Everything we know
about credit.
No fluff, no affiliate hustle, no “sign up to see more.” Just the moves that actually work — ranked by how much they impact your FICO. Read it, use it, share it.
FICO rewards low utilization on both individual cards and total revolving debt. A card with a $5,000 limit should carry a statement balance under $500 for a max-score effect. Pay it down BEFORE the statement date, not the due date — that's when the bureau snapshot is taken.
One payment right before your statement closes (this is the balance that gets reported), one payment before the due date (to avoid interest). This single habit can be worth 20–60 FICO points on its own.
A higher limit with the same spend = lower utilization = higher score. Most issuers do this via soft pull online. Chase, Amex, Discover, Capital One all support it. Don't accept increases that trigger a hard pull unless you're prepared for the temporary ding.
Closing a card cuts your total available credit AND hurts your average account age. If it's a no-annual-fee card, keep it open with a small recurring charge (Netflix, a $5/mo subscription) and autopay. Even a card you don't use is silently boosting your score.