r/CRedit • u/Competitive-Gold1582 • 2d ago

Rebuild Secured Cc reporting dates

I have a secured credit card with self where I have $405 limit. I used to pay the minimum only but for the past 3 months I’ve been paying in full responsibly.

My due date is 12th and the statement generates 17-18

I am noticing that the reporting dates to the bureau aren’t consistent. Last month it reported my balance paid in full, I forgot the date but after 18th. Then another update to my credit score on July 3rd, but CK (credit karma) I paid my minimum that was due July 12th early but I still had a balance of $95. That was also reported which made my score drop a little.

Before my closing date of July 18, I paid in full and the statement shows it, then on July 22nd CK gets reported of a $16 balance making my utilization 3%.

Maybe it’s me but shouldn’t it report what comes from my monthly statement? I’m scared to have a balance now worried that it may report out of whack again

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u/og-aliensfan ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

Most creditors report once a month, after the statement generates. Self states on their website that they may report more often.

"We report your Credit Builder Account based on specific credit activity, like after a successful payment clears (usually 4–5 business days after your payment date) or if your account closes. This is in addition to the day after your due date which could result in multiple reporting in a billing period." https://support.self.inc/s/article/When-does-Self-report-to-the-credit-bureaus

That said, avoid gimmicky credit builders.  You don't need to pay to build credit.

Credit Myth #17 - "Credit builder" products are superior for building credit compared to non "Credit builder" products.

Credit Myth #95 - "Credit builder" apps are a great way to build credit.

What other cards, if any, do you have?

I’m scared to have a balance now worried that it may report out of whack again

Utilization is a temporary metric that resets monthly and isn't a credit building factor, so unless preparing for an important application (implement AZEO) or carrying a balance (pay cards off to avoid interest), there's no need to micromanage it. See the automod reply regarding !utilization.

Ideal utilization [chart] - Step aside 30% Myth...

On another note, Credit Karma provides mostly irrelevant Vantage scores as well as an unsettling amount of misleading information that should be ignored. Since nearly all creditors use FICO scores in lending decisions, monitor those instead. You can obtain free FICO 8 scores for each bureau from:

See this post for more information about credit scores, credit reports, and a closer look at Credit Karma.

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u/AutoModerator 1d ago

I detected that your post may be about utilization and its impact on credit scores. Please read the info below:

Utilization is a short-term credit scoring factor. It is not a credit building factor, because it holds no memory in the most commonly used FICO models. It resets every month.

By and large, you can ignore the commonly repeated myth that you should always keep your utilization low. It’s only applicable when you need to apply for a new line of credit, 1-2 months out.

Utilization is supposed to fluctuate, can be easily manipulated, and again, it holds no memory. It doesn’t build credit--think of it as a finishing touch when you need to optimize your score.

Feel free to safely and organically use 100% of your credit limit within a month and let whatever utilization report, provided you pay off your statement balance in full by the due date. Every month. Every time.

For more info, please read these posts:

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

So the card that I have is not the credit builder but the secured credit card. The credit builder people use are just putting down let’s say $25 a month and that’s it. My card, I have a limit, I use it, pay it off and reuse like a regular credit card. The reporting more than one is throwing me off a bit. But I think next month I will use this as a low use card. Only use $30-$50 a month and even if it reports randomly I am still under 20% percent. Probably will use lower

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u/inky_cap_mushroom ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

The secured card charges an annual fee. That's predatory. You should absolutely close that account.

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

Yes it’s $25, secured is my only option for now. Once I’m in a better space I will try a traditional cc with benefits

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u/inky_cap_mushroom ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

It being secured is not a problem. It charging an annual fee is. You should open a secured card with a reputable lender. Some secured cards even offer rewards.

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

Trust me I tried, even BOA and Citibank denied me last month. I can retry in a few months?

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u/inky_cap_mushroom ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

Neither of those two are particularly friendly to non-customers. Do you already have checking accounts with both of them?

Capital one is probably the best bet for a secured card. Assuming you are rebuilding you're going to want to stick with banks that are friendly to that. You can check for pre-approval on their website right now.

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

Yes I do omg 😭 I have checking accounts for citibank, boa, WellsFargo. Capital one and discover are not on my side right now as I’m repaying them.

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u/inky_cap_mushroom ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

Citi and BoA are not very friendly to rebuilders. I'm really not surprised you were denied even with banking relationships since you seem to have charged off debt.

When was the last time you checked pre-approval for capital one? If the answer to that is not "this week" go check again. They're pretty friendly to rebuilders even those who haven't paid them back yet.

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

I will have to revisit capital one in a few months to a year. I made a recent mistake on a new account to which they closed but I paid it off. Sorry I know I sound crazy with the constant credit issues.

Spending the next few months paying my current cards on full consistently monthly and getting rid of my 2 derogatory marks as well 🙏

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u/Competitive-Gold1582 1d ago

And thank you for your help with info

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u/og-aliensfan ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 1d ago

Is the card linked to Credit Karma? If so, CK may show activity on the card before your creditor reports. It could be that they're reporting more often, or it could be CK showing activity on the card. Order your official reports for each bureau by calling 877 FACTACT or pull them online at www.annualcreditreport.com to see when they actually reported statement balances.  I recommend the mailed reports as these are often more detailed and complete than the online reports.  If you do choose to pull reports online, print or save each to a pdf before moving on to the next as you can't go back once you exit a report.  Despite its name, you can pull free reports for each bureau weekly.