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- Acorns is best for:
- Acorns at a glance
- 5. Vestiaire Collective
- PetsBest
- 5. Rent out a room
- Apply for TRIP
- Semiconductor distributors
- 9. Small-business grants
- Exodus: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Step 5: Determine your pricing
- Keep credit utilization below 30%
- 4. Sell some merch
- Fare flexibility/ticket changes
- Shop with points via the American Express site
- Robo-advisor
- 12. Start a virtual event planning company
- Determine if you can meet the welcome bonus spend requirements
- 7. Suspend your benefit
- 6. Optimize your finances with tax planning
- Emergency passport appointments
- Afterpay: No-credit-check buy now, pay later loans
- 1. Examine your cooling needs
- Experian business credit scores
- USAA: Best for military and veterans
- 3. Learn the difference between investing in stocks and funds
- Equity crowdfunding
- If your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k) match
- 2024 Medicare Part D IRMAA
- How to contact AAA
- What do I need for my loan application?
- 6. Dividend funds
- 401(k) or other investment account loan
- Excess Roth IRA contributions
- Nonrefundable fare after grace period for travel that originates elsewhere: Varies
- Gusto Impact Award
- 4. Take advantage of an early bird discount
- Account linking
- More transfer partners
- 3. Decide how much stock you want to buy
- The premiums are expensive
- Liability coverage
- Your stolen stuff
- 2. Research index funds
- Complimentary DashPass membership
- Fees and collateral
- After you're approved for Global Entry
- 2023 tax rates by state
- Home Buyer Tax Credit
- 6. Find out who's responsible for paying what in a claim
- Work with a real estate agent to find your ideal second home
- Florida
- Credit cards that earn or transfer to Korean SkyPass
- 8. Tutor your peers
- 15. Melting Pot
- 5. Upwork
- Example CD APYs at select institutions
- Eureka
- Spot
- 10. Crowdfunding
- Keep credit accounts open
- 5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
- 5. Get insured
- Baggage and boarding
- 1. Get a grasp on your new budget
- 4. Borrow from your 401(k)
- 5. Watch for sales (They happen frequently)
- Use points toward online purchases elsewhere
- Predict your annual spend in bonus categories
- 5. Money market funds
- Benefits unique to the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
- 2. Time it right
- 6. 7,500 Aeroplan points on Star Alliance airlines
- Square
- Respond quickly to lender requests
- Home equity sharing agreement
- Borrow money from a family member or friend
- Oceania Club elite status tiers
- 7. What asset allocation will you use?
- 1. Earn elite status
- National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) grant
- Ledger
- Reading candlestick charts
- Book round-trip flights
- 6. Pick your investments
- Amegy Bank Small Business Boost Program
- 4. Invest in the tools of the trade
- 13. Sell zero-waste products
- Consider the net value of the card’s welcome bonus
- Private Market Flood
- Government bonds
- Medicare Supplement Plan G vs. Plan N
- Down payments and gift funds
- Swappa, Gazelle
- How Tesla Insurance works
- Bars
- Resident status rules
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-olds with poor credit
- Communicate with your lender
- For crypto: Crypto.com
- 16. Moe’s Southwest Grill
- Cheapest car insurance after a DUI
- Watch the calendar
- 3. Loan processing takes over
- 11. Business credit cards
- Coinbase Wallet: 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Citigroup
- Space out credit applications
- 1. Avoid filing your tax return on paper
- 5. Offer memberships
- Redeem for gift cards
- Fleet expense management tools
- 8. Use a do-over
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Get elite status and lounge access
- Security
- Card-to-card points transfers
- 1. 'I’ll wait until the stock market is safe to invest.'
- HO-4: Contents broad form policy
- 3. Look for equipment rebates and tax credits
- Switch to LED lighting
- Toast
- 4. Open your account
- Average annual car insurance costs from large companies
- Nevada
- 9. Take surveys
- InboxDollars Surveys
- How to use Samsung Pay
- Low-down-payment mortgage
- Step 6: Hire, train, and outfit your staff
- Seat selection
- 1. Automate transfers
- 14. Make products for pets
- Business credit cards
- 7. Invest to build your future goals
- The cash value is slow to grow
- Grow Credit Mastercard
- Avianca VIP Lounge
- What happens if you are declined?
