<prompt> Human: Unfortunately, my great aunt just passed away : Im 21, just graduated college, and landed a job that pays 50kyear gross. My g-aunt left me 29k, which is a hefty sum of money for me. My only expenses are:1. Rent: 600mo utiliies usually around 1002. Car payment: 245mo 13,000 4.34 if I remember correctlyI primarily took out the car loan to help build credit, but Im curious about how that works. Part of me is tempted to just pay off the car in full so that its done with, but it would also be nice to use that money to start a financial safety net or portfolio. Would my credit still benefit from paying off the car in full so fast? Or does the longevity of the loan, while making payments on time, affect it more? Advice?  <response>: The very first question in the FAQ covers this, but if I were you: pay off the car and keep the rest as an emergency fund or for a future purchase such as a house. You dont need to pay interest to build credit. Just the fact that you had a car loan and paid it off will still be on your credit report, you dont have to pay if over the full 5 years, or whatever. If you want to continue building credit, get a credit card and use it responsibly, which means never carrying a balance so you never pay interest. 