My score increased 30 points within one month:
TU from 636 to 666
Equifax 626 to 663
Experian 620 to 656
How did I do it? I paid down $7,000 of my revolving credit card debt on 3 credit cards getting all of the balances to about 30% of my credit limits. I was hoping that it would have increased more. But I realize that I still have one card where my balance is at 60% of my credit limit. This is still pulling my score down. Next month I am going to pay down that balance below 50% of my credit limit, and see what happens.
I will say this too. I have been enrolled in score watch for a full year now, and I have noticed that everytime I make a major purchase on my credit card, I was dinged as much as 10 points. When I applied for and got two credit cardS, that I didn't need, my score was dinged 8 points each time, and then my credit score started to rise as I continued paying my bills on time and as my other accounts aged.
I am going to slowly close my two newest credit cards (both opened within the year) since my oldest card is 10 years old now. It just appears to me that if you don't open up a new credit card, you haven't been late with anyone for at least two years, have credit cards at least 5 years old, and keeping your balances at about the 30% of available credit, you can have a minimum fico score of 700. I plan on beeing in the 700 club by September. I AM SO CLOSE.