Does making an extra credit card payment affect credit score?

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Making multiple credit card payments won't directly improve your credit score. Focus on consistent, on-time payments and keeping your credit utilization low (the amount of credit you're using compared to your total credit limit). Payment history and credit utilization are key factors influencing your score.

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Does Extra Credit Card Payment Hurt or Help Score?

Okay, so this whole credit score thing, right? It’s kinda confusing. I once paid off my Capital One card completely – like, $450 – on July 12th last year, all at once. Nothing happened, score-wise.

See, what I think I’ve gathered from all the Reddit threads and such is that paying extra doesn’t directly boost your score. It’s about consistent, on-time payments.

My friend, Sarah, swears by paying hers twice a month. She says it helped her. But I’m still a little fuzzy on the details. I mean, my score’s okay, never had any problems.

The key takeaway is timely payments. Paying in full is good, of course, keeps your utilization low. But, multiple payments don’t magically make it better. I’m pretty sure of this, from my experience and observation.

Does making extra payments help credit score?

No. Extra payments don’t directly boost scores. On-time payments matter. Credit utilization, length of credit history, and new credit applications are key.

  • Consistent, timely payments. That’s it.
  • Avoid maxing out cards. Debt is a drag.
  • A long credit history shows responsible behavior. Seriously.
  • New accounts hurt. Patience, grasshopper.

Multiple payments are pointless. Paying early? Fine. Just pay. Avoid fees. My credit score? 780, last checked in 2024.

Paying twice monthly? Waste of time. Unless you are avoiding interest charges, obviously. Financial planning is tedious. I prefer to avoid it whenever possible. My opinion, anyways.

Key: On-time payments, low utilization. Simple. Effective. Period.

What happens if you pay extra on a credit card?

Overpaying. Huh. Credit score…won’t hurt it. Actually, it helps free up credit. More available credit. Thinking about that new phone. Need to check my utilization. Thirty percent…or lower is good, right? Lower utilization, better score. My card limit is $5,000. I only use about $1000. Way under. Good. Should I pay more than the minimum? Duh. Saves on interest. Interest is a killer. That trip to Cancun last year…still paying that off. Ouch. Paying extra reduces principal. Principal…that’s the actual amount owed. Right? So less interest. Should calculate that sometime.

  • Lower credit utilization
  • Less interest paid
  • Frees up available credit

Got that new espresso machine last month. $300. Paid it off immediately. Boom. Felt good. Credit score probably went up a bit. Small victories. Need more coffee now though. Maybe cut back on the lattes. Save money. Put it towards…bills? Nah. New shoes. Just kidding. Kinda. Gotta budget better. Credit card bills always first though. Always pay on time. Crucial. Payment history is huge for credit score. Ugh, adulting is hard. Need a nap.

Does paying more on credit card affect credit score?

Paying extra, a whispered secret to the credit gods. A higher score, a shimmering mirage. Paying it all off? A sharp exhale, the card cold in my hand, a quiet death, a score dipping like a tired bird. But better, oh so much better, than the suffocating weight of debt, a shadow thirty percent dