@p- wrote:
I always look at my credit efforts as two categories - Improvement, and Optimization.
Improvements are permanent or semi-permanent things I can do to bring up by score like eliminationg derogs, building up my AAOA, adding or removing cards and accounts, paying on time, etc. These items affect my overall score, and should be continuously improved and monitored.
Optimization is the last tweaks you do before applying for credit to get the best score possible. For example, you could normally vary your utilization bewtween 0 and 90%, but when you gear up to apply for credit you want to make sure you are reporting optimum utilization. Unless you need the extra points for a credit app, who cares what your utilization is?
The point is, you can relax about your utilization - It's ok for your statement to show a balance, then PIF, or have all 0's across the board until you actually want to apply.
Again, I appreciate the input. I see what you mean about the credit maintenance falling into two categories improvements and optimization. In fact I was starting to feel that distinction before you mentioned it. It was just ticking me off seeing different scores and and huge differences in total CL and utilzation. So, according to your improvemenet and optimization categories I am indeed working on both even though I don't have any big apps coming up. I want to get my score as high as possible. Then leave the accounts alone just paying the statements in full as normal. Then when I need credit I will lead up to that date with zero utilization for a couple months.
