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Beartracks

(12,801 posts)
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 08:04 PM Oct 2019

Credit scores and "credit usage"

When credit usage is calculated, is it done in aggregate across all credit cards, or on each individual card and then averaged?

That is, is the total of all balances divided into the total of all credit limits to determine the usage percent? Or, is a usage percent calced for each card first and then those individual percentages are averaged?
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Credit scores and "credit usage" (Original Post) Beartracks Oct 2019 OP
Generally it's revolving debt divided by total available revolving credit FBaggins Oct 2019 #1
Does revolving debt include "catalog" or "store" cards? Beartracks Oct 2019 #6
It does if you can keep making charges on the account FBaggins Oct 2019 #7
As per Dave Ramsey, if you have to put it on a credit card, 3Hotdogs Oct 2019 #2
Not necessarily customerserviceguy Oct 2019 #4
That does not include paying balance each month use. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2019 #5
It's aggregated customerserviceguy Oct 2019 #3

FBaggins

(26,721 posts)
1. Generally it's revolving debt divided by total available revolving credit
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 08:28 PM
Oct 2019

However - most people don't realize that you don't really have a single "score"... or even three scores (one for each credit bureau).

Banks often have their own unique twist on the scoring process that they pay the bureaus to produce for them. So whether they want to look at total credit utilization or that of specific revolving accounts is up to them.

Beartracks

(12,801 posts)
6. Does revolving debt include "catalog" or "store" cards?
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 06:03 PM
Oct 2019

Obviously, a Capital One card in your wallet would be revolving credit. What about, say, a Fingerhut account or Nordstrom card?

Kind of also wondering if one's credit score is improved by the addition of a "store" card (because, hey! more credit capacity!) or diminished (because of the hard credit pull).

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FBaggins

(26,721 posts)
7. It does if you can keep making charges on the account
Wed Oct 16, 2019, 08:27 PM
Oct 2019

It’s possible to have store credit for a fixed amount over a given period (which would not count)... but if they give you a credit limit and you can keep using it for additional purchases at the store as you pay the debt down... it’s a revolving account.

customerserviceguy

(25,183 posts)
4. Not necessarily
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 09:16 PM
Oct 2019

I pay all my balances in full every single month, but I run my spending through a card to get hotel points, frequent flier mileage, and sometimes cash back.

Generally, for most people, you've got a good point.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
5. That does not include paying balance each month use.
Mon Oct 14, 2019, 10:16 PM
Oct 2019

Credit cards are the way to go for online purchases, 'cause the card company will back you up in a charge dispute. As will Pay Pal, which requires a card to open an account.

Using a card to pay for plus 30 day items, which rack up interest payments, not good at all.

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