- Set a price alert
- Personal loan
- Request a new payment date
- 17. P.F. Chang’s
- 2. Use credit card statement credits to offset Frontier seat fees
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
- Set cash aside
- Disclaimer
- Avoid traveling to certain countries
- Pros of investing in semiconductor stocks
- Dividend per share (DPS)
- Monitor your credit reports
- 2. Get direct deposit
- Refundable fares: $0
- 6. Get a business checking account and credit card
- 2. Call your issuer
- Dayton Community Development Corporation grant programs
- Our pick for: Fixed monthly payments
- Donate to charity
- Medical payments coverage
- 3. Pick your index funds
- Install dimmer switches
- Lightspeed
- 3. Sell your castoffs
- New Hampshire
- Credit cards that earn or transfer to FlyingBlue
- 4. The underwriter makes a decision based on your documentation
- 6. Sell your wares on Etsy
- Earning rates
- Purchase discounted Airbnb gift cards
- How to have more taxes taken out of your paycheck
- 15. Create custom clothing
- Customer support
- Medicare Supplement Plan G vs. Plan F
- 2. 'I’ll buy back in next week when it’s lower.'
- 4. Zipcar
- For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor
- Regular Down Payment Assistance Program
- Rebook if you find a cheaper price
- Seek credit counseling
- 10. Search for regular jobs for kids
- 18. Pinkberry
- Example money market account APYs at select institutions
- Google Opinion Rewards
- Cons of investing in semiconductor stocks
- Dividend yield
- 3. Stay on top of things
- Best insurance company for accident forgiveness: Geico
- Appendix: How the math works in our examples
- Our pick for: Flat-rate travel rewards
- 8. Grow your financial well-being
- Chase Dining
- The cash value rate of return can be low
- FHA appraisal
- Step 5: Register the business
- HO-5: Comprehensive policy
- Home equity loan
- Use smart power strips
- Part-year resident status rules
- Shopify
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Step 4: Get insured
- 8. What investment benchmarks do you use?
- America’s Seed Fund
- SafePal
- Crypto.com is best for:
- Crypto.com at a glance
- 6. OfferUp
- Consider using a retirement account
- Trust Wallet: 4.3 out of 5 stars
- A new way to buy and sell
- Upgradeability
- 2. Count your coins and bills
- Best insurance company for accident forgiveness: Geico
- 3. Agree only to terms you can afford
- San Antonio Economic Development Department grant programs
- Can you pay estimated taxes at any time?
- Grocery bonus
- 6. High-yield savings accounts
- Ask for help
- South Dakota
- 19. Pizza Hut
- Resident status rules
- Use the Best Fare Finder and pay in cash
- 7. Get financing
- 5. Enter a debt management plan
- How to have less taxes taken out of your paycheck
- 16. Sell vintage clothing online
- Benefits
- User experience
- Microloans
- You can’t control your portfolio
- 3. 'I’m bored of this stock, so I’m selling.'
- An example of selling a call option
- American Family
- Term life insurance
- QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale
- 4. Earn badges through Live videos
- Cheapest auto insurance for poor credit
- Swagbucks
- 4. One more thing to know about your tax refund
- Is Medicare Supplement Plan G worth it?
- Chase Experiences
- 4. Decide where to buy your index funds
- Be flexible with destination, airport and dates
- 4. Set a budget for your stock market investment
- 5. Choose investments that match your tolerance for risk
- Tennessee
- 20. Red Robin
- Barclays Small Business Big Wins
- 5. Your loan is cleared to close
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- 3. Prep for grocery shopping
- Lubbock Economic Development Alliance grants
- 5. Use a rewards card to pay for Airbnb
- 5. Choose how to price your services
- 17. Begin niche blogging
- Drawbacks
- Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFIAX)
- What happens if I forget to pay my quarterly taxes?
- Reviews
- Corporate bonds
- 9. Estate planning: Protect your financial well-being
- Allianz Global Assistance
- HO-6: Unit owners policy
- 3. Find your vending machine
- Home equity line of credit
- Past years' state tax rates
- Permanent life insurance
- Coffee and nonalcoholic options
- Nonresident status rules
- Disney Park Hopper is worth it if...
- Step 5: Separate your business and personal finances
- 9. Who is your custodian?
