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- 1099-INT
- Pros
- 17. Self-employment expenses deduction
- 4. Fund the account
- The questions to ask yourself before choosing an account
- 16. Sell vintage clothing online
- Bonds
- Cheapest auto insurance for poor credit
- Casino workers in Las Vegas reach deal ahead of the Super Bowl
- Be flexible with destination, airport and dates
- What are the deductibles?
- You’re staying in a remote area
- 9. Shared home improvement equipment
- 15. Photography
- Earning Loyalty Points through other partners
- 1Money
- 4. Decide where to buy your index funds
- HO-6: Unit owners policy
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- Past years' state tax rates
- Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFIAX)
- Nonresident status rules
- 5. Use a rewards card to pay for Airbnb
- The Platinum Card® from American Express ($695 annual fee)
- Coca‑Cola Foundation
- Where is the best place to exchange currency?
- Corporate bonds
- Reviews
- Drawbacks
- What happens if I forget to pay my quarterly taxes?
- 14. Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection at airports
- Allianz Global Assistance
- 18. Home office deduction
- 5. Your loan is cleared to close
- Wholesaling and warehousing
- 17. Begin niche blogging
- Business loans
- How much is auto insurance after an at-fault accident?
- How to use a W-4 to owe nothing on a tax return
- Teachers Strike Breaks Records in Boston Suburb
- Disadvantages
- Dividend payout ratio
- Refinancing
- 8. Bank of America® rewards
- 1. Live in the house for at least two years
- 1099-K
- Our pick for: An upgrade path
- 5. Help your kid decide what to invest in
- Tiered checking account options
- Mutual funds
- Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX)
- 5. Secure a gas supplier contract
- Airport lounge access
- How do I find a currency exchange near me?
- 15. Centurion Lounge Complimentary Guest Access
- Bonzah
- Cons
- 19. Educator expenses deduction
- 16. Event space
- 7. Poshmark
- HO-7: Mobile home policy
- 5. Build a community
- How's your job security?
- You want a unique experience
- 2. See whether you qualify for an exception
- How can I make paying quarterly taxes easier?
- 18. Become an e-book writer
- Citi Double Cash® Card
- Hurricanes and tropical storms
- SBA loans
- Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBTLX)
- Home Depot Foundation Veteran Housing Grants Program
- Where can you exchange currency for free?
- Economic events
- 1. Freeze your credit
- 10. Vacation rentals
- Rental Cover
- 20. Solar tax credit
- 17. Interior decorating
- 5. Buy index funds
- Exchange-traded funds
- Pros
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- SEIU United Healthcare Workers West — Prime Healthcare
- 6. Book through an airline portal
- 6. BookWithMatrix
- 8. The Platinum Card® from American Express
- 3. Keep the receipts for your home improvements
- 1099-LTC
- 16. Upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- 14. Purchase protection
- Other details you should know about Exodus
- Online lenders
- Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBIAX)
- 6. Obtain necessary permits and licenses
- Hotel status
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Earnings
- 2. Safeguard your Social Security number
- Sure
- 21. Energy efficient home improvement tax credit
- 3. Building a budget
- Our pick for: Customizable bonus categories
- 18. Woodworking or furniture building
- 19. Start ghostwriting
- Cons
- HO-8: Modified coverage policy
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Are you financially prepared?
- 1099-MISC
- 1. Decide what type of investor you are.
- Gifting large sums of money to family
- 11. Electronics repair
- 17. Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status
- Compare car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI
- 15. Return protection
- Business credit cards
- Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGAX)
- Her Village Grants
- 3. Be alert to phishing and spoofing
- 22. Electric vehicle tax credit
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee
- 20. Become a resume writer
- 6. Keep an eye on your index funds
- Tornadoes
- 7. Get business insurance
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- OnDeck Capital
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Transfer partners
- 18. Money-saving perks for stays booked through The Hotel Collection
- Transfer points from Diners Club
- The 10 largest lottery jackpots
- 16. Extended warranty
- 19. Graphic design
- Citi Rewards+® Card
- Wildfire
- HO-14: Contents comprehensive policy
- Cheapest car insurance for young drivers
- Is Exodus right for you?
