@llecs wrote:If you paid each CC and got each to report a 30% utilization on each, I don't think you'll hit 620. You might hit it with TU, but you'll be short for EQ and EX. However, I bet if you paid 2 of the 3 off, and got the remaining to hit 30%, then you'll see 70 points, give or take.
2230 / 2500 = 89%
1080 / 1400 = 77%
340 / 500 = 68%
Down to 30% on each card:
2500 * .3 = 750
1400 * .3 = 420
500 * .3 = 150
(2230 - 750) + (1080 - 420) + (340 - 150) = $2330
Down to 30% on one and down to $0 on two:
(2230 - 750) + (1080 - 0) + (340 - 0) = $2900
Balance on one card is (2230 - 750) = $1480.
Lowest percentage across the board paying same $ amount:
(2500 * (.89 - x)) + (1400 * (.77 - x)) + (500 * (.68 - x)) = $2900
x = 0.17
Assuming the above calculations are correct (haven't had my first cup of coffee), it boils down to this:
How far down would you need to bring the balance and util on a card before the benefit of having only that one card report a balance outweighs its high balance and util compared to equal utils across the board?
Is 30% ($1480) 0% 0% better than 17% 17% 17%?
I'd probably go for the latter given 30% is a relatively high util and $1480 is a relatively high $ amount.
My threshold would be something like $1000 and 3 x 9%.
I could be wrong of course 
Let me illustrate my point. It seems unlikely that a $5000/$5000 $0/$5000 combo is better than $2500/$5000 $2500/$5000 combo. There's no way FICO likes to see $0 balances that much!
My theory is that the key threshold is where the score increase of having one balance only outweighs the score decrease of having that one considerable balance and its util.
I don't know where that threshold is. When I zeroed the first of three credit card balances, I got a 27 point increase for $13. When I zeroed the second, I got only a 7 point increase for $1300.
That made positively no sense to me, because the important thing that I have read about this is to bring the number of cards with a balance down to less than half.
Chances are I'll never know why 
@Anonymous-own-fico wrote:Let me illustrate my point. It seems unlikely that a $5000/$5000 $0/$5000 combo is better than $2500/$5000 $2500/$5000 combo. There's no way FICO likes to see $0 balances that much!
My theory is that the key threshold is where the score increase of having one balance only outweighs the score decrease of having that one considerable balance and its util.
I don't know where that threshold is. When I zeroed the first of three credit card balances, I got a 27 point increase for $13. When I zeroed the second, I got only a 7 point increase for $1300.
That made positively no sense to me, because the important thing that I have read about this is to bring the number of cards with a balance down to less than half.
Chances are I'll never know why
i think it only works if you have more than 2-3 cards.