- Individual semiconductor stocks
- MetaMask: 4.0 out of 5 stars
- Dividend payout ratio
- Step 7: Market during your own events
- How do you get a perfect credit score?
- How to cancel award tickets booked with Delta SkyMiles
- Our pick for: An upgrade path
- How to use a W-4 to owe nothing on a tax return
- Compare Medigap plan types
- Personal loans
- There can be tax implications if you withdraw cash from your policy
- Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card
- Is Tesla Insurance worth it?
- Affordable Down Payment Assistance Program
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- How much is auto insurance after an at-fault accident?
- Texas
- SAVE benefits available by October 2023
- For overall similarity: Webull
- 21. Starbucks
- Freshen up your merchandise
- Book Emirates economy fares on points
- Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
- Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund (VTSAX)
- 7. CDs
- Mortgage insurance
- Bonzah
- To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel
- 7. Poshmark
- The Alamo Small Business Grant Program
- 18. Become an e-book writer
- How can I make paying quarterly taxes easier?
- Wildfires
- HO-7: Mobile home policy
- Soft vs. hard credit inquiry
- 5. Build a community
- SAVE benefit starting in February 2024
- 11. Monetize your social media accounts
- 10. What tax hit do I face if I invest with you?
- 22. Wingstop
- Part-year resident status rules
- Pros
- 6. Create a contract
- Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBTLX)
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Rental Cover
- 5. Buy index funds
- Cash-out refinance
- Washington
- Schedule time for grant applications
- Take clear photos
- Flooding
- Semiconductor stock ETFs
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- 6. Book through an airline portal
- Property-based passive income ideas
- Auto Club Group
- Club Olympus
- SAVE benefits available by July 2024
- 12. Get paid to stream on Twitch
- 23. Red Lobster
- Electrum: 2.5 out of 5 stars
- Cons
- Step 8: Get funding
- 4. Minimize restaurant spending
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Which one should I take?
- 19. Start ghostwriting
- Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBIAX)
- Our pick for: Customizable bonus categories
- Expand your coverage with endorsements
- Sure
- Design
- CREDIT CARD RENTAL BENEFITS CAN TAKE YOU FARTHER
- 5. Focus on investing for the long-term
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 20-year-old drivers after a DUI
- Step 6: Secure startup funding
- How to earn Oceania Club credits
- Expand your search efforts
- Webull is best for
- Webull at a glance
- Best insurance company for having few customer complaints: American Family
- Gifting large sums of money to family
- Cryptocurrency pros
- Business loans
- Complete financial plan and investment advice
- Step 6: Find and maintain clients
- Earthquakes
- HO-8: Modified coverage policy
- No-credit-check loan example
- 1. Decide what type of investor you are.
- How much is a Tesla?
- Wyoming
- Nonresident status rules
- Write an honest description
- Trading options on semiconductor stocks
- Don’t forget the fifth-freedom flights
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee
- American Express® Green Card
- 20. Become a resume writer
- Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGAX)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 8. Buy a rental property
- 6. Keep an eye on your index funds
- 4. Explore your financing options
- Personal loan
- Disney Park Hopper is not worth it if...
- How to redeem points
- America’s Seed Fund
- Flooding
- California earned income tax credit (CalEITC)
- Tips on booking premium class
- 24. American Eagle
- Weigh grant application fees
- Cheapest car insurance for young drivers
- Thunderstorms
- 5. Get discounts on entertainment
- 7. Message the host
- Paying for vacations, cars or other stuff
- Pros
- 21. Open a coworking space
- Vanguard Small Cap Index Fund (VSMAX)
- Cryptocurrency cons
- Business lines of credit
- Specialized guidance and/or want to meet with an advisor face-to-face
- Home purchase: Basic Home Mortgage 203(b)
- HO-14: Contents comprehensive policy
- To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel
- Seating areas
- Price clothes to sell
- 9. Become an Instagram influencer
- How to compare life insurance quotes
- 9. Rent out your own house
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
- California young child tax credit (YCTC)
- 6. Manage your stock portfolio
- 25. Anthropologie
- Keep alternative funding in mind
- Bring the kids
- Amber Grants
- 1. Has the W-4 form changed?
