Going to let 10/10 cards report a balance

[masscredit]

I only have one account due for a CLI in a few days then nothing until the end of July so I'm going to do something that I haven't done since I've been tracking my scores. That is let all of my accounts report a balance.  I currently have 10 cards. Total available is $107,900. I estimate the maximum that will report between all of them is about $6K.  The highest on one card will be about $4400. ($10K limit). The other balances will range from about $20 - $850. I can get updates as my EQ08 and TU08 scores change. The EX score only updates once each month so I won't include that. 

May 20 2016 

Cap1 - $2194.25 / $10K 

Walmart - $68.25 / $10K 

Lowes - $830.17 / $17K 

EQ08 - 722 

TU08 - 729 

The above scores are the same as they were with just one card reporting a balance - ($769.38 / $10,500)

May 29, 2016
Cap1 - $2194.25 / $10K
Walmart - $68.25 / $10K
Lowes - $830.17 / $17K

Added - 

Merrick - $14.18 / $1600.

EQ08 - 722 - 719 (-3)

TU08 - 729 (No change)

The forth card reporting a small balance dropped my EQ08 score by 3 points. TU either isn't going to move or they haven't updated yet.

I'll update this thread as other accounts report.

[EW800]

Thank you!  Looking forward to seeing what the results are!!  

[RonM21]

I'll be looking for your update to see what happens

[Revelate]

If you're trying to isolate this explicitly use smaller balances would be my recommendation.

I'm sorta going through something similar now with my own analysis.

[Anonymous]

I am letting the chips fall where they may!  I have driven myself crazy trying to figure it all out.  I do what I need to on my cc's right now since my house is my main concern.  Scores can do what they want.  Didn't have a drop with the new stuff yet.  But you know they always go back up and then some as everything ages.  I have come to the conslusion that if you don't drive up your ut too much and your accts age, you'll be just fine.  

[Anonymous]

I agree with Revelate that using smaller balances would likely give you a better representation of the result you're attempting to achieve.

By letting all 10 report very small balances, the only variable really is the number of cards reporting.  By letting one (or more) of them report higher balances, you add in the variable of individual utilization.  Having that 1 card reporting 44% utilization for example will likely have some sort of impact, but you won't know how much unless you were to add that variable in the following month.  I guess it depends on what you're after with this experiment.

[masscredit]

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@Revelate wrote:

If you're trying to isolate this explicitly use smaller balances would be my recommendation.

I'm sorta going through something similar now with my own analysis.

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My Cap 1 card got some use this month so that balance is higher than usual. I let two other cards report balances then figured I'd let all of them.

I might try all cards under $100.00 sometime to see what that does.

[masscredit]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I agree with Revelate that using smaller balances would likely give you a better representation of the result you're attempting to achieve.

By letting all 10 report very small balances, the only variable really is the number of cards reporting.  By letting one (or more) of them report higher balances, you add in the variable of individual utilization.  Having that 1 card reporting 44% utilization for example will likely have some sort of impact, but you won't know how much unless you were to add that variable in the following month.  I guess it depends on what you're after with this experiment.

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I haven't had all of my cards reporting balances in about 10 years so I'm courious to see what happens. I'm usually only have one card reporting. Many (including myself) think that's what's required to maximize scores. I'm starting to see that I can let 2-3 cards report modest balances without losing any points. 

[Revelate]

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@masscredit wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I agree with Revelate that using smaller balances would likely give you a better representation of the result you're attempting to achieve.

By letting all 10 report very small balances, the only variable really is the number of cards reporting.  By letting one (or more) of them report higher balances, you add in the variable of individual utilization.  Having that 1 card reporting 44% utilization for example will likely have some sort of impact, but you won't know how much unless you were to add that variable in the following month.  I guess it depends on what you're after with this experiment.

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I haven't had all of my cards reporting balances in about 10 years so I'm courious to see what happens. I'm usually only have one card reporting. Many (including myself) think that's what's required to maximize scores. I'm starting to see that I can let 2-3 cards report modest balances without losing any points. 

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EQ's first breakpoint (FICO 8) is 33%, so yes you can have 3/10 reporting a balance and no problem.  3/9 though would be an issue; TU / EX 08 appear to be able to go up to 4/10 without a drop it appears in your case.

The problem is with non-trivial utilization on tradelines, you can't isolate the changes and as such it's not a clean datapoint.  While I appreciate the testing that anyone does as it's helpful, it's not ideal.

The conventional wisdom that's been pontificated here over the years of single revolving tradeline reporting a balance is optimal for EVERY file regardless of how many credit cards or LOC's they have.  As a result it's a good response as it's accurate and true for eveyone... and it's simple which makes it a great one.  For those of us that have more familiarity with the algorithm we can play a little more loosely, but trying to explain breakpoints to them and have them do math, that's lame... .and as such we really shouldn't be suggesting that.

My opinion anyway.

[irunfromcredit]

Thanks for posting this.  I will be following this post.

i am doing something similar this month, I'm letting all my balances report. So far I think I will have 6 cards report, but individual uti is ~5%, with overall uti under 1%.  I have been driving myself crazy watching my scores swing back and forth 15 points because I report one balance and then pay it off.