I may have a rare opportunity to have all revolving accounts reporting at zero. I'll probably know within a week whether I was able to swing it.
In preparation for the experiment, I checked the FICO 8 simulator and asked what would happen, and got results I don't think are accurate:
EQ +3, TU +5, EX +-0
I expect the real world result to be a big score drop on all 3
If I can pull this off, I will learn something not only about FICO but also about the simulator..
Will keep you posted.
[See my 4/9 update - $8.69 balance posted, EX FICO 8 shot up 16 points]
I imagine you'll see a drop on all 3 as well, further proof that simulators are garbage 
Interested in seeing this! I am anticipating applying for a small installment loan before this happens to prevent a drop and continue my history/credit mix. Keep us posted!
@Anonymous wrote:Thanks, SouthJ!
PS. If you ever decide to pull all your cards out of storage and buy something small on each one, that would be interesting to hear about too.
That would be a much easier experiment for me to pull off.
Believe it or not, not a single one of my cards is "in storage". My sock drawer has nothing but socks in it. That's why this opportunity is "rare", because with so much activity, and new accounts coming online, getting everything to hit zero as of the reporting date is not that easy to do.
I use each and every card or other revolving account each and every month.
I don't want any of them to feel unloved; I love them all almost equally 
There was actually a point, about a year and a half ago, where I was under a mistaken view that leaving a small balance on every card was a score-enhancer. So I had every one of my cards reporting a $25 balance. Then Tom_Thumb straightened me out on the preferable concept of having a majority of cards reporting at zero. Actually I think it did depress my scores, but not drastically.
I may take you up on that one of these days. But I usually wind up abandoning any experiment that seems to be hurting my scores. I'm not the greatest 'scientist'.
The experiment I am presently attempting, if it does tank my scores, will do so only for a couple of days.
@Anonymous wrote:I imagine you'll see a drop on all 3 as well, further proof that simulators are garbage
Yeah well we don't know. Maybe the simulator is right, and our collective wisdom is wrong.If I can pull this off, we'll find out soon enough.
I hope I can manage to get the 2 accounts left to report at zero. They're both PLOC's and I've been having a devil of a time figuring out their reporting schedules and policies.
@SarahJo wrote:
Interested in seeing this! I am anticipating applying for a small installment loan before this happens to prevent a drop and continue my history/credit mix. Keep us posted!
Yeah, me too. Just hope I can get the 2 accounts that are left to report at zero.
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I imagine you'll see a drop on all 3 as well, further proof that simulators are garbage
Yeah well we don't know. Maybe the simulator is right, and our collective wisdom is wrong.If I can pull this off, we'll find out soon enough.
I hope I can manage to get the 2 accounts left to report at zero. They're both PLOC's and I've been having a devil of a time figuring out their reporting schedules and policies.
Best I can tell, the Fico simulator doesnot includes the zero cards/zero utilization "discontinuity" in its score estimation.
PS - I checked out the Beta version of the 3B report yesterday. For those that generated a 3B after 3/15/17, you should be able to go in and look at a Beta version of your report.