
Keeping credit cards under 30 is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy credit ratio. This means having no more than 30% of your available credit limit used at any given time.
Using too much of your available credit can lead to a higher debt-to-income ratio, which can negatively impact your credit score. For example, if you have a $1,000 credit limit and you're using $300, that's 30% of your available credit.
Having too many credit cards can also harm your credit score, as it can indicate to lenders that you're taking on too much debt. The ideal number of credit cards is a topic of debate, but most experts agree that having between 2-5 credit cards is a good starting point.
By keeping your credit cards under 30, you'll be able to maintain a healthy credit ratio and avoid any potential negative impacts on your credit score.
Understanding Credit Ratios
Your credit utilization ratio is a percentage of your credit limits that you're using on your revolving credit, mainly credit cards. This ratio is a significant factor in determining your credit score.
To calculate your credit utilization ratio, you can divide your credit card balance by its credit limit and multiply by 100. For example, if you spend $500 on a credit card with a $5,000 credit limit, that equals a 10 percent utilization rate.
A credit utilization ratio of less than 30% is recommended for maintaining a good credit score. In fact, keeping your utilization ratio below 10% can even lead to better results.
Here's a breakdown of the recommended credit utilization ratios:
Remember, your credit utilization ratio can vary from month to month, so it's essential to monitor your credit report regularly to ensure you're maintaining a healthy credit utilization ratio.
What Is a Ratio?
A credit utilization ratio is a percentage that shows how much of your available credit you're using. It's calculated by dividing your total credit balance by your total credit limit, then multiplying by 100.
Credit scoring models consider both your overall credit utilization and your utilization rates for individual revolving accounts. This means maxing out one credit card can negatively affect your credit utilization ratio, even if you carry a low or no balance on another card.
Your credit utilization ratio accounts for up to 30% of your FICO Score, which is used by 90% of top lenders. To keep your credit score high, aim to keep your overall credit utilization ratio under 30%.
Here are the steps to calculate your credit utilization ratio:
- Find your total credit limit by adding up the credit limits on all your credit cards.
- Find your total credit balance by adding up the balances on all your credit cards.
- Divide your total credit balance by your total credit limit.
- Convert the result to a percentage by multiplying by 100.
For example, if you have four credit cards with a total credit limit of $34,700 and a total credit balance of $5,900, your credit utilization ratio would be 17%.
What Is a Good Ratio?
A good credit utilization ratio is crucial for maintaining a healthy credit score. Keeping your credit utilization below 30% is recommended for consumers looking to maintain a good credit score.
Using too much of your available credit can negatively impact your credit score. A high credit utilization ratio indicates that you're using too much of your available credit.
You should aim to use no more than 30% of your credit limit at any given time. Allowing your credit utilization ratio to rise above this may result in a temporary dip in your score.
Keeping your credit utilization below 30 percent to maintain a good credit score is the most common advice from credit experts. This means if you have $10,000 in available credit, your outstanding balances should not exceed $3,000.
A credit utilization rate of zero percent shows credit reporting agencies that you're not using your credit limits at all, rather than using them responsibly.
Calculating Your Credit Utilization
Calculating your credit utilization ratio is a straightforward process that can be done with basic math skills. You can use a credit utilization ratio calculator or do it manually by dividing the amount you owe on a credit card by its credit limit.
To calculate your overall credit utilization, start by adding up all the credit limits on your credit cards, which you can find by logging into your credit card accounts. Then, add up your current credit card balances and divide your debt by your credit limits.
For example, if you have two credit cards with a total credit limit of Rs 1,00,000 and you currently have Rs 30,000 as the combined outstanding balance on both cards, your Credit Utilisation Ratio would be: (Rs 30,000) / (Rs 1,00,000) x 100 = 30%.
A CUR of less than 30% is recommended for consumers looking to maintain a good credit score. A high CUR indicates that the consumer is using too much of their available credit, which can negatively impact their credit score.
To make it easier, let's break it down into steps:
1. Find your total credit limit by adding up your credit limit from all of your credit cards.
2. Find your total credit balance by adding up how much you’ve charged to each card.
3. Divide your credit balance by your credit limit.
4. Convert to a percentage by multiplying the value from step 3 by 100 to get a percentage.
For instance, if your total credit limit is $34,700 and your total credit balance is $5,900, your credit utilization ratio would be 0.17, which equals 17% when multiplied by 100.
Managing Credit Card Debt
Lowering your credit utilization ratio is relatively easy and one of the quickest ways to boost your credit score. You can reduce your debt, increase your available credit, and reap the benefits of a lower credit utilization ratio by paying off your purchases the same day.
Paying for everyday purchases the day you make the purchase is a smart move. You'll lower your overall credit usage and avoid paying interest on your purchases, earning you additional credit card rewards.
Making multiple credit card payments within the same billing cycle can also reduce your credit utilization ratio. Credit card companies typically report account balances at the end of each billing cycle, so making several payments as you're able during the month can lower your ratio once your balance is reported.
Maintaining Good Credit Habits
Maintaining good credit habits is crucial to keeping your credit utilization under 30%. You should aim to keep your credit utilization below 30 percent to maintain a good credit score.
Keeping your credit utilization ratio low is ideal, but you may not want to bring it all the way to zero - and those with excellent credit usually don’t. A credit utilization rate of zero percent shows credit reporting agencies that you’re not using your credit limits at all rather than using them responsibly.
Paying off your balance quickly is key to keeping your credit utilization ratio low. If you make a large purchase but pay it off fairly quickly, your utilization will go down once that payment hits your credit report.
You can also keep your credit utilization ratio low by paying down your balance multiple times per month. Paying down your balance often doesn’t guarantee your credit utilization won’t rise, but it increases the odds your bank may report your card balance to a credit bureau on a day where your utilization is, in fact, lower.
Here are some tips to keep your credit utilization ratio under 30%:
- Aim to use no more than 30% of your credit limit at any given time.
- Paying down your balance quickly can help keep your credit utilization ratio low.
- Paying down your balance multiple times per month can also help.
- Consider keeping old, unused credit cards open to maintain your total available credit.
Remember, keeping your credit utilization ratio under 30% takes discipline and responsibility, but it's worth it to maintain good credit habits and a healthy credit score.
Credit Score Impact
Credit utilization is a critical factor in determining your credit score, making up 30% of your total score. This means that keeping your credit utilization ratio low is essential for maintaining a good credit score.
To put this into perspective, if you have a credit limit of $1,000, it's recommended to use no more than $300 of that amount. Anything above 30% can negatively impact your credit score.
Here are the five factors that affect your credit score, with credit utilization being the second-most important factor:
By keeping your credit utilization ratio low and paying off your balances in full each month, you can effectively manage your credit card expenses and maintain a good credit score.
Impact on Score
Your credit utilization ratio has a significant impact on your credit score. In fact, it's the second-most important factor, making up 30 percent of your total score.
To keep your credit utilization ratio in check, aim to use no more than 30% of your credit limit at any given time. This will help you avoid a temporary dip in your score.
Credit bureaus like CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, and CRIF calculate credit scores based on various factors, and a lower credit utilization ratio is seen favorably.
Lowering your credit utilization ratio can be achieved by setting a budget, paying off balances in full each month, consolidating credit card debt, and monitoring expenses regularly.
Here's a breakdown of the five factors that affect your credit score, with credit utilization making up 30 percent:
- Payment history: 35%
- Credit utilization: 30%
- Length of credit history: 15%
- Credit mix: 10%
- New credit: 10%
How Does Affiliation Impact My Score?
Lenders may consider you a high-risk borrower if you're affiliated with many accounts, and this can negatively impact your credit score.
Having too many credit accounts can make you appear over-extended and increase your debt-to-income ratio, which can be a red flag for lenders.
Your credit score can be affected by the number of accounts you have, but this factor doesn't account for as much as credit utilization, which accounts for up to 30% of your credit score.
Calculating and Improving Your Ratio
Calculating your credit utilization ratio is a straightforward process, and it's essential to understand how it's calculated. To do this, simply divide the amount you owe on a credit card by its credit limit, and you'll get your utilization rate for that card.
You can find your total credit limit by adding up the credit limits on all your credit cards, and your total credit balance by adding up your current balances on each card. For example, if you have four credit cards with a total credit limit of $34,700 and a total balance of $5,900, your credit utilization ratio would be 17% (calculated by dividing $5,900 by $34,700 and multiplying by 100).
A good credit utilization ratio is 30% or less, and maintaining a healthy ratio is crucial for a good credit score. To improve your ratio, you can try requesting a higher credit limit, spending less, or making twice-monthly credit card payments.
Improve Performance

