@HeavenOhio wrote:Usage refers to how much you spend over a period of time. Your balance is how much you owe at a specific time. By paying frequently, you can have quite a bit of usage and fairly low balances.
I've been testing to find out exactly which dollar amount causes my scores to ding. A balance of $146 gives me my AZEO scores across the board. A balance of $148 causes my Experian 98 scores to drop by two or three points apiece. This month, the goal is to test $147.
To keep things under control, I've been testing on the same 24k card. Total limits are currently 72k and have been at that level since early this year. When I have scores that show apparent aging points, I make a return trip to AZEO (for me, a $7 balance) to ensure that I'm comparing apples to apples. I don't think aging has gotten in the way of these tests, though. The high water mark for these scores hasn't risen in over a year.
$146 on 24k limit & 72k total limits:
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Classic: 825
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Auto: 807
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Bankcard: 845
$148 on 24k limit & 72k total limits:
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Classic: 822
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Auto: 805
- Experian 98 (FICO 2) Bankcard: 842
@HeavenOhio that's awesome it looks like you found the first balance threshold what scorecard are you on?
The reason people are seeing score changes at these 1% and 2% utilizations is due to crossing balance thresholds in my opinion as demonstrated by this test. When you have a high total credit line 1% is a lot balancewise.
The first utilization threshold is 5% at Experian for Young cards only I believe and it requires all cards to be under 5% individually.
@Anonymous
@Anonymous, I don't know which scorecard I'm on, but maybe you can tell me. 
My profile as of late October:
- Six open cards
- Three closed cards
- One closed utility account (TU only)
- No loans at all, either open or closed
- AoOA: 19 years, 1 month
- EQ and EX AAoA: 8 years, 9 months
- TU AAoA: 8 years, 6 months
- AoYA: 3 years, 8 months
- No inquiries
- No baddies
@HeavenOhio wrote:@Anonymous, I don't know which scorecard I'm on, but maybe you can tell me.
My profile as of late October:
- Six open cards
- Three closed cards
- One closed utility account (TU only)
- No loans at all, either open or closed
- AoOA: 19 years, 1 month
- EQ and EX AAoA: 8 years, 9 months
- TU AAoA: 8 years, 6 months
- AoYA: 3 years, 8 months
- No inquiries
- No baddies
"Just" 6 cards and no inquiries? Wow. I'm impressed at your willpower.
@Anonymous wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
My experience was that the ideal aggregate utilization for FICO 8 was at 2-3%.
2-3% produced better measurable results for you than 1%?
No it didn't. OK make it "0-3% (just not absolute zero)".
@HeavenOhio wrote:@Anonymous, I don't know which scorecard I'm on, but maybe you can tell me.
My profile as of late October:
- Six open cards
- Three closed cards
- One closed utility account (TU only)
- No loans at all, either open or closed
- AoOA: 19 years, 1 month
- EQ and EX AAoA: 8 years, 9 months
- TU AAoA: 8 years, 6 months
- AoYA: 3 years, 8 months
- No inquiries
- No baddies
@HeavenOhio you're in the same card with me clean/thick/ mature /no new account. 😊
@SouthJamaica anything <4.5% should be good. I think anything underneath that is a balance threshold, in my humble opinion.