- Giving a laid-back loan
- Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund (VTIAX)
- FHA refinance loans
- Tesla repair costs
- Auto-Owners
- Average car insurance costs after a speeding ticket
- Life insurance quotes vs. rates
- 6. Map out major purchases
- For credit scores of 690 or higher
- 22. Become an online coach
- Portfolio management only
- Work spaces
- California child and dependent care tax credit
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 30-year-olds
- 26. Banana Republic
- Winter storms
- Step 9: Plan for emergencies — both financial and others
- 8. Hire staff
- Setting up joint bank accounts
- American Express® Gold Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- 10. Get a roommate
- Step 7: Market your business
- NASE Growth Grant
- Our pick for: No security deposit, low annual fee, potentially high credit limit
- 2. What does it mean to be exempt from taxes?
- 23. Flip failing websites
- 2. Choose how much you want to invest.
- California adoption cost tax credit
- 27. DSW
- Landslides and mudflows
- Ledger: 5.0 out of 5 stars
- 10. Monetize your Twitch channel
- Best insurance company for financial strength: Auto-Owners
- Winner: Virgin Atlantic
- Our pick for: Bank of America® customers
- Alternative investment passive income ideas
- FHA renovation loans
- Step 7: Invest in advertising and expanding
- Bathrooms
- Cheapest auto insurance for senior drivers
- 7. Restrict online shopping
- Best insurance company for financial strength: Auto-Owners
- For any credit score
- 24. Become a web developer
- California nonrefundable renters tax credit
- 28. J. Crew Factory
- NYC tax rate schedule
- Wildfires
- Cons
- Other specialty FHA loans
- 3. Gather your paperwork.
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 30-year-olds
- Average car insurance costs after a DUI
- 9. Write your day care contract and policies
- Understand your eligibility
- 25. Start a podcast
- 5. Stock your vending machine with inventory
- Farmers
- 29. Journeys
- Pros
- Trezor: 4 out of 5 stars
- 3. When should I review my W-4?
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
- 11. Peer-to-peer lending
- 8. Delay purchases with the 30-day rule
- 26. Be a social media influencer
- 30. Madewell
- 11. Sell your photography
- Note application deadlines and awards dates
- Our pick for: Average credit and rewards
- Pros
- 4. Pick your investments.
- 4. Can I adjust my W-4 multiple times throughout the year?
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-olds with poor credit
- 31. Old Navy
- Cons
- SafePal: 3.8 out of 5 stars
- 9. Get creative with gifts
- 27. Create online courses
- 12. Private equity
- 6. Make the right investments
- Consider financing alternatives
- Our pick for: Paying rent
- Online loans
- 32. Target Circle
- Best insurance company for discounts: Amica
- American Express® Business Gold Card
- 28. Become a marketing consultant
- Cons
- Most popular: HO-3 insurance
- The Hanover
- Best insurance company for discounts: Amica
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Nationwide vs. Trupanion pet insurance
- How quickly do you want to launch your store?
- Methodology
- 10. Lower your car costs
- Co-signed or joint loans
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Our pick for: Average credit and no annual fee
- 29. Develop an app
- 13. Crypto staking
- Apple Cash: digital card
- 33. Aveda
- 12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag
- Broadest coverage: HO-5 insurance
- Look up the insurer’s financial strength
- What specialty features do you need?
- 11. Reduce your gas usage
- Secured loans
- 34. BareMinerals
- If you’d rather be a free agent
- 30. Make a smart appliance
- Benefits of FHA loans
- Average annual car insurance costs for drivers with good vs. poor credit
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Nationwide vs. Healthy Paws pet insurance
- Cash App debit card
- Nationwide
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- Do you want to be tied to a specific marketplace?
- 35. Clinique
- 31. Tap into virtual reality experiences
- Disadvantages of FHA loans
- Limited coverage: HO-1 and HO-2 insurance
- Family loans
- Research the insurer’s reputation for customer service
- 13. Sell unused gift cards
- 12. Bundle cable and internet
- Product creation passive income ideas
- 1. Look at customer satisfaction scores
- 36. CVS
- Our pick for: Limited credit
- 32. Make a niche dating site
- Individual stocks
- How important is e-commerce compared with your other revenue streams?
