For credit score optimization, most people recommend that you use your cards as you would normally, then PIF all except for one card, which should report a balance giving you <10% utilization.
@Anonymous wrote:
What would you do? Reading this site has changed me so much (for the better!) but probably also made me a little too obsessive!
That's pretty typical of a good chunk of users on here 
you're in good company!
Since you don't have any big applications coming up, this level of detail probably doesn't matter too much; your scores will fluctuate from month to month due to changes in util, but if you're planning on applying for a card try to follow the strategy above to maximize your scores. Otherwise, there's no harm in PIF after statement cut, since util has no memory (literally the next month your score will go back up once you've paid those balances.
@Anonymous wrote:For credit score optimization, most people recommend that you use your cards as you would normally, then PIF all except for one card, which should report a balance giving you <10% utilization.
@Anonymous wrote:
What would you do? Reading this site has changed me so much (for the better!) but probably also made me a little too obsessive!
That's pretty typical of a good chunk of users on here
Since you don't have any big applications coming up, this level of detail probably doesn't matter too much; your scores will fluctuate from month to month due to changes in util, but if you're planning on applying for a card try to follow the strategy above to maximize your scores. Otherwise, there's no harm in PIF after statement cut, since util has no memory (literally the next month your score will go back up once you've paid those balances.
But the question for O.P. (and me) - do you recommend PIF before statement cuts or before due date?
@Anonymous wrote:
Card 1 - $1000-1500 monthly spending - $2000 limit
Card 2 - $30-50 monthly spending - $1000 limit
Card 3 - $10-15 monthly spending - $300 limit
Which credit cards are these? Are you giving up rewards by not allocating spend to the proper categories (assuming those are available) ?
If you are not apping anything in the near term, use the cards as you normally would, for rewards or spend timing, let them report the balance amount, then PIF by the payment due date printed on the statement.
If you see an app coming up, then time each card so that you start to reduce statement-displayed utilization by paying some prior to statement cut, but don't overdo it. As noted, you want at least one card reporting a balance, you don't want a time period where no cards are reporting any balance.
Yes, you have other things to worry about.
I let the balances report where they are. When you know an app is coming up, you can decide how much reduction you want to do by paying prior to statement. Anything below 50% on a single card will give you some bump in scores, going below 30% on a card is another level. Below that? probably not much gain for the effort.
Glad we were able to help!
@Anonymous wrote:
When I am ready to apply for any new cards, I will PIF every card prior to statement cut.
I think we weren't clear earlier, so let me clarify now: although there is debate about the merits of PIF before or after statement cut, one thing that is (almost) for certain is the fact that to get the highest score with regards to util you want to have all accounts PIF before statement cut EXCEPT one reporting a balance of less than 10%. People have seen their scores drop a bit after zeroing out all accounts, so don't fall into that trap!