Util went down and score finally hit >700!

This is exciting for me because this is my first *ever* "very good" rating! As you can see, I hit 742! Agg util went down 6% (49% > 43%) Ind util on my Custom Cash went from 69% > 42% I am still waiting for my Cap One to report (ind util 69% > 37%). I also have the negative reason code of "New Account" - yay! This is because my EX report is finally 100% CLEAN! So this is my first ever "New Account" neg reason code! I am hoping to squeeze a few more points out when my Cap One reports. The +13 pts so far was way more than I expected for crossing 1 ind util threshold. Best buy is currently at 29% util and Victoria's Secret remains at 0% util. Cash+ is at 48% util. When the Cash+ updates at the end of the month, I will have the new, higher, CL reporting and should be <30% util. I would have to do the math, but hopefully that bring my agg util <30%. All my other scores also increased, with my EX 2 gaining +7 pts. Of the scores the EX app gives me, only my EX BC8 is not in the "Very Good" rating range. Hopefully that changes after Cap One reports.

Why do you keep high balances on your credit cards? You have made many posts showing your changes in credit scores and I am impressed with how far you have come, but your balance are always high. Imagine how high your scores would be if you dropped your utilization to <4%.

Credible wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:45 am Why do you keep high balances on your credit cards? You have made many posts showing your changes in credit scores and I am impressed with how far you have come, but your balance are always high. Imagine how high your scores would be if you dropped your utilization to <4%.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I had a couple BTs as well as a couple major purchases over the past few months. I make a purchase, pay it off over a couple months, pay down BT, rinse and repeat. Maximizing on some 0% intro offers and getting good CB/rewards. I also wanted to play with AWB and different util thresholds. I held AZEO for 2 years solid. You should have seen my posts then! I am breaking out of that a bit and it has paid off in dividends with some nice CLIs (looking at you - CapOne). I could pay them off, but I would rather spread my money elsewhere and take advantage of this time with some of the intro offers. Everything will be back to AZEO before mini-app spree time. And personally, I havent had anything reporting maxxed out (>89%) and I dont recall being >69% more than once, and I usually shoot to report <50%, so not the worst, IMO, of course. I use a large chunck of my limits monthly, as well. I am not just keeping the same balance and paying minimums month after month. I managed to get a nice auto-CLI from USB even while running these balances. I have gotten to 742 so far, so I imagine I could be approved for something, need be, but no plans at this time for apps. I guess it is a good way to stay in the garden, by not being optimized, plus I grew a bit weary of micromanaging so much. It can be hard to not want to maximized all the time, but those points mean a lot more when you really want them, when your credit is bad, like mine was for most of my adult life. I am trying to not let it be so consuming - it has been super stressful rebuilding and I feel like I can finally let my hair down a bit. It is better, mentally, to incrementally increase my scores than to hit my plateau and go down from there. I am quite happy with where I have gotten Plus, this is my first time - ever - to be on a 100% clean scorecard (EX only, rn) and cycling through AWB and thresholds, again, for funsies. According to the sims, I should be able to hit beyond 800 once I get back to AZEO. So hopefully that means upper 700s when I get there.

I think that knocking on the door of 800 would be possible with 3-4 potential utilization threshold crossings between aggregate and individual coupled with AWB/AZEO maximization. It'll be cool to see your results when you're ready to try that.

LaHossBoss wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 10:07 am

Credible wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:45 am Why do you keep high balances on your credit cards? You have made many posts showing your changes in credit scores and I am impressed with how far you have come, but your balance are always high. Imagine how high your scores would be if you dropped your utilization to <4%.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I had a couple BTs as well as a couple major purchases over the past few months. I make a purchase, pay it off over a couple months, pay down BT, rinse and repeat. Maximizing on some 0% intro offers and getting good CB/rewards. I also wanted to play with AWB and different util thresholds.

This makes sense. I didn't think balance transfers would ever be practical. Have you seen a difference in scores from changes in utilization when comparing clean scorecards to dirty ones? What I mean is does an increase in utilization from say 10% to 40% cause a larger or smaller change in scores on a clean scorecard than it did when on a dirty scorecard?

Cap One updated and I gained +17pt today! Single threshold crossed: ind util Ind util 63% > 37% (-26%) Agg util 43% > 38% (-5%) Fico2 gained +13pt (754 > 767) I am hoping after USB reports I will cross 2 more thresholds. Ind <30% and agg <30%. I had wanted BestBuy to report a $0 bal next month, but I just purchased a Washer/Dryer set (actually a few appliances) and will probably still be sitting <30% util. The next update should hopefully hit my 760 F8 goal!

Credible wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 10:42 am

LaHossBoss wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 10:07 am

Credible wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:45 am Why do you keep high balances on your credit cards? You have made many posts showing your changes in credit scores and I am impressed with how far you have come, but your balance are always high. Imagine how high your scores would be if you dropped your utilization to <4%.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I had a couple BTs as well as a couple major purchases over the past few months. I make a purchase, pay it off over a couple months, pay down BT, rinse and repeat. Maximizing on some 0% intro offers and getting good CB/rewards. I also wanted to play with AWB and different util thresholds.

This makes sense. I didn't think balance transfers would ever be practical. Have you seen a difference in scores from changes in utilization when comparing clean scorecards to dirty ones? What I mean is does an increase in utilization from say 10% to 40% cause a larger or smaller change in scores on a clean scorecard than it did when on a dirty scorecard?

Yes, the gains are considerably more substantial between a PR scorecard and a Clean scorecard for F8. This holds especially true for EX2. EX2 was very critical of having a CA on my CR, offering little to no gains even crossing multiple thresholds, vs on a Clean scorecard, I am being handed points like candy on Halloween! Where as crossing a single ind util threshold (or even more than 1) on a PR scorecard would gain me 0-5 pts, I am gaining 13-17 pts on a clean scorecard and without even crossing any agg util thresholds.

I feel like I am in a more uncommon situation where all 3 bureaus are on different scorecards, so my changes can sprt of guide us here a bit. EQ is a PR scorecard. TU is a delinquency/dirty scorecard. EX is a clean scorecard. I just did a 3B pull, and unfortunately EQ had not totally update my new CapOne balance, but we can still learn here how these scoring changes are each different for each scorecard. I will do an EQ pull in a couple days to update any thoughts. Here are my F10s: You can see the BC10 seems more forgiving of a CA than severe lates, while all the rest seem in line with the degree of scorecard...and remember, EQ has not even reflected the lower ind util for CapOne. Here are my F8s: TU and EX are equally updated and my reduced ind util (by 1 threshold each) of Citi CC and CapOne QS are markedly different, unsurprisingly. TU, on a delinquency scorecard gained +12pts overall (uncleae the breakdown between the 2, the notification for Citi, alone, showed +0 pt, but may not be accurate) and EX gained +29pts (+12 for Citi and +17 for CapOne). No agg util thresholds were crossed. Mortgage scores: EQ gain +0 pts (only Citi updated) TU gained +10pts (unclear breakdown) EX gained +21pts (+8pt Citi/+13pt CapOne) F9s: EQ: +5pt (Citi Only) TU: +24pt EX: +46pt BC8s: EQ: +3pt (Citi only) TU: +25pt EX: +34pt BC9s: EQ: +6pt (Citi only) TU: +20pt EX: +51pt

Equifax notification popped up on MF, cant guarantee the score change goes hand in hand with reported lower balance on CapOne, but I am 99% certain: Lol +1pt on EQ F8...and that is a PR scorecard for you!

Congratulations on your success! Your scores are looking great.