Credit Card Utilization Questions.. Please Help..

[isacarol2]

First thanks to everyone for there support and dedication to helping others grow. Im on the process of rebuilding and wanted to ask about Utilazation to maximize points and have a better history.  

My first question is, Is Fingerhut Revolving considered a Credit Card ? In other words does that card fall into Utilization? 

This is my Line Up. 

FingerHut Revolving ( Not Sure if this is considered in Utilization?)

Credit One bank $600 Limit ( Paid In Full for the month) $0

First Premier  $ 300 Limit ( Showing a $26 Balance)  Statement has not Cut Yet

First Primer $300 Limit ( Showing a $24 Balance)  State has not Cut Yet. 

Just Got a Capital One Secured $200 Limit ( Paid the Annual Fee) Current Balance $13.79 ( Only had for 1 week.

Also just got some Store cards also, will those report next month? Should i keep them at Zero ? 

I guess my question is, what should i pay down? Most people say to pay all cards to ZERO and leave 1 card with 9% or less. 

This will be the first month where my balance will be reported Less. I have always carried a balance in everything.

Thanks in advance.

[tcbofade]

Credit one will NEVER report with a zero balance...they bill your annual fee (monthly) as they cut the statement.

If you can, and they will, pay off BOTH First Premier cards and let them report a zero balance.

[tcbofade]

Oops.  And yes, Fingerhut counts as a credit card account.  Pay it off too. 

[ecxpa]

As FICO calculations go a credit card is a credit card.  I have seen some mentions that some lender's internal score models do not give as much weight to a proprietary or store card as it does to a "major" credit card.  I don't know if this is true or not but makes sense.  As far as getting Credit One to report a zero balance they say you can pay the monthly card fee from your bank account  online if you time it just right.  I plan on trying this, this month.  It is annoying that the card always reports a balance.