Calculating and Improving Your Ratio can be a daunting task, but it's essential for maintaining a healthy credit score.
To improve your credit utilization ratio, consider requesting a higher credit limit on your existing cards. This can help lower your overall credit utilization ratio, even if your spending habits remain the same.
Your budget and financial situation will determine which strategy is right for you. For example, if you're struggling to make payments, it may be better to focus on reducing your spending rather than applying for more credit.
One effective way to manage your credit utilization is to set up balance alerts on your credit card accounts. This can help you stay on top of your spending and avoid exceeding 30% utilization.
Paying your credit card bills twice a month can also help keep your balance lower when it's reported to the credit bureaus. This can be especially helpful if you're unable to reduce your spending.

To get a better understanding of your credit utilization ratio, calculate your overall ratio by considering your total credit limits and balances across all your accounts. This will give you a more accurate picture of your credit utilization.
A good credit utilization ratio is generally considered to be 30% or less. This shows lenders that you're responsible with your credit and can manage your finances effectively.
Here's a simple formula to calculate your credit utilization ratio:
- Total credit limits: $15,000
- Total balances: $2,000
- Credit utilization ratio: 13%
To improve your credit utilization ratio, aim to keep your overall credit utilization under 30%, and ideally under 10% for the best credit score.
What is a Good Ratio?
A good credit utilization ratio is a crucial factor in maintaining a healthy credit score. Most credit experts advise keeping your credit utilization below 30 percent to maintain a good credit score. This means if you have $10,000 in available credit, your outstanding balances should not exceed $3,000.

You may occasionally make purchases that exceed 30 percent of your available credit, but it's essential to pay them off within your grace period and avoid turning them into revolving balances or long-term debt. People with exceptional credit scores of 800 to 850 had a credit utilization of just over 7 percent, according to a 2023 Experian report.
Aiming for a credit utilization of 30% or less shows lenders you know how to manage your money and that you aren't a risk to lend to. If you don't need all of the credit available to you, it's clear that you're able to pay off your balances and aren't spending beyond your means.
To put this into perspective, here's a breakdown of what different credit utilization ratios can mean for your credit score:
The lower the ratio, the better. The higher the ratio, the worse the negative impact on your credit score.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 35% utilization bad?
Yes, 35% credit utilization is considered high and may negatively impact your credit score, as it exceeds the recommended 30% threshold for maintaining good credit. To improve your credit health, consider strategies to lower your credit utilization ratio.
Sources
- https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/advice/credit-utilization-ratio/
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/ways-to-keep-credit-utilization-low/
- https://www.financialexpress.com/money/credit-cards-keep-usage-under-30-of-credit-limit-3204202/
- https://financebuzz.com/credit-utilization
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/how-much-of-my-credit-card-limit-should-i-use/
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