- Personal loans
- Vanguard Small Cap Index Fund (VSMAX)
- 7. Message the host
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Conventional loans
- 1099-NEC
- 4. Use strong passwords and add an authentication step
- Paying for vacations, cars or other stuff
- 21. Open a coworking space
- 9. Become an Instagram influencer
- 8. Market yourself
- California young child tax credit (YCTC)
- Association of Professional Flight Attendants
- 9. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- 19. Complimentary benefits through Fine Hotels & Resorts
- Buy wine with Laithwaites
- Pros
- 20. Clothing boutique
- How to maximize your rewards
- Winter weather
- Hurricanes and tropical storms
- Winter storms
- Business grants
- Average car insurance costs after a speeding ticket
- 1. Has the W-4 form changed?
- Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund (VTIAX)
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Other disasters
- 5. Use alerts
- Giving a laid-back loan
- Our pick for: Your choice of expenses
- 4. Saving money
- How we review crypto wallets
- California child and dependent care tax credit
- FHA loans
- 1099-OID
- 12. Academics courses
- Order gourmet gifts from Harry & David
- Cons
- 17. Rental car coverage
- 21. Bed and breakfast
- 22. Become an online coach
- Flooding
- Funding Circle
- Card ecosystem
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- 6. Watch your mailbox
- Setting up joint bank accounts
- 2. What does it mean to be exempt from taxes?
- California adoption cost tax credit
- 1099-PATR
- 2. Choose how much you want to invest.
- 20. Free shipping with ShopRunner
- Get meal kits delivered from Home Chef
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee, potentially high credit limit
- 18. Trip cancellation or interruption insurance
- 22. Food truck
- 23. Flip failing websites
- Citi Custom Cash® Card
- 10. Monetize your Twitch channel
- Clif Family Foundation
- Best insurance company for financial strength: Auto-Owners
- 7. Shred, shred, shred
- Our pick for: Bank of America® customers
- Best insurance company for financial strength: Auto-Owners
- Cheapest auto insurance for senior drivers
- Comparing full coverage car insurance quotes
- California nonrefundable renters tax credit
- 10. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- 1099-Q
- 13. Language courses
- 21. Concierge service
- Above-the-line deductions
- 24. Become a web developer
- Tornadoes
- Average car insurance costs after a DUI
- 8. Use a digital wallet
- 3. Gather your paperwork.
- 19. Trip delay reimbursement
- 23. Restaurant or cafe
- Hailstorms
- 1099-R
- 22. Low fares through the International Airline Program
- 25. Start a podcast
- Citi Rewards+℠ Student Card
- Lightning and fires
- 3. When should I review my W-4?
- Marriott
- 9. Protect your mobile devices
- Use the Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping site
- Below-the-line deductions
- 20. Lost luggage reimbursement
- 24. Craft brewery
- Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
- 1099-S
- 23. Savings with the Cruise Privileges Program
- 26. Be a social media influencer
- Winter storms
- 11. Sell your photography
- Credit required
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) Imagine Grant
- Where you live
- Pros
- 10. Check your credit reports regularly
- 4. Pick your investments.
- 14. Business or marketing courses
- Our pick for: Average credit and rewards
- Compare auto insurance rates for drivers with poor credit
- 21. Medical emergencies during travel
- 4. Can I adjust my W-4 multiple times throughout the year?
- 24. Car Rental Privileges
- Get the Southwest button browser add-on
- 25. Ice cream shop
- Earthquakes
- Your credit history
- 1099-SA
- 11. Monitor financial and medical statements
- 27. Create online courses
- Citi Premier® Card
- 9. Familiarize yourself with your day-to-day responsibilities
- United Auto Workers (UAW)
- 25. Deals through the Amex Auto Purchasing Program
- Our pick for: Paying rent
- 26. Personal chef
- Overseas acceptance
- The coverage you need
- Cons
- Best insurance company for discounts: Amica
- 15. Personal wellness
- What should you do if you’re invested in these REITs?
- 28. Become a marketing consultant
- Best insurance company for discounts: Amica
- 26. An extra point when booking Platinum Destinations Vacations
- Our pick for: Earning more automatically
- 27. Landscape services
- Your deductible
- Where you live
- Apple Cash: digital card
- 27. Additional value through the InCircle rewards program
- Our pick for: Average credit and no annual fee
- 28. Pet grooming
- 29. Develop an app
- Citi Prestige® Card
- 12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag
- United Auto Workers (UAW) — Mack Trucks
- Your house
- Your claims history
- 5. Maximizing your credit cards
- Previous claims
- Zendesk Tech for Good Impact Awards
- 1. Lost wallet
- 16. Courses in hobbies or interests
- 28. AmEx Carbon Emissions Tracker
- 29. Florist
- Average annual car insurance costs for drivers with good vs. poor credit
- Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
- Your location
- Your other policies
- If you’d rather be a free agent
- 30. Make a smart appliance
- Your coverage
- Cash App debit card
- Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions
- You and your stuff
- Your home’s features
- 2. Mailbox theft
- 30. Massage therapist
- 31. Tap into virtual reality experiences
- AT&T Points Plus Card
- 13. Sell unused gift cards
- State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Company Grants
- 17. Bookkeeping and accounting
- 29. The Global Dining Access by Resy
- 1. Look at customer satisfaction scores
- Your deductible
- Individual stocks
- Your dog
- Our pick for: Limited credit
- 32. Make a niche dating site
- Writers Guild of America (WGA)
- 3. Using public Wi-Fi
- Roth IRA withdrawal rules
- 30. Exclusive events
- 2. Consider financial strength
- Your credit history
- Best insurance company for customer satisfaction: State Farm
- 31. Nutritionist
- 33. Develop a chatbot
- Best insurance company for customer satisfaction: State Farm
- Google Ad Grants
- Roth IRA withdrawal penalty
- 18. Consulting
- 31. An open invitation to events with Membership Experiences
- 6. Borrowing money
- 3. Evaluate the policy options
- 14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb
- 4. Data breaches
- Compare insurance rates for drivers with an accident
- 32. Personal trainer or fitness instructor
- 34. Offer matchmaking skills
- Your home’s features
- Hyatt
- Dividend stocks
- 32. A better view with American Express Preferred Access
- 4. Get prices from a handful of companies
- 35. Be a virtual assistant
- Your other policies
- How much is auto insurance for young drivers?
- 5. SIM card swap
- Our pick for: Wholesale shoppers
- Our pick for: Good credit
- 33. Beauty services
- The Unless Project
- Your dog
- 19. IT support
- 34. Life coach
- 36. Reinvent exercising
- 6. Phishing or spoofing
- 33. No foreign transaction fees
- Best insurance company for military members: USAA
- 37. Create eco-friendly, health-friendly makeup and beauty products
- Best insurance company for military members: USAA
- 15. Sell your gently used clothes
- 34. Upgrade with points
- What is a prepaid debit card?
- 7. Skimming
- 20. Graphic design
- 35. Tutor
- 38. Open a food truck or restaurant pop-up
- The Audacious Project
- 35. No preset spending limit
- Our pick for: Travel
- 36. Daycare provider
- 39. Start an organization business
- What is a prepaid credit card?
- Average annual car insurance costs for young drivers by company
- 8. Phone scams
- 36. A lower annual fee on additional cards
- 40. Do interior design for young professionals
- Where can you get a prepaid card?
- 16. Trade in old phones, electronics for cash
- Wells Fargo nonprofit grants
- 21. Social media management
- 37. CreditSecure
- 37. Senior care provider
- 9. Looking over your shoulder
- How do you add money to a prepaid card?
- Transfer hotel points
- 38. Interpreter or translator
- NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants
- Our pick for: Instant gratification
- Which prepaid card is best?
- 10. Malware
- 39. Housecleaning
- 17. Get a babysitting gig
- Kubota Hometown Proud Grant Program
- 22. Marketing copywriter
- 38. Cell phone protection
- Earn Southwest points for stays
- Our pick for: Paying rent
- 39. Purchase protection
- 7. Your credit score
- 40. Automotive repair
- Big Sea Wavemakers Grant
- 23. Virtual assistant services
- Book accommodations in the Southwest Hotels portal
- 1. Gather your information
- 40. Return protection
- 41. Handyman services
- 18. Rent out your car
- 41. Extended warranty
- Our pick for: Personalized rewards
- If you want both brand-specific perks and flexible points
- 42. Dry cleaners
- 1. Review your mission
- 42. Baggage insurance plan
- Book stays via Rocketmiles
- 2. Choose the right liability car insurance coverage levels
- 43. Hardware store
- 2. Refine your search with keywords
- 1. Do your research
- 43. Car rental loss and damage insurance
- 19. Sign up for TaskRabbit
- 44. Self-storage business
- 2. Get organized and make it official
- 44. Premium Car Rental Protection
- 45. Freelance copywriting and content creation
- 3. Narrow down based on location
- 45. Trip delay insurance
- 46. Rideshare driver
- 20. Become a private tutor
- 3. Find the right financing
- 46. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- 4. Look for organizations with similar values
- 47. Website development and design
- 47. Premium Global Assist Hotline
- 48. Sell clothes online
- 5. Consider hiring a grant writer
- 3. Decide if you need full coverage car insurance
- 21. Drive for Uber, Lyft
- 8. Taxes
- 49. SEO consultant
