Point loss from crossing 8.9% aggregate UTL

[Trudy]

For the 1st time in years, since reducing my CC debt to $0 (once, then learned).... I have an aggregate UTL greater than 8.9%; at 13%.  I was curious and a little afraid to see what would happen.  I'm one month from my AoYA reaching 1 year so I should be able to clearly see the impact of that next month without any other changes. Will wait 2 months to bring my aggregate UTL below 9% to see results of both events without interference (no worries; 1 was a BT with 0% for 15m and the other 8.5% APR which should net somewhere around $20 in interest before I pay that one off the following month)  

9 CC - 2 with a balance: 1 @ 21%, 1 @ 27% ( I usually have 1 or 2 CC report a small balance)

1 MTG (92% UTL)

1 Auto Loan (23% UTL)

Negatives listed in signature

UTL > 8.9% impact:  EQ lost 8pt, TU lost 7pts, EX lost 3pts

I was pleasantly surprised as I thought I'd take a larger hit. Not that I want to EVER get back in debt the way I was pre-rebuild, but I now know the impact of crossing that ideal aggregate UTL percentage should I need to make more use of my credit. 

Surprising I didn't see much change in my EX MTG (-1) or industry 8 scores (both lost 4 pts).  Biggest hit was to my industry 2 scores (Auto lost 21, BC lost 16)

[Anonymous]

I guess my question would be what utilization percentage those 2 cards with 20-something percent utilization now were prior?  I started a thread recently where crossing the 8.9% threshold on an individual card caused a -5 drop on EX 8 when my aggregate utilization moved from 1% to 3%.  If your individual cards were below 8.9% each, in theory you could have lost something for one/both of them moving above 8.9% individual utilization, outside of the aggregate utilization change you experienced.

[Trudy]

27% card was 0% at May's close; 21% card was 20% at May's close.  And that card was at 0% at April's close before going to 20%.  I didn't see any movement in my F8 scores when that card went from 0% - 20% with the exception of TU8.  I lost 3 pts.  At that time my aggreg was 5%.  I normally fluctuate between 1% - 5% on one or two cards (less aggregate).  But prior to reaching 20% the prior month, no single card had exceeded 8% individually. 

Mye EX8 score doesn't seem to respond much if at all to my UTL fluctuations although above is the gist of its movement.  TU8 seems to be more sensitive to UTL on my profile whereas I have no clue where I stand with EQ8 other than I actually took the biggest hit from them with >8.9% aggregate this month.  Didn't budge when the one card went from 0% to 20% in April.

[Anonymous]

EX behaves a bit strange on my profile.  I can go from 1 of 8 cards with a balance to 8 of 8 with a balance and see no score drop at all, but if I go from 1 of 8 cards with a tiny balance to 1 of 8 cards with a balance over 8.9% (but under 28.9%) I see a 5 point ding.  Strange stuff.

[Trudy]

Keep in mind, TU is my only clean file.  I'll know more (if not somehow rebucketed, GOD forbid) once that 30d falls off EQ and EX later this year.  I suppose it's possible once clean they may become more sensitive to UTL as is TU. 

I'm willing to play with it now that I'm no longer freaked out by minimal losses and even as EX shows, dropping below the 800 score (which would have freaked me out a year ago).  I feel more in control and for the most part, "think" I know what to do if I need to raise my scores for an application which I have no plans to seek anytime soon (God allows ) .  As is the reason I'm willing to pay $20 in interest to limit factors and test my 1 year AoYA and share.  My luck (which would be good luck) is that EQ or EX decides to remove my last derog the next month conflating the DP for my profiles AoYA.  Will see...