Experts generally recommend maintaining a credit utilization rate below 30%, with some suggesting that you should aim for a single-digit utilization rate (under 10%) to get the best credit score.
A good guideline is the 30% rule: Use no more than 30% of your credit limit to keep your debt-to-credit ratio strong. Staying under 10% is even better. In a real-life budget, the 30% rule works like this: If you have a card with a $1,000 credit limit, it's best not to have more than a $300 balance at any time.
It's commonly said that you should aim to use less than 30% of your available credit, and that's a good rule to follow. But there's really no magical utilization rate cutoff for every scoring model.
Lower the better: 30% rule
In general, a “good” credit utilization ratio is less than 30%. Anything higher than that can actually negatively impact your credit score. But lower is always better. And be aware that both the ratio on each card and your overall ratio matter.
If you're hoping to snag the best-available terms on a loan, a standard rule of thumb about credit card usage could end up standing in your way. The common advice is to keep revolving debt below 30% of your available credit so that your utilization rate doesn't hurt your credit score.
Keep your balance below 30% of your credit limit
A good rule of thumb is to avoid spending more than 30% of your credit limit, to keep your utilization low. For example, on a card with a $200 credit limit, do not carry more than a $60 balance at any time.
If you've avoided credit cards until now, a $500 limit (or something similar) is the perfect way to get your feet wet. Restricting yourself to a lower limit can be a great, low-pressure way to get started with credit cards.
FICO credit scores, the industry standard for sizing up credit risk, range from 300 to a perfect 850—with 670 to 739 labeled “good,” 740-799 “very good” and 800 to 850 “exceptional.” A 700 score places you right in the middle of the good range, but still slightly below the average credit score of 711.
It's Best to Pay Your Credit Card Balance in Full Each Month
Leaving a balance will not help your credit scores—it will just cost you money in the form of interest. Carrying a high balance on your credit cards has a negative impact on scores because it increases your credit utilization ratio.
The credit limit you can get with a 750 credit score is likely in the $1,000-$15,000 range, but a higher limit is possible. The reason for the big range is that credit limits aren't solely determined by your credit score.
A good credit limit is above $30,000, as that is the average credit card limit, according to Experian. To get a credit limit this high, you typically need an excellent credit score, a high income and little to no existing debt. What qualifies as a good credit limit differs from person to person, though.
It's important to put at least some of your spending on a card from time to time, but spending more will not benefit your score. Aim to use no more than 30% of your credit limit on any of your cards, and less is better.
A high-limit credit card typically comes with a credit line between $5,000 to $10,000 (and some even go beyond $10,000). You're more likely to have a higher credit limit if you have good or excellent credit.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, experts recommend keeping your credit utilization below 30% of your available credit. So if your only line of credit is a credit card with a $2,000 limit, that would mean keeping your balance below $600.
If you never use your available credit, or only use a small percentage of the total amount available, it may lower your credit utilization rate and improve your credit scores. Your utilization rate represents how much of your available credit you're using at a given time.
A 0% credit utilization rate has no real benefit for your credit score. Instead of aiming for no utilization, keep your credit utilization rates below 30%, and preferably under 10%, to help your credit.
Having accounts open with a credit card company will not hurt your credit score, but having zero balances will not prove to lenders that you are creditworthy and will repay a loan. Lenders want to make sure you repay, and that you will also pay interest.
THUMBS UP = A $1,000 credit limit means you're using 30% THUMBS DOWN = A $500 credit limit means you're using 60% It's always a good idea to keep your credit card balance as low as possible in relation to your credit limit.
Every lender has its own criteria for determining how much credit to extend, but there are two common reasons why you might have a low credit limit: Your credit scores may have been low while applying for a specific credit card or loan. You may be relatively new to credit and haven't built up a long credit history yet.
There's a missed payment lurking on your report
A single payment that is 30 days late or more can send your score plummeting because on-time payments are the biggest factor in your credit score. Worse, late payments stay on your credit report for up to seven years.