How do I play the 1-9% Utilization Game. Please Help

[indiolatino61]

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@Marcos8 wrote:

Since the statement cut date is usually a few days after the due date, why don't we just recommend paying XYZ by the due date? Seems easier...am I missing something?

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You mean the due date only after you've paid before the closing date? If you pay before the due date, and a balance has reported, it will not be at 0% utilization even if you pay it in full at that time.

[Simply827]

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@Marcos8 wrote:

Since the statement cut date is usually a few days after the due date, why don't we just recommend paying XYZ by the due date? Seems easier...am I missing something?

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Sure, you can do that. But you also need to make sure you don't make any new charges that might post between the due date and the statement date.

[Marcos8]

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@Simply827 wrote:

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@Marcos8 wrote:

Since the statement cut date is usually a few days after the due date, why don't we just recommend paying XYZ by the due date? Seems easier...am I missing something?

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Sure, you can do that. But you also need to make sure you don't make any new charges that might post between the due date and the statement date.

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This is exactly what I do...pay whatever by the due date and then lay low for a few days until the next statement is generated.

[noobody]

deleted

[noobody]

Just want to confirm that 1-9% is against that particular credit card's credit line not the total available credit.

also does $1 reporting on 100K card still count as 1% because of the round UP?

and if you have US Bank's credit card, their reporting date is last day of the month, regardless the statement date or due date, so i just call them and move my statement date as close to end of month as possible for easier management.

[indiolatino61]

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@noobody wrote:

Just want to confirm that 1-9% is against that particular credit card's credit line not the total available credit.

also does $1 reporting on 100K card still count as 1% because of the round UP?

and if you have US Bank's credit card, their reporting date is last day of the month, regardless the statement date or due date, so i just call them and move my statement date as close to end of month as possible for easier management.

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Yes, it is 1-9% on that one card and the rounding up makes any balance equal 1% regardless of CL.

[nois]

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@noobody wrote:

Just want to confirm that 1-9% is against that particular credit card's credit line not the total available credit.

also does $1 reporting on 100K card still count as 1% because of the round UP?

and if you have US Bank's credit card, their reporting date is last day of the month, regardless the statement date or due date, so i just call them and move my statement date as close to end of month as possible for easier management.

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$1 would only be 0.001% utilization on a card with a limt of $100K  1% would be $1,000.

[noobody]

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@nois wrote:

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@noobody wrote:

Just want to confirm that 1-9% is against that particular credit card's credit line not the total available credit.

also does $1 reporting on 100K card still count as 1% because of the round UP?

and if you have US Bank's credit card, their reporting date is last day of the month, regardless the statement date or due date, so i just call them and move my statement date as close to end of month as possible for easier management.

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$1 would only be 0.001% utilization on a card with a limt of $100K  1% would be $1,000.

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well, that is my point:

There is math and there is FICO math, 

[masscredit]

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@noobody wrote:

Just want to confirm that 1-9% is against that particular credit card's credit line not the total available credit.

also does $1 reporting on 100K card still count as 1% because of the round UP?

and if you have US Bank's credit card, their reporting date is last day of the month, regardless the statement date or due date, so i just call them and move my statement date as close to end of month as possible for easier management.

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The 1-9% is against your total available credit. 

Has anyone played with this number to see what works best for them? 2% might not generate the best scores. I'm wondering if some have found that their scores jumped up a few points with 7-8% reporting and went down with less than 5. Of course this could be a YMMV thing. 

I've recently got into the mindset that I need to just have one card reporting, pay everything off before the due dates and have the lowest % reporting.  As my limits have been increasing, my % has been going lower and lower. Now I have to make a conscious attempt to not pay as much on that one card but make sure I pay it off before the statement that it reports on closes so I can avoid paying interest unless it has a 0% financing offer. 

[Themanwhocan]

You want 1% - 9% usage on one card, of that one cards limit. The rest of the cards should report 0%.