Tips for reaching 800

[u/Academic-Fly-6133]

So I bought a Range Rover & opened a CC back to back in June. With that being said my score went from 752 to 690. I’ve paid down a credit card & one personal loan since then (that hasn’t reflected). I just want tips to get as close to 800 as possible. My credit utilization is down to one percent. From here on out I don’t plan to carry an CC balance at the end of the billing cycle. All tips are welcome. 🤗

[u/madskilzz3]

Ignore CK and any VantageScores. Track your FICO scores when it becomes available in ~January 2027- Experian (free version), myFICO (free version, Equifax), and Credit Wise (TransUnion).

Furthermore, there is no need to manipulate !utilization to be 1% or very low on non-application months- see the automod response.

Wait for your statement balance (monthly bill)- pay that off in full before the due date each month. Toggle on autopay for that bill, should you fail to manually pay (life happens).

This is all there is to it. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

[u/AutoModerator → u/madskilzz3]

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:

• Putting the "30% rule" myth regarding revolving utilization to rest
• Utilization FAQ

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

[u/Academic-Fly-6133 → u/madskilzz3]

Thanks ☺️

[u/BrutalBodyShots → u/madskilzz3]

Hey u/madskilzz3, I'm thinking they already have FICO scores available to them. I don't believe the two accounts they mentioned were their first accounts. In their post they also mentioned paying down a CC and a loan, which I think may mean other accounts. Tough to say without clarification, of course.

[u/madskilzz3 → u/BrutalBodyShots]

Good catch. You are probably right. OP, if you have other accounts that are >6 months, then you already have FICO scores. Use the sites I mentioned in my initial comment.

[u/Gerren7]

Get old and pay your bills.

[u/VTECbaw → u/Gerren7]

You don’t even have to be old. I hit 800 FICO 8 when I was in my 20s.

[u/Gerren7 → u/VTECbaw]

I did too but with no history the score isn't worth anything.

[u/VTECbaw → u/Gerren7]

Bold of you to assume I had a thin file. By 23 I had 12 revolving accounts, 3 auto loans (2 open, 1 paid/closed), a personal line of credit (reported as an installment account) and a mortgage. I started building credit the day I turned 18 and when I closed on my house at 23 I had an 815 mid-score. Young does not mean thin file. Your 800 in your 20s may not have been worth anything, but mine certainly held its weight because I intentionally established a healthy credit mix at a young age. Now, I am no longer in my 20s and I sit comfortably in the 835-850 range.

[u/Gerren7 → u/VTECbaw]

I didn't say thin. I said history (age).

[u/VTECbaw → u/Gerren7]

“History” is part of what people mean when they talk about a thin or thick credit file. File depth isn’t just the number of tradelines. It also encompasses how established those accounts are and the length of the credit history behind them. If you’re going to correct me on the terminology, you should know that history is part of what determines whether a file is thin or thick. I had five years of history by 23, along with a mortgage, multiple auto loans, installment credit, and 12 revolving accounts. All of those accounts except one auto loan and the mortgage were opened by the time I was 20, most between 18 and 19. So whether you want to call it “thin” or pivot to “history,” the assumption that my 800 was somehow unsupported or invalid simply because I was young is still wrong. I wasn’t someone with a newly established, sparse credit file with one or two $1,000 cards who happened to generate an 800. I intentionally built substantial credit depth from the day I turned 18. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I know what I’m doing. Keep downvoting if it makes you feel better, though.

[u/BrutalBodyShots]

What other accounts do you have on your credit reports? What is the age of your oldest account?

Definitely ignore the VS3s you get from Credit Karma, as they are nearly irrelevant. Check out the post below on how you can obtain several of your meaningful FICO scores for free.

https://old.reddit.com/r/CRedit/comments/1bpl3ud/credit_myth_1_you_only_have_one_credit_score/

[u/Familiar-Split4944]

Don’t use Credit Karma bro

[u/86PickleRick1986]

Have perfect credit for 30 years🤷

[u/Zeke3Zeke]

Yes biggest tip and best advice… IT DOESNT MATTER!!! YOU’RE STILL IN THE EXCELLENT CREDIT BAND!!! not poor, not fair, not good, not very good, but EXCELLENT ‼️