I've been trying to optimize my score lately, only letting 1 out of 4 revolving accounts report with a 15% utl on the account and 6% overall. Recently I accidentally let a second account report a $2 balance which dropped TU & EX a few points. Well, this statement I paid the balance and let it report 0 and I lost more points! I thought I'd be gaining them back by paying the balance. Yes, I used the card more than that. Maxed it and paid in full. So I'm not sure? My next card to report is my highest limit @ 2300 which has been reporting 0 too for about 3 months. Should I leave a balance? How much??
So confused! Just want my points back. 
Too late! I stole your six points by zeroing my second card, although it took $1500 to do so. 
@jbishop1001 wrote:I've been trying to optimize my score lately, only letting 1 out of 4 revolving accounts report with a 15% utl on the account and 6% overall. Recently I accidentally let a second account report a $2 balance which dropped TU & EX a few points. Well, this statement I paid the balance and let it report 0 and I lost more points! I thought I'd be gaining them back by paying the balance. Yes, I used the card more than that. Maxed it and paid in full@. So I'm not sure? My next card to report is my highest limit @ 2300 which has been reporting 0 too for about 3 months. Should I leave a balance? How much??
So confused! Just want my points back.
This I have no problem with, I have used it on low limit cards, and have maxed out high limit cards with BT when it make money sense. I presume this was done on one of the low limit cards? Capital One? If so, kudos. It will benefit you in the long run.
As to the effect on score, I've seen comments here that yes, the actual usage during the month is reflected in the score, so zeroing the end of period balance would not work, would not "hide" the maxed out card if that were true. I still would not let that stop me from maxing a card out. I would max it out every month until they give me a CLI, or my score improved enough to get a higher limit card. On any manual review, the analyst is going to see month after month of maximized and PIF activity, and smile on your file.
Your scores are coming back from some significant baddies. Thus, you have to expect a long term upward path, with setbacks from seemingly random situations now and then. I would count this one as a random setback, likely not directly related to the $2 balance, but just part of the upward path, minor setback pattern.
Good luck!
So, my Capital One cards haven't reported a balance in 3-4 months. I let $20 report ($2300 limit) and Experian went up from 652 to 661. But I lost points for paying $2 out of $200 limit? Smh. I don't get it. Everyone says let 1 card report less than 10% and that's what I did. Accidentally let $2, paid it and lost points for it. Or so it seems? Nothing else changed. I watch my statement dates/reports very closely.
@jbishop1001 wrote:So, my Capital One cards haven't reported a balance in 3-4 months. I let $20 report ($2300 limit) and Experian went up from 652 to 661. But I lost points for paying $2 out of $200 limit? Smh. I don't get it. Everyone says let 1 card report less than 10% and that's what I did. Accidentally let $2, paid it and lost points for it. Or so it seems? Nothing else changed. I watch my statement dates/reports very closely.
Well, things are changing in your file every month as you work back from the effect the baddies have on your score.
What was your score two months ago, where you now lost some points for letting $2 report? What was the score three months, two months ago, then just before this $2, and just after that alert? I'm betting those scores are still on an upward trend.
The "one card report 10%, all others zero" is for when your score has really stabilized and is not affected by any lingering baddies. As those baddies age, and you continue to show good payments, no other lates, your scores are climbing without regard to if you let a card report $2. That is the real goal you should have; never missing a payment. Said another way, people who are rebuilding worry too much about getting to "one card reporting". The effect of it gets lost in the noise of the general rebuild process.
@Anonymous-own-fico wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:
The "one card report 10%, all others zero" is for when your score has really stabilized and is not affected by any lingering baddies. As those baddies age, and you continue to show good payments, no other lates, your scores are climbing without regard to if you let a card report $2. That is the real goal you should have; never missing a payment. Said another way, people who are rebuilding worry too much about getting to "one card reporting". The effect of it gets lost in the noise of the general rebuild process.
Nicely put. Maybe we sense a silver lining in one card reporting, I don't know.
The silver lining is that the cardholder never misses a payment on a card that reports zero 