BK Chp7, Feb 2015.
We just got my wife approved for a Cap1 Plat (3k) and a Cap1 QS1 (3k).. me denials still 
(sent email to CEO)
So for optimal utilization on these cards from what I've read is to use freely but pay them off before the statement date so my plan is to use for three weeks then stop using and pay them off. Now I've read its best to pay them all off except one, to actually leave right under 10% ie $275.00 on the card so the statement shows $275.00. Since the Cap1 is a rewards card I will most likely want to use it for all our typical transactions which are currently done via debitcard then pay off weekly, this is how we were prior to bk and worked quite well. (BK was do to business debts 4mil ouch)
Now when the statement comes in with the $275.00 does we pay that off or pay minimum or what? I would prefer to pay it off but not sure which is best for credit building.
@CH-7-Mission-Accomplished wrote:You only want one card to report a statement balance, but the lower the amount the better. Rather than $275, I would just let the card report a $20 balance when the statement cuts. The lower the dollar amount (above zero) on one card is best -- so long as it reports and doesn't get written off (like under $2) by the CC company.
So with a 3K credit line:
Use it all you want during the month. Put through 12K if you want to get rewards. Make frequent payments during the month and don't ever go over the credit limit of 3K. This will give them an incentive to give you credit limit increases.
If statement cuts on the 20th, go to your account online on the 19th and initiate a payment for all but $20. Let the statement cut on the 20th. When the statement has cut go in a payoff the $20 that day (or at least by the due date). That's it.
Usually you can actually wait until the statement date and make that payment of all but $20 by 5 PM Eastern, but to be safe, make your payment the day before. You don't want to pay $2980 on the 20th, only to find that it's after their cutoff time and the whole thing reports. And if that happens, just fix it the next month. No harm, no foul.
excellent thanks 
One thing to remember is that Utilization has no memory, so if you mess up one month, don't sweat it too much, it will return when you get it the next month. Just don't miss a payment...that has a very long memory.