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Pick a utilization % between 1 and 9

tag
masscredit
Senior Contributor

Pick a utilization % between 1 and 9

I know some people have found better score results based on their total utilization % that is reported. What % have you found to work best for you? 

EQ - 699 / TU - 679 / EX - 689

Capital One Savor - $17000 / Capital One Venture - $13000 / Travel Advantage Visa - $13000 /Bread Rewards AMEX - $8450 / TD Cash Card - $7500 / Apple Card - $6500 / TD Double Up - $5500 / Mercury - $5000 / Ally Master Card - $4300 / DCU Visa - $3000 / Capital One QuickSilver - $600
$83,850
DCU Auto Loan
Message 1 of 4
3 REPLIES 3
Roarmeister
Frequent Contributor

Re: Pick a utilization % between 1 and 9

Everyone's mileage is different. My lowest highest score was when my utilization was less than 1% (actually at 0.1%).  I gave back a couple of points recently by going back over 1.6%.  But then again my total available credit is higher than most people.

Starting Score: EQ 732 October 2007; Current Score: EQ 839; TU 865, July 2022;
Oldest Reporting EQ Account: 20.4 years; EQ AAoA: 9.9 years;
ACTUAL Oldest account 40.1 years; ACTUAL AAoA 19.3 years.





Message 2 of 4
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Pick a utilization % between 1 and 9

Scores are based on the actual credit file and one's utilization. Likely you knew this. For me, the best scores are 1.5% utilization. Experimented with this over two years. Now others may have percentages that work better for them based on their credit files. Heard stories of under 10% and have read under 30%. Does not work for me but to each his own. My fine tuning to 1.5% utilization gets me to the 790's to the low 800's with balances on a mortgage, installment loan, bank card and store/gas card.

Message 3 of 4
masscredit
Senior Contributor

Re: Pick a utilization % between 1 and 9

I've read that under 10% is best so when I'm trying to groom my scores for new credit or a CLI, I'll just have one card reporting with a total utilization of no more than 9%. But I guess there is a fine tuning factor where a slightly lower % might be worth a few extra points. Those points might not matter to much but if your on the edge of going from one score range to the next, then they can be worth it. For myself, I was hanging at 699 for a few months. Just wanted that one point to get into the 700s then the next step will be trying to find 20 points to get into the 720+ range. That might take some more time.  So just wondering what others have found to be their best % when it comes down to those final points gained from low utilization. 

EQ - 699 / TU - 679 / EX - 689

Capital One Savor - $17000 / Capital One Venture - $13000 / Travel Advantage Visa - $13000 /Bread Rewards AMEX - $8450 / TD Cash Card - $7500 / Apple Card - $6500 / TD Double Up - $5500 / Mercury - $5000 / Ally Master Card - $4300 / DCU Visa - $3000 / Capital One QuickSilver - $600
$83,850
DCU Auto Loan
Message 4 of 4
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