Balances - Too Low?

[credit8502020]

Hi All! I'm working to get my balances low enough where I will receive the highest amount of points possible. I've been keeping them around 2%. However, I thought I read some time ago that there is sometimes an amount that is so low that it is counted as a $0 balance.

According to the scoring system is .5 or 1% just as good or better than 2%? 

Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this and perhaps what types of card, etc. this "rule" may have applied to? 

Thank you! 

[Anonymous]

$1 on a major bank card works for me

[credit8502020]

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@Anonymous wrote:

$1 on a major bank card works for me

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@Anonymous Ok. Thank you for your feedback! 

[SouthJamaica]

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@credit8502020 wrote:

Hi All! I'm working to get my balances low enough where I will receive the highest amount of points possible. I've been keeping them around 2%. However, I thought I read some time ago that there is sometimes an amount that is so low that it is counted as a $0 balance.

According to the scoring system is .5 or 1% just as good or better than 2%? 

Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this and perhaps what types of card, etc. this "rule" may have applied to? 

Thank you! 

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2% is great. Go with that and you can't go wrong.

But remember that it's best for most accounts to have zero balance.

[credit8502020]

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@SouthJamaica wrote:

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@credit8502020 wrote:

Hi All! I'm working to get my balances low enough where I will receive the highest amount of points possible. I've been keeping them around 2%. However, I thought I read some time ago that there is sometimes an amount that is so low that it is counted as a $0 balance.

According to the scoring system is .5 or 1% just as good or better than 2%? 

Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this and perhaps what types of card, etc. this "rule" may have applied to? 

Thank you! 

---

2% is great. Go with that and you can't go wrong.

But remember that it's best for most accounts to have zero balance.

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@SouthJamaica Thank you for your feedback. Definitely. Next month, I'm planning to implement AZEO.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

$1 on a major bank card works for me

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It depends on the major bank card.  Some such as Cap One, BoA, Discover etc. have been known to "forgive" a $1 balance and report $0.  It's a safer move to go with something in the (say) $10-$20 range as that will be ideal on any limit card really from a $300 starter card up to a large 5-figure limit card.

[HeavenOhio]

I think we've seen that $5 is safe for everything except for BoA's old Better Balance Rewards card. With that card, it's a good idea to leave at least $10 to avoid being forgiven.

[Anonymous]

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@credit8502020 wrote:

Hi All! I'm working to get my balances low enough where I will receive the highest amount of points possible. I've been keeping them around 2%. However, I thought I read some time ago that there is sometimes an amount that is so low that it is counted as a $0 balance.

According to the scoring system is .5 or 1% just as good or better than 2%? 

Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this and perhaps what types of card, etc. this "rule" may have applied to? 

Thank you! 

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@credit8502020 balances are measured in dollars; utilization is measured in percentages. They are separate metrics and no one has demonstrated any utilization threshold below 5%. 

with that said, we don't know the balance thresholds, the first one maybe $100, maybe $500, I really don't know, but I always say $5-$20, you can't go wrong.

And you don't get a penalty for having 0% utilization; you get it for having $0 revolving balances. 😉