Started By
Message

Question regarding high charges vs. credit limit on card

Posted on 8/23/14 at 3:46 pm
Posted by HubbaBubba
F_uck Joe Biden, TX
Member since Oct 2010
45950 posts
Posted on 8/23/14 at 3:46 pm
I have a personal credit card that I use to charge business related expenses, and a few personal expenses from time to time. Usually for personal expenses, I have a debit card, and I just use my phone and transfer cash to the debit card for my personal purchases. I'll open a card up at a store to save 10% off, but will then make the payment in full and cancel the card. I use my credit card at restaurants even when it isn't business related because I never let my debit card leave my sight or possession.

My credit score is good, 726, but it should be better. I just ran a credit and score report. I show my mortgage, a Home Depot card with a $10k limit and no balance, plus a Best Buy card with a $5k limit and no balance, and then I show 23 other credit cards that have been opened and closed, all cards like Sears, Kohl's, Macy's or something like that where they offered a big discount to sign up for their card. I have no car note, either.

We are considering purchasing a new home and want to squeeze out more points in our scores before we submit anything, so we can obtain the best rates. I'm wondering if how I handle my business transactions has been having a negative affect?

The card I use for business expenses is a Merrill Lynch Platinum Plus Cash Back Visa. My interest rate on the card is under 9% fixed, not variable, and I've had it for well over ten years. When the Great Recession hit, and all the banks were cancelling cards or raising interest rates high to get people to drop them, Merrill Lynch kept this card steady at like 8.89%. I have a $20,000 credit limit that I've had on there for the last eight years. I haven't asked to raise it. Most months I will charge between $10k-$17k on business expenses. My company reimburses me every week, and so I'm never behind on funds and I pay it off every month.

The question is, since I never have a balance except my current charges, is that a positive or a negative? Also, since every month I use between 50% - 85% of the available credit on that VISA, does that negatively affect my score?

Would I be better off adding one or two more cards (AmEx, Mastercard), then split the charges among those cards to keep a lower charge to credit ratio? Conversely, by adding the extra cards does that take my credit score down, negating the point of adding them in the first place?

Posted by LSUtigerME
Walker, LA
Member since Oct 2012
3816 posts
Posted on 8/23/14 at 3:54 pm to
What is your average age of accounts? I believe closed cards still contribute to this, so it might be hurting your score. Also if you have multiple inquiries in past year.

As for the credit ratios, what is reported is statement balance. Most people recommend a ~10% ratio of credit utilization (again, based on statement balance).

I assume the card you use often shows up on your report since it's personal and not through your company. Does that high utilization get reflected on the statement, or do you pay it off before that?

To keep my utilization lower, I pay off my balance about a week before the statement date. I get charged 0 interest, and a low balance gets reported to credit bureaus.

Ran my score on Thursday. 815 at age 28.
Posted by Joshjrn
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2008
27418 posts
Posted on 8/23/14 at 9:49 pm to
Get a business card, like the Chase Ink. That balance doesn't count against your personal ratio, so it's a great way to protect your score from spending fluctuations.

Also, stop opening cards just to get a discount. That's a rookie mistake and is costing you a substantial number of points.
Posted by SoccerMom
Member since Jul 2014
4 posts
Posted on 8/26/14 at 2:25 pm to
The numerous account openings and closings will impact your score as your AAoA is likely low. I recommend a business credit card for your general business expenses. Always a good rule of thumb to keep those expenses seperate anyway.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 1Next pagelast page
refresh

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram