Seeking advice on how to improve credit when utilization is high

[Itgem679]

Just wanted to say that your reply is remarkable and very insightful. I like how you broke everything down and gave possibilities. This is what I love about Fico Forums.

[Expansion]

Celebration and update!

After years of lingering in the 600s...

and then one crossing into 700s...

and then two crossing into 700s...

ALL THREE credit bureaus are now reporting Fico 8s in the 700s for me!!

HOLY DAFFODIL!!  THANK YOU!!

And, for what it's worth, I took your advice @SouthJamaica and @tcbofade  to pay down Discover #1 to 47%, even though the balance was being charged 0% interest.

Seriously overnight I got two new BTOs:

one from SECU (a CU in MD)

and a 12 month BTO from BOA to for a card I already have.  I "bounced" the BOA balance to my Navy Federal card that has 0% BT fees and then bounced it back to the BOA card.  

It could have been a coincidence, but it was very gratifying

On track!!

[Expansion]

@Itgem679 that is what makes it so special here!  How people break it down and give options.  You hit the nail on the head!

[tcbofade]

Congrats, @Expansion !  That's awesome and thank you for the update!

DW and I have gone the wrong direction in regard to overall credit card balances in 2022, but I've noticed that keeping individual utilization under 48% keeps the BT offers rolling in...  we've got more of them than we can use!

[MySunrise271]

Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉

[Annabe]

@Expansion 

I LOVE how organized you are and that you kept everyone up to date in your awesome progress! 🥰

Are you using a certain method to stay organized? You seem to be very good with numbers. 

I do wish you continued success and please continue to keep posting your updates on here.

[Expansion]

Hello, @Annabe !  It's nice to "meet" you here!

Aw, thank you thank you

How I stay organized: 

1.  I just write everything down in a notebook!! 

I do have a special page where I list all my cards in order of highest to lowest APR and keep track of what I'm paying down.

I have another page where I list all the 0% APR balances in order of when they're expiring.

I also write down my research... like suggestions from this forum, notes from good videos I find on youtube, different cards I have my eye on.  If I don't write it down, if I don't act on it right away, I find it just goes in one ear and out the other and then when it's time for me to act on what I researched a while back, I need to start all over. 

2.  On my calendar about a month before 0% balance transfers are due to expire, I write a reminder to start investigating new offers.  

3.  I have another little notebook where each month it has all my bills in order of due date, and I check them off as I pay them.  

I personally hate spreadsheets and I love handwriting, so this system works for me really well.  It just developed organically out of the process

I also find that if you have some kind of organizational system that's already working for you, it's easiest to add something on to a pre-existing system, as opposed to start a new separate system. 

Hope this is helpful!!  To your ongoing financial liberation!

[Annabe]

@Expansion 

That's very awesome. Thank you for your feedback on your method. I gotta start incorporating some of your methods. ☺️

[Expansion]

CELEBRATION! 

Just checked my Fico8 EXP on AmEX

and I have breached the threshold into 'VERY GOOD'!!!!!

740 BABY!!!!!!!!! 

given that a year ago that score was 685, and had lingered in the mid to high 600s for years, I am ECSTATIC. 

Thank you EVERYONE for helping me on this journey.  @tcbofade  @K-in-Boston @FinStar @SouthJamaica and everyone else!

[tcbofade]

Yay you!

Thanks for the update!