<prompt> Human: Question self-explanatory. Found lots of contradictory answers on Google.I pay more than the minimum payment each month, but just cant pay off the whole thing in one go due to a large purchase I had to make as a necessity. How will this affect my credit score? Does paying it off in 3 months vs. 9 months matter, for instance, as long as I pay it off eventually and pay more than the minimum each month?Edit: Paying interest is not a concern for me and I do not have a high credit utilization ratio. I am only worried about the credit score aspect.Thanks a lot  <response>: Maintaining a balance on your card doesnt really impact your credit score. In fact, your payment amount isnt factored into your credit score at all. The problem is youre literally throwing money away on interest each month, for absolutely zero benefit. The sooner you can clear those debts, the better.Utilization how much you use each month on the day your bill is posted impacts your score, though. So if youre carrying a balance, make sure youre not using too much of your available credit limit. 