- Payment plans
- Roth IRA withdrawal rules
- 2. Consider financial strength
- Hold the right cards
- 37. e.l.f. Cosmetics
- 13. Switch your cell phone plan
- Best insurance company for customer satisfaction: State Farm
- 33. Develop a chatbot
- 14. Write content
- Nationwide vs. ASPCA pet insurance
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 30-year-old drivers after a DUI
- Best insurance company for customer satisfaction: State Farm
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Pros
- Credit union loans
- Roth IRA withdrawal penalty
- 3. Evaluate the policy options
- 38. Lancome
- 14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb
- 34. Offer matchmaking skills
- State Farm
- How much do you rely on omnichannel sales?
- Dividend stocks
- Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
- Cons
- Capital Good Fund
- For cruise package deals: Costco Travel
- 39. Sephora
- 14. Reduce your electric bill
- 35. Be a virtual assistant
- 4. Get prices from a handful of companies
- Our pick for: Good credit
- Play by the rules
- How much is auto insurance for young drivers?
- 40. SmashBox
- 15. Lower your student loan payments
- 36. Reinvent exercising
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
- 15. Publish a digital course
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 40-year-olds
- 41. The Body Shop
- Understand the guest policy
- Best insurance company for military members: USAA
- 37. Create eco-friendly, health-friendly makeup and beauty products
- Travelers
- 42. Ulta
- 15. Sell your gently used clothes
- 16. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions
- Best insurance company for military members: USAA
- Car-related passive income ideas
- Directly with the Cruise Line
- 38. Open a food truck or restaurant pop-up
- What is a prepaid debit card?
- Our pick for: Travel
- Homeowners insurance deductibles
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 40-year-olds
- 17. Refinance your mortgage
- 39. Start an organization business
- 16. Wrap your car with ads
- 43. AMC Theatres
- What is a prepaid credit card?
- Know how to navigate the SFO airport (to literally get inside)
- Average annual car insurance costs for young drivers by company
- 40. Do interior design for young professionals
- 44. Barnes & Noble
- 16. Trade in old phones, electronics for cash
- 18. Set savings goals
- 17. Rent out a parking space
- Where can you get a prepaid card?
- How to compare renters insurance
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 40-year-olds with poor credit
- 45. Redbox
- How do you add money to a prepaid card?
- Our pick for: Instant gratification
- Which prepaid card is best?
- 17. Get a babysitting gig
- 19. Track spending
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 40-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- 20. Pay off high-interest debt
- 18. Rent out your car
- 21. Keep savings in a high-yield savings account
- Our pick for: Personalized rewards
- You have a roommate
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 40-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- If you want both brand-specific perks and flexible points
- 22. Create a 50/30/20 budget
- You’re on a tight budget
- 19. Sign up for TaskRabbit
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 40-year-old drivers after a DUI
- You would want new items if your belongings were destroyed
- 23. Shop consignment and thrift stores
- 20. Become a private tutor
- You own expensive jewelry or electronics
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 50-year-olds
- 24. Join initiatives to get free items
- You have a dog
- 21. Drive for Uber, Lyft
- Airport lounge access
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 50-year-olds
- 25. Use car sharing services
- 22. Make deliveries for Amazon, Uber Eats
- 26. Stock up on household supplies when they’re cheap
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 50-year-olds with poor credit
- In-flight extras and checked bags
- 23. Find work as a housesitter
- 27. Enjoy community events
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 50-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
- 24. Sign up to be a mystery shopper
- 28. Cash in on your birthday
- Bonus points on spending
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 50-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- 25. Put your drone to work
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 50-year-old drivers after a DUI
- Trip insurance benefits
- Conditions common to your dog’s breed
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 60-year-olds
- Your dog’s energy and activities
- Car rental coverage
- Wellness expenses
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 60-year-olds
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 60-year-olds with poor credit
- Decide whether your cat needs insurance
- Wellness expenses
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 60-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 60-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- 1. Check whether your pet is eligible
- 2. Research what’s covered
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 60-year-old drivers after a DUI
- 3. Decide how much coverage you want
- Cheapest full coverage car insurance in California for 70-year-olds
- 4. Understand reimbursements and deductibles
- Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in California for 70-year-olds
- 5. Check waiting periods
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 70-year-olds with poor credit
- 6. Examine extra costs
- 7. Compare quotes
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 70-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 70-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash
- Cheapest auto insurance in California for 70-year-old drivers after a DUI
- Auto insurance laws in California
- Low-income car insurance in California
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.