Oh ... and welcome to the forum! 
@sassymame28 wrote:Thank you so much for the advice! I'm just starting out working on my credit report this year. My goal is to get my scores up so I'll be able to buy a house. eq 558 tr 528 exp 527. I just got approved for a wells fargo secured card starting out at 300.00 limit. oh how much should i charge on my credit card with out going over board with it? and when should i pay the bill because lately I have been using it and paying the bill right away.
As far as UTIL on CCs, from what I've learned 3%-9% seems to be the sweet spot for FICO. Always make sure the payment clears prior to the reporting date (which is often your "statement date"). If you're unsure call the CCC and ask for the date. Example: I have a CC with $1300 TL. The cut-date is the 26th of every month. During the month I use the CC heavily always ensuring never to go overlimit and make regular payments. Approx 5 days prior to the cut date I'll make an online payment to ensure it reports with a low UTIL and then I don't touch it again (other than additional payments) until after the statement cuts. Keep in mind, if your statement indicates a minimum payment due you must still make at least that minimum before the due date otherwise you could end up with a late-pay.
I created a spreadsheet with each of my open CC TLs, their CL and their statement-cut date. I keep the balance entered and the sheet automagically let's me know at a glance how much I would need to pay to make it back to 6%, 7%, 8%, and 9% UTIL. I also use Google Calendar to beep at me via email and text messaging when I'm a few days out from a cut date. I know it's a bit but, it helps me stay organized.
Point to think about: UTIL is easy to rectify as FICO has no memory: it changes with each TL update. Ensuring no further lates and allowing the TLs to age will go a long way for you though it may seem at times it is taking FORever. Trust me, it pays off. While keeping an eye on your payments work on any baddies - GWs could take care of those.