I am posting this because someone ask this question recently and I never really understood it, I know I am suppose to have one CC reporting 1-9% balance and the rest showing $0.00 balance. Here is my question
Ok I have all the due dates for my CCs, I also have the dates it reports to CR, however I notice that on certain months the day it reports to my CR it may vary by one or two days. What I want to know is how do I play this game of making sure it shows zero balance, is it before my due date? or before it report to my Credit Report and how do I know when the statement close? Make sure I pay it to zero balance before it hits my credit report?
You can find your statement date on your credit card statement and / or website.
If your statement closes on the 20th, you want to be sure to pay it in full BEFORE the 20th, so that when the statement cuts, the balance will be zero.
Even if it takes a few days to update to the CRA's, when it DOES update, it will update with your statement balance.
Remember to pay at least your minimum payment before the due date tho. 
First you should realize that there are 2 groups that you are trying to impress, and they are to some extent complete opposites.
You want to impress the credit card companies. You want to show them that you have credit cards, that you are using them, and that you are paying them off regularily (ideally every month). These companies will decide if they want to loan you more of their money, and they are concerned with risk, and return on investments, etc. So usually for these companies you want to have your monthly charges report to the credit bureaus, then pay in full before you are charged any interest. And don't use too much of any one card, ie, don't rack the card up close to 100%, that can be interpreted as you are finding it difficult to meet your expenses, etc. Appearing desperate is never good.
The second group you want to impress is FICO. They generate a credit score. They don't loan you money, they don't care about your credit history. All they care about is the present moment, the current snap-shot of your credit risk. They will sum up your entire credit worthiness in the form of a number. And only a number.
So, when you want to 'play the game', remember that you are not just a number (except to FICO, and they don't give you a loan or a credit card, now do they?).
Most of the time, just use your card a reasonable amount, let it report, and immediately pay in full. Create that rich, robust credit report that the credit companies want to see. Sure they look at that Fico number, but thats not all they look at, so give them what they want.
As to the FICO score, why its always fluxuating a bit, so why not try to optimize it right before you apply for more credit. At that time, and only that time, try to get one credit card to report 1% - 9% and the rest of them report 0%. You have to figure out what date each card reports to the credit bureaus and pay off each cards just before that. For some credit cards that will be approximately the date that the new statements are created. For others it will be a different date (example: US Bank and ELAN cards report your balance near the last day of the month).
Its really as simple as that.
@Themanwhocan wrote:First you should realize that there are 2 groups that you are trying to impress, and they are to some extent complete opposites.
You want to impress the credit card companies. You want to show them that you have credit cards, that you are using them, and that you are paying them off regularily (ideally every month). These companies will decide if they want to loan you more of their money, and they are concerned with risk, and return on investments, etc. So usually for these companies you want to have your monthly charges report to the credit bureaus, then pay in full before you are charged any interest. And don't use too much of any one card, ie, don't rack the card up close to 100%, that can be interpreted as you are finding it difficult to meet your expenses, etc. Appearing desperate is never good.
The second group you want to impress is FICO. They generate a credit score. They don't loan you money, they don't care about your credit history. All they care about is the present moment, the current snap-shot of your credit risk. They will sum up your entire credit worthiness in the form of a number. And only a number.
So, when you want to 'play the game', remember that you are not just a number (except to FICO, and they don't give you a loan or a credit card, now do they?).
Most of the time, just use your card a reasonable amount, let it report, and immediately pay in full. Create that rich, robust credit report that the credit companies want to see. Sure they look at that Fico number, but thats not all they look at, so give them what they want.
As to the FICO score, why its always fluxuating a bit, so why not try to optimize it right before you apply for more credit. At that time, and only that time, try to get one credit card to report 1% - 9% and the rest of them report 0%. You have to figure out what date each card reports to the credit bureaus and pay off each cards just before that. For some credit cards that will be approximately the date that the new statements are created. For others it will be a different date (example: US Bank and ELAN cards report your balance near the last day of the month).
Its really as simple as that.
In a forum full of great information, this post is amazing. Super clear and concise and really explains a concept that many people could benefit from understanding. +100!
Wow thank you so much. I understand it, I will see if I can change my due dates to be the same.
Bump
