CC utilization question

[joeblow2]

I have a TU score 722 and EQ 714. trying to boost scores. I have 7 CC.  0 balances on all with exception of 1 It has a 5800 limit and i keep a balance under $40 just to have a balance reporting I pay the min payment every month but always keep at least a balance of between $5 - $40. for the past year i have seen no increase in my score. AAoA is a little over 5 yrs. Is keeping this balance going to improve my scores or should i just pay it off and have all balances report 0 ? The only positive to this i can see so far is that On my TU Fico summary i get a positive remark for having a CC balance report. I also have a mortgage paid on time 

[RobertEG]

It would make very little difference.

[joeblow2]

So i would be better off then just paying it off and let a 0 balance report accross all CC and only have a mortgage reporting ? 

[Jazzzy]

Some posters here believe they have been penalized a few points for showing all zero balances. We have 7 cards as well, and I always try to show a small balance on one of them. Usually because of the way payments and charges post, I'll end up with a small balance on a couple of them, but normally <1% utilization.

The only way you'll know is to let all zero balances show and pull another score and report. Either way, it's not a huge amount of movement...and it's fixable next time things report if you do get penalized.

[marty56]

I have lost as much as 15 points on TU for having a small balance report on a single card and TU likes 0% reporting.  This isnt true for everyone (most) and is credit report conetent dependent.  0% util costs me 3 points on EQ so keep that in mind.  I would not use a GEMB card on this experiement since they are slow to report 0 balances.  use a card that always reports each month are the same time.

[joeblow2]

So what your saying is that TU penalizes for small bal. reporting and EQ penalizes for 0 bal reporting ? So how do people with 800 + scores do it ?

[marty56]

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@joeblow2 wrote:

So what your saying is that TU penalizes for small bal. reporting and EQ penalizes for 0 bal reporting ? So how do people with 800 + scores do it ?

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The same way everyone does.  Knowing how your score is effected by the reporting of balances and when the CCC reports a balance.  Trial and error if will.