop will be offered simultaneously in Spanish and English at 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, within the Homeownership Fair in booths HO-8 and HO-17.

CONTACT:
Megan Hayden, Manager - Corporate Communications, Household International - 847-291-2101