"Get a new PlayStation 3 Slim for $199.99"

[twesterm]

Euphoria14 said:

I always found the best way to build up my credit was to apply for a credit card, buy something for around $300, then pay around $50/month for the next 6 months+ (interest).

I am fairly certain that a 1-time payoff doesn't help your credit as much as a 6+ month period of consistent payment equal to or above the minimum required.

I know I did it like this when I was 18 and when I was 21 I bought my first car on my own and my credit was very high (Around 750+) and my interest rate on my loan was only like 5.5%.

I still get pre-approved credit card applications in the mail regularly.

This is what I did with a car loan.  I had enough to pay for the car outright but I just got a small loan that took about a year to pay off (actually just finished paying it off last month).  My credit rating use to be not good (I was *really* bad about remembering to pay bills in college) but now it's actually pretty good.

A 1-time doesn't do a lot but show that you just opened and closed a credit card and gives you a small bump.  It might not actually hurt your score but that still shows up on your credit report and that is something that is actually looked at.