I have been properly schooled. 
Thanks everyone!
@Anonymous wrote:Just saw your last post. Yup, looks like I was right. You are currently using a PTZ approach, rather than PIF. And you are being penalized by FICO for doing that.
To avoid the "all cards at zero" penalty, you need at least one card to report a positive balance. That card should not be a charge card, since they are often excluded from FICO's calculations. The one card should be:
(1) A true credit card (not a charge card)
(2) A card in your name (not an AU card)
(3) A card showing a balance of at least $5 (tiny balances like $1-3 can sometimes be reported as $0)
(4) A card with a credit limit of < 34.9k (cards with obscenly huge credit limits are dropped from FICO's calculations in some models -- but less than 34.9k is safe)
Whoa! Back up.
So, I am an AU on one of my accounts and have been paying all of my accounts to zero, leaving the AU account as my one account with a balance, mainly because I can't require this account to be PIF. That account sits at 2-3% util. So should I allow one of my actual accounts to show a small balance in addition to the AU account for max points? I have 7 revolvers (8, if Navcheck is included). Thanks.
@RicHowe wrote:
Does utiluzing the AZEO strategy really result in SIGNIFICANT boost in score as opposed to a Pay Everything In Full strategy? To me it seems that leaving a small balance would take points off the table. Zero util should result in maximum 30% of score awarded.
I hear the algorithm is wonky in this way, but if we are talking a pioint or two difference. Is it worth the effort?
Educate me.
It is a Pay Everything in Full strategy.
All of the cards are paid in full every month.
Just that one of them is paid just after the balance reports, while the others are paid before the balance reports.
@RicHowe wrote:Thanks for the replies.
To be clear, I PIF before the statement closes so that zero balance shows to the CRAs. Would I get the AZEO benefit if I paid off all revolvers as I do now, and maybe left a small balance on my charge card (not paying by statement close but PIF immediately after statement close)?
No. No. No. If all your revolvers report zero, you will get dinged.
I hear charge cards don't factor into Util anymore/as much. So I could get the benefit of 0% Util AND have a balance from my charge card statement to gain the benefit of usage for the credit mix points?
I only have the AMEX Delta Platinum and the AMEX Platinum cards? My scores are in the 700's.
@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
@ohjoy wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:To avoid the "all cards at zero" penalty, you need at least one card to report a positive balance. That card should not be a charge card, since they are often excluded from FICO's calculations. The one card should be:
(1) A true credit card (not a charge card)
(2) A card in your name (not an AU card)
(3) A card showing a balance of at least $5 (tiny balances like $1-3 can sometimes be reported as $0)
(4) A card with a credit limit of < 34.9k (cards with obscenly huge credit limits are dropped from FICO's calculations in some models -- but less than 34.9k is safe)
Whoa! Back up.
So, I am an AU on one of my accounts and have been paying all of my accounts to zero, leaving the AU account as my one account with a balance, mainly because I can't require this account to be PIF. That account sits at 2-3% util. So should I allow one of my actual accounts to show a small balance in addition to the AU account for max points? I have 7 revolvers (8, if Navcheck is included). Thanks.
Yes - absolutely report a balance on one of YOUR revolving credit cards. The older Fico 98 and Fico 04 scoring models always include AU cards. However, many AU cards are "ignored" in Fico 8 . I am AU on a household expense card where DW is primary. Although it is listed on credit reports, it doesnot count as an active revolver for me in Fico 8. AMEX charge cards don't count either.
The AU card always reports a balance (typically 2% to 6%). When the only balances reporting were my AMEX and the AU card, I lost points on Industry Enhanced Fico 8 scores across all CRAs. No drop in the older Fico 04 model which always includes AU cards. Also received the reason statement: "no recent balances on your revolving accounts"
Thank you so much for your response. 
Ahem! Me again.
What about CLOC like Navcheck? Is that included or excluded in the AZEO strategy?
@Anonymous wrote:
@RicHowe wrote:
Okay. So if someone does have other types of credit usage, than AZEO would have little impact?No because "credit usage" is split up into at least two different categories, namely "usage on credit cards" and "usage on installment loans". So having a balance on an installment loan helps with a small part of "credit usage" but doesn't affect it for all of it.
My napkin math calculations lately tell me that installment loans seem to be about 20% of "credit usage" and credit cards seem to be about 80% of "credit usage" -- out of 165 points, I guesstimate that credit card usage is somewhere around 130 total points and installment usage seems to be around 35 total points or so. This is separate from "credit mix" which is how nice of a mix of credit you have (open credit cards 5+, open installment loans 1+, with at least one account in each tier showing some activity right now).
@Anonymous..
So "credit usage" tallies overall credit used and ranking percentage are allocated to type; "credit mix" splits type of credit. There is clearly a difference in weighing type.
So, if 3 CC's + AZEO provides you with a best CC score and it gets better if you add Installment Loan (paid down to 8.9% asap) then would multiple Installment loans, aggregate at 8.9% or below, boost your score faster than just one Installment loan + the 3 CC / AZEO?
Starting Score: Fico 8: EQ 721 TU 742 EX 736