- Airport lounge access
- 50. App development
- Cell phone protection
- 22. Make deliveries for Amazon, Uber Eats
- Purchase protection
- 9. Paying off debt
- In-flight extras and checked bags
- Return protection
- 4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes
- 23. Find work as a housesitter
- Extended warranty
- Baggage insurance plan
- Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
- Car rental loss and damage insurance
- 24. Sign up to be a mystery shopper
- Trip delay insurance
- Bonus points on spending
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- 25. Put your drone to work
- Compare car insurance companies
- Trip insurance benefits
- Conditions common to your dog’s breed
- 10. Insurance
- Your dog’s energy and activities
- Car rental coverage
- Wellness expenses
- Decide whether your cat needs insurance
- Wellness expenses
- 11. Investing
- 1. Check whether your pet is eligible
- 2. Research what’s covered
- 3. Decide how much coverage you want
- 4. Understand reimbursements and deductibles
- 5. Check waiting periods
- 12. Starting or running a business
- 6. Examine extra costs
- 7. Compare quotes
- 13. Travel
- The NerdWallet Smart Money podcast
Your credit utilization is simply the portion of your available credit you use, expressed as a percentage. It is the total of balances on all your credit cards divided by the total of all your credit limits. (It's also figured on a per-card basis.) This number is a big factor in your credit score — the less available credit you use, the better it is for your score.
Here’s how to keep your utilization low.
Why is having a low credit utilization important?
Paying your balances on time and in full every month is the best way to keep your score intact or build it. On the other hand, using a larger portion of your credit limit could do damage. Credit utilization accounts for around 20% to 30% of your credit scores.
But if a financial crisis means you have to lean on credit cards, take heart: Credit scores can rebound quickly once you're able to lower your utilization.
How to lower your credit utilization
1. Keep your charges on each card to a minimum
The simplest way to avoid losing credit score points for using too much of your limits is to watch how much you charge to each card. Make a habit of patrolling your online accounts to keep tabs on spending. If you are close to using 30% of your credit limit on one card, try to make a payment or switch to using another card.
Simply getting into the habit of paying twice per month instead of once could help you decrease your credit usage. Lower balances can save you interest if you carry a balance — and are good for your credit score regardless.
You can also monitor your per-card and overall credit utilization by viewing your credit score profile from NerdWallet.
2. Ask for higher credit limits
If it’s tough for you to avoid utilizing more than 30% of your available credit, another solution might be to request a credit line increase on your card or cards. Getting a credit limit increase might require you to call your card issuer or make the request online. Sometimes increases are offered automatically if you’ve had your card for a while and have a positive payment history, so be on the lookout for those offers when you log in to your account.
Another option to get a higher overall credit limit is to ask a friend or relative to add you as an authorized user on an established account. The primary user doesn't even have to give you a card or tell you the account number for your credit score to benefit. Do choose carefully: Being on the account of someone who is having problems with credit could affect your score, too. You want to be on an account showing good payment history, preferably with a high credit limit and consistently low credit utilization.
A higher overall credit limit could help you keep your credit utilization lower than it would be otherwise. This could make a big difference in your credit score. You can check your own credit to see the effect (and it won't hurt your score).
3. Set up balance alerts to stay on top of spending
If you find yourself consistently overspending, setting up balance alerts can help keep your spending in check.
Sign up with your credit card issuer to receive alerts via text message or email. You can choose to be alerted when the balance reaches a certain amount or percentage of your credit limit. Your goal is to keep the balance below 30%.
4. Pay your bill before your issuer reports to the credit bureaus
Most credit card issuers report your balance and payment activity to the credit bureaus once every 30 days. However, this doesn’t necessarily coincide nicely with when your bill is due. If your issuer reports a few days before the end of your billing cycle, you’ll consistently look like you’re carrying a high balance — even if you pay it off in full just a few days later.
Place a call to your card issuer’s customer service line to find out when it reports to the credit bureaus. Simply pay off as much of your balance as you can in advance of that date every month, and you might see a jump in your score.
5. Monitor your total credit utilization
If you have multiple credit cards, it might be hard to view the bigger picture of your credit utilization. Using the calculator below, input your credit card balances and limits to check whether you're under the recommended 30% utilization threshold.
If you’re creeping up to that limit, do your best to pay down your balances and explore ways to stop spending money.