How do I ensure $0 balances?

SGR · ‎05-20-2014

How do I ensure most of my cards report a $0 balance each month? I realize the obvious answer is to simply PIF, but does this mean I should not use the cards from the time the due date occurs, to the time the statement cuts?

Skye12329 · ‎05-20-2014

Well PIF and if you want $0 make sure you pay it before the statement cuts. Usually from what i have seen its 3 days after your due date.

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azguy13 · ‎05-20-2014

@SGR wrote:
How do I ensure most of my cards report a $0 balance each month? I realize the obvious answer is to simply PIF, but does this mean I should not use the cards from the time the due date occurs, to the time the statement cuts?

You pay prior to the statement cutting. Be advised though that if all your cards report $0 then your score has a good possibility of going down. It is one of those "WTH" things when it comes to scoring.

Report 1-9% and you will be golden. You can still PIF once the lender reports.

SGR · ‎05-20-2014

Thanks everyone! I'm having to fight off paranoia after a very successful app spree. After a ~4 month app spree, I ended up raising my overall limit from $1,500 to a little over $26,000 (6 new cards, and a massive CLI)! I was in shock by how successful the app spree was and now paranoia is starting to set in. I have actually been avoiding using high reward cards when the due date hits until after the statement cuts in fear they would report a balance and make my creditors nervous in the process.

On a side note, I have been letting one or two cards report a balance each month with no more than 5% total util.

azguy13 · ‎05-20-2014

@SGR wrote:
Thanks everyone! I'm having to fight off paranoia after a very successful app spree. After a ~4 month app spree, I ended up raising my overall limit from $1,500 to a little over $26,000 (6 new cards, and a massive CLI)! I was in shock by how successful the app spree was and now paranoia is starting to set in. I have actually been avoiding using high reward cards when the due date hits until after the statement cuts in fear they would report a balance and make my creditors nervous in the process.

On a side note, I have been letting one or two cards report a balance each month with no more than 5% total util.

Excellent and congrats on your app success. The best thing you can do at this point is not app for anything for a minimum 6 months but I would personally wait 12 months. You seem to have a good mix of cards and at this point it may be best to just grow the limits through auto-luv and SP CLIs.

SGR · ‎05-20-2014

azguy13,

That is definitely going to be my plan! Apping can be so addictive, but I'm definitely going to garden now. I plan on buying a car in two years and it would be nice to go into it not having any inquiries on my CR.

azguy13 · ‎05-20-2014

@SGR wrote:
azguy13,

That is definitely going to be my plan! Apping can be so addictive, but I'm definitely going to garden now. I plan on buying a car in two years and it would be nice to go into it not having any inquiries on my CR.

Oh I know how addicting it is, lol. It used to be that when I was approved, it was like walking into a casino and hearing those slot machines. There was a point last year when I took a break from the forum so I was not tempted. Now I am to the point where I am growing my TLs and have no need for more. I will be in the market for an auto loan in the 2 year window as well so my goal is to get any 0% offer out there.

sailor_mercury · ‎05-20-2014

@azguy13 wrote:
@SGR wrote:
azguy13,

That is definitely going to be my plan! Apping can be so addictive, but I'm definitely going to garden now. I plan on buying a car in two years and it would be nice to go into it not having any inquiries on my CR.
Oh I know how addicting it is, lol. It used to be that when I was approved, it was like walking into a casino and hearing those slot machines. There was a point last year when I took a break from the forum so I was not tempted. Now I am to the point where I am growing my TLs and have no need for more. I will be in the market for an auto loan in the 2 year window as well so my goal is to get any 0% offer out there.

Tesla... Then tell the Prius drivers to modcut

edit to remove mild remark. Shogun

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mongstradamus · ‎05-20-2014

@azguy13 wrote:
@SGR wrote:
azguy13,

That is definitely going to be my plan! Apping can be so addictive, but I'm definitely going to garden now. I plan on buying a car in two years and it would be nice to go into it not having any inquiries on my CR.
Oh I know how addicting it is, lol. It used to be that when I was approved, it was like walking into a casino and hearing those slot machines. There was a point last year when I took a break from the forum so I was not tempted. Now I am to the point where I am growing my TLs and have no need for more. I will be in the market for an auto loan in the 2 year window as well so my goal is to get any 0% offer out there.

its quite addicting when you see everybody getting nice credit cards :-) What stops me from apping is I came up with an game plan of what cards to get and when to get them.

For me game plan this summer is going to be the summer of CLI., Then I will decide in Octoberish time frame if i am going to go for anything other than Sallie Mae.

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mongstradamus · ‎05-20-2014

@sailor_mercury wrote:
@azguy13 wrote:
@SGR wrote:
azguy13,

That is definitely going to be my plan! Apping can be so addictive, but I'm definitely going to garden now. I plan on buying a car in two years and it would be nice to go into it not having any inquiries on my CR.
Oh I know how addicting it is, lol. It used to be that when I was approved, it was like walking into a casino and hearing those slot machines. There was a point last year when I took a break from the forum so I was not tempted. Now I am to the point where I am growing my TLs and have no need for more. I will be in the market for an auto loan in the 2 year window as well so my goal is to get any 0% offer out there.
Tesla... Then tell the Prius drivers to suck it

only if everybody could afford 100k cars the world would be an better place lol

EX Fico 804 11/16/16 Fako 800 Credit.com 11/16/16
EQ SW bank enhanced 11/16/16 839 CK fako 822 11/16/16
TU Fico discover 10/19/16 814 Fako 819 Creditkarma 11/16/16