Pulled EQ and TU today. I have 2 CC's ( my only ones) with one reporting a $0 balance (BB MC) and the other at $35 ( Cap1).
I was stupidly remiss and didn't charge anything on both cards for a couple of months, but I'm back on track again and determined to stay there!
My Cap 1 statement cuts on the 18th, and reports a few days thereafter. I let a small balance report of $35 (5 % of individual card credit limit, 4% of total revolving).
As a result my TU score shot up 12 pts to 693 (was 689 at one point but had dropped down to 681)
EQ did not budge in score, still at 666
BB MC has a $0 balance, and reports on the last business day of the month (reports current blance, not statement balance)
Here is my quandary: I'm thinking that EQ might not be budging because of the $0 balance on the BB MC. Do you think I should let a small balance report on this card? I still have time before they report ( end of month). TU seems to like 1 reporting a balance and the other at $0. Perhaps EQ is different?
I have been working on getting my Fico scores up. My credit history is now short due to baddies dropping off last year. So my only tradelines are an Auto loan in good standing since 6/09 and the 2 CC's from 3/10
I'm hoping to buy property sometime next April-May , so I'm trying to make all the right credit moves. Both CC's will be over a year at that point and the auto loan close to 2 yrs.
Credit score 6/09 was around 550
As of today 10/22/10
TU- 693
EQ-666
EX- who knows? bunch of wankers!
Thanks for any tips!
6/09: 550's
Guess you're right... I'll just have to experiment and see if a small balance reporting on the BB MC twitches EQ back to life, as it's been dead in the water for a few months now.
I'll check out that link.
Thanks!
@haulingthescoreup wrote:Some of us are rewarded by TU and punished by EQ for all cards with $0. Others find the reverse. There's a current thread by Imhotrodcrazy discussing this, in fact. No telling which way yours would go without trying!
@haulingthescoreup wrote:One thing that will happen, though, is that if you let the BBMC report, there will be an overlap when both are reporting, so prepare yourself for that.
One problematic issue about letting HSBC/ Orchard report is that they don't always get around to updating the later $0 balance right away. They've been known to skip a month in reporting, in fact.
Since you don't need your scores to be fine-tuned until April or May, you might consider just letting things be for now. Make your Cap One the balance reporting card, and keep the other at $0. Although Cap One isn't perfect, it usually updates promptly, so it's a better candidate for "playing the util game."
hmmm.... Here's the thing though. EQ hasn't budged regardless. I've had $0 balances reporting on both and then only 1 reporting a balance. I'm about to defrib EQ, as I think it may have keeled over. 
So far, my BB MC seems to have reported consistently. I went back and checked my reports. I'm thinking maybe I should experiment early as oppossed to waiting, to see what works and what doesn't.
Thanks for your input!... I'll post back with results.
@somkey10 wrote:
@haulingthescoreup wrote:One thing that will happen, though, is that if you let the BBMC report, there will be an overlap when both are reporting, so prepare yourself for that.
One problematic issue about letting HSBC/ Orchard report is that they don't always get around to updating the later $0 balance right away. They've been known to skip a month in reporting, in fact.
Since you don't need your scores to be fine-tuned until April or May, you might consider just letting things be for now. Make your Cap One the balance reporting card, and keep the other at $0. Although Cap One isn't perfect, it usually updates promptly, so it's a better candidate for "playing the util game."
hmmm.... Here's the thing though. EQ hasn't budged regardless. I've had $0 balances reporting on both and then only 1 reporting a balance. I'm about to defrib EQ, as I think it may have keeled over.
So far, my BB MC seems to have reported consistently. I went back and checked my reports. I'm thinking maybe I should experiment early as oppossed to waiting, to see what works and what doesn't.
Thanks for your input!... I'll post back with results.
*Update
In case anyone is following this thread ... I always appreciate when other people follow -up, so I try to when I can. I don't have much to offer and have gotten much appreciated advise on these boards, so in my own little way, I try to give back, even if it's just results of my current Fico experimentations...
Ok, so to Recap: I was remiss for a couple of months and didn't let a balance report on my CC's. My Fico scores remained unchanged. I let a small balance report on my Cap One card and immediately gained 12 pts. on TU. EQ remained the same. I then let a small balance report on my BB MC. TU remained the same (initial 12 pts. stayed put), EQ did not budge in either direction.
Both individual & combined utlization are under 5%.
*Note: Thus far, EQ score has not changed whether I have a zero balance on both cards, 1 balance reporting or 2 balances reporting