Paying down some cards, which way for best score impact?

[boomhower]

I'm throwing a large chunk of money at my CC's but not quite enough to pay them off.  I have a couple of options:

I have a total of eight revolving lines between store and credit cards.

Option 1:

Amazon: $1,000/$4200

Lowes: $1050/$5600

Chase: $2k/$5K

Option 2:

Lowes: $1050/$5600

Amazon $0/$4200

Chase: $3k/$5k

Essentially the debate is between having two cards with a balance but Chase >50% UT.  Or having three cards with a balance but having <50% UT on all cards.  All interest rates are 0% on all three cards.  Everything with a interest rate is being paid off. (four other cards)  I'm leaning towards option 1.  If nothing else mentally it feels better with the high balance at $2k.  

Thoughts?

[ryanbush]

From my experience less cards with a balance = higher score.  Everyones profile is different though so you may have different results

[boomhower]

I redid my calculations.  I can squeeze in paying everything off except Chase.  It'll leave Chase at 64% but hopefully I can get it under 50% in two or three months.  I think that's going to be the best route.

[L0RDAVENTAD0R]

I would pay off all of the cards except the Chase one. Better to have one reporting a balance with all the others reporting zero.

[myjourney]

If you pay everything off except chase it leaves UTL @ about 15% which should increase your scores 

Edit: total available credit $14,800

[boomhower]

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@myjourney wrote:

@If you pay everything off except chase it leaves UTL @ about 15% which should increase your scores 

Edit: total available credit $14,800

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Should be right at 13.5% considering my other lines, hoping for a 70 or so point swing.  It was ~700 when I got my mortgage with the cards paid off.  Now with the mortgage reporting for a year and utility low I'm hoping to get back to that level, at 653 EQ right now.

Also going to hit up GE and Amex for CLI's once the new balances report. 

[myjourney]

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@boomhower wrote:

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@myjourney wrote:

@If you pay everything off except chase it leaves UTL @ about 15% which should increase your scores 

Edit: total available credit $14,800

---

Should be right at 13.5% considering my other lines, hoping for a 70 or so point swing.  It was ~700 when I got my mortgage with the cards paid off.  Now with the mortgage reporting for a year and utility low I'm hoping to get back to that level, at 653 EQ right now.

Also going to hit up GE and Amex for CLI's once the new balances report. 

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I really think in this case you would see an substantial jump in your score but question why is EQ score so low? CLI would be great all around

[boomhower]

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@myjourney wrote:

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@boomhower wrote:

---

@myjourney wrote:

@If you pay everything off except chase it leaves UTL @ about 15% which should increase your scores 

Edit: total available credit $14,800

---

Should be right at 13.5% considering my other lines, hoping for a 70 or so point swing.  It was ~700 when I got my mortgage with the cards paid off.  Now with the mortgage reporting for a year and utility low I'm hoping to get back to that level, at 653 EQ right now.

Also going to hit up GE and Amex for CLI's once the new balances report. 

---

I really think in this case you would see an substantial jump in your score but question why is EQ score so low? CLI would be great all around

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Combination of a few reasons I imagine.  I added two car loans in December so that's two new accounts plus the associated INQ's.  INQ's are also high at 6.  Three are from the car loans but two of them were coded as credit union and not auto so it's dinging the score.  Three of those will be over a year old this month so they'll drop off the score ding.  I have one collection left that's due to fall off this summer.  I'm shooting for 750 once that falls off but not sure if my AAoA will be enough.  At 3.8 years on EQ but 5.1 on EX but I have no way of checking that score.(one car loan and another installment loan only report to EQ)  I have a DCU account so I get my EQ score there. 

[myjourney]

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@boomhower wrote:

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@myjourney wrote:

---

@boomhower wrote:

---

@myjourney wrote:

@If you pay everything off except chase it leaves UTL @ about 15% which should increase your scores 

Edit: total available credit $14,800

---

Should be right at 13.5% considering my other lines, hoping for a 70 or so point swing.  It was ~700 when I got my mortgage with the cards paid off.  Now with the mortgage reporting for a year and utility low I'm hoping to get back to that level, at 653 EQ right now.

Also going to hit up GE and Amex for CLI's once the new balances report. 

---

I really think in this case you would see an substantial jump in your score but question why is EQ score so low? CLI would be great all around

---

Combination of a few reasons I imagine.  I added two car loans in December so that's two new accounts plus the associated INQ's.  INQ's are also high at 6.  Three are from the car loans but two of them were coded as credit union and not auto so it's dinging the score.  Three of those will be over a year old this month so they'll drop off the score ding.  I have one collection left that's due to fall off this summer.  I'm shooting for 750 once that falls off but not sure if my AAoA will be enough.  At 3.8 years on EQ but 5.1 on EX but I have no way of checking that score.(one car loan and another installment loan only report to EQ)  I have a DCU account so I get my EQ score there. 

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Great plan of attack! I think your right once collection falls off getting UTL down and INQ's over a year old not dinging you mid 700's should be within your reach

[Dustink]

I would ignore my FICO score and put the money towards the cards with the highest APR's.