Reporting balance on 1 card and installment loan?

[Discover2016]

I have been wondering about this, for best score should I let a balance report on one card even if I have a current installment loan? Or does the loan satisfy the "let a balance report" optimization? I currently have ten cards and one installment loan I was confused about this.

[Anonymous]

No.  The balance on your installment loan will not prevent you from being penalized for having all your credit cards reporting $0 in a given month.  You need one true credit card to report a positive balance.  It should not be an AU card, and it should be for $4 or more.

Fortunately there are so many necessary purchases for which credit cards can be used (groceries, gas, cell phone, etc.) that the only way to have all credit cards reporting $0 is if you are going out of your way to do it.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Discover2016 wrote:

I have been wondering about this, for best score should I let a balance report on one card even if I have a current installment loan? Or does the loan satisfy the "let a balance report" optimization? I currently have ten cards and one installment loan I was confused about this.

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1. No the installment loans and revolving accounts are in separate utilization spheres.

2. Optimum is to let one card report a small balance.