@Antredd wrote:Hello everyone,
This forum has been quite educational and life changing for me at the same time. But I have been seeing a lot of discussion about the AZEO formula to keep your FICO scores high.
Do you think rotating cards while maintain AZEO could increase points. For example, I have 19 cards, but I mainly use 6 of them while leaving them paid in full each month. However, my AZEO strategy would be to start using all 19 cards. I will leave a balance on CC #1 pay it off after the balance reports to the CB, then repeat but this time leave a balance on CC#2 repeating this until I have used all 19 credit cards over a 19 month period. I am just curious as to would that increase my FICO faster? I would be keeping all of my cards in good standing as they will be aging 19 months and aging over the 1 year and half threshold as well.
AZEO is not used to keep your scores high. It can add a few points within the range where your profile scores at that time. It has more impact on mortgage scores, little impact on scores used for credit cards. Zero impact if no lenders are looking at your scores, such as most of the time when we aren't actually applying for new credit.
Yes, you can try to rotate all your cards systematically over 18-19 months, but most likely you have statements dates that are scattered through the month. This means you have the added burden of scheduling which card you are on, and knowing when that next card will report to avoid the terrible, end-of-world embarrassment of having ( gasp ) two cards report at the same time. #sarcastic#
Or, what is actually worse, zero cards reporting and taking that definite score hit until something does report because you didn't estimate a closing date correctly.
Congrats on starting the steps to take advantage of the Shell card $25 back offer. I'd take a spend bonus like that six days a week and twice on Sunday before I'd even contemplate AZEO.
"Or, what is actually worse, zero cards reporting and taking that definite score hit until something does report because you didn't estimate a closing date correctly"
New to this forum so pardon me if its been discussed before. Quick question - if all my cards report a 0.00 balance as of statement date will that actually hurt my credit? Should I use the AZEO strategy mentioned here.
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@Suzette2 wrote:
@Credit4Growth wrote:Here is the link to the thread and a screen shot for referring to where you can find what you are looking for within this thread.
It may be further explained as to why a national bank card is recommended.
Assuming Miss Disco counts as a major card?
Yes it does.
Awesome
12/22 : 
@Suzette2 wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@Suzette2 wrote:
@Credit4Growth wrote:Here is the link to the thread and a screen shot for referring to where you can find what you are looking for within this thread.
It may be further explained as to why a national bank card is recommended.
Assuming Miss Disco counts as a major card?
Yes it does.
Awesome
Although I utilized my Discover from time to time I had forgotten what affect it had on my scores! Then again I also have an AU on my reports that usually displayed a balance.
@learningcredit54 wrote:"Or, what is actually worse, zero cards reporting and taking that definite score hit until something does report because you didn't estimate a closing date correctly"
New to this forum so pardon me if its been discussed before. Quick question - if all my cards report a 0.00 balance as of statement date will that actually hurt my credit? Should I use the AZEO strategy mentioned here.
Yes, if no revolving credit cards report any balance, FICO penalizes tens of points for that. Easily fixed by getting the next card with a statement coming up to have a small balance. In the Understanding FICO Scoring forum, this is a common topic. People expect No Debt is good, but what FICO wants to measure is how the person manages actual debt, even if it is only $20.
@NRB525 wrote:Yes, if no revolving credit cards report any balance, FICO penalizes tens of points for that. Easily fixed by getting the next card with a statement coming up to have a small balance. In the Understanding FICO Scoring forum, this is a common topic. People expect No Debt is good, but what FICO wants to measure is how the person manages actual debt, even if it is only $20.
Yep... I'm also a believer that unless you are planning a big purchase where those few extra points here or there are going to make a difference it's not worth it going full OCD pay my cards off in full before the statement cuts mode... LOL
I've got 3 cards reporting a balance... with the rest reporting $0. I periodically flip them from month to month to keep the usage from going silent too long... and I've seen scores not move at all going from a $0 balance to a $50 balance and vice versa. I've also seen them move +1 point for the same scenario.
Where I saw the biggest score gains was when I had $3000 reporting on a $4000 card and the next month the balance reported $1000. I've seen 5 and 8 point swings in this scenario.
Anyway... I don't lose sleep over super tiny point gains and losses.
Can anyone on the forum let me know if a balance on an AU is seen the same way as a balance on a card where I am the primary for the AZEO strategy? I know as far as credit utilization its seen the same but I was wondering if anyone had experience with AU balances for the AZEO.
@learningcredit54 wrote:Can anyone on the forum let me know if a balance on an AU is seen the same way as a balance on a card where I am the primary for the AZEO strategy? I know as far as credit utilization its seen the same but I was wondering if anyone had experience with AU balances for the AZEO.
It's not. Someone else can confirm, but I believe that AU cards have their own 1/3 rule for usage and how it affects your score. So don't use an AU card as your 1 card, but be aware it will affect you (this led to me ditching AU cards I'm not the primary on so as to not worry what P2 was doing with the end of statements).
Sock Drawer - 
Chopping Block - 
Debit Cards - 
@learningcredit54 wrote:Can anyone on the forum let me know if a balance on an AU is seen the same way as a balance on a card where I am the primary for the AZEO strategy? I know as far as credit utilization its seen the same but I was wondering if anyone had experience with AU balances for the AZEO.
Nope. AZEO on AUs is it's own separate thing. Same rules though - leave all AU cards at zero except one with a small <8.9% balance, ensuring it is a bankcard.
