Used card one time and it LOWERED my score

[gemntheholigram]

I use my cards and then pay them off in full- I used my card 2 months ago, and it maxed it. It lowered my score- is that normal? I'm paid it off in full in two months. I do that to just show usage and whatnot, i usually dont max it like that but dang- I didnt think they would slap me like that for using it........any ideas?

[Anonymous]

FICO scoring takes into account usage on every individual card and your total utilization throughout all cards.  Maxing out one card will definately affect your score, letting them report 9% usage seems to be most beneficial for purposes of keeping the score up.  How many points did your score go down?  What was the total CL on that card?

[gemntheholigram]

it was like one point. But still it showed as a drop on my Score watch alert. my limit is 500- i used 400. All my other cards are clear, so i guess monthly utilization is no joke. They watch that stuff hardcore?

[haulingthescoreup]

It's not "watching." It's just a mathematical formula. It crunches whatever's on your reports at that moment. With a lowish-CL, it's easy to have a card report as nearly maxed out.

If you pay your card off early, before it reports (CC's almost always update on your statement date, reporting the statement balance), you can make a much lower number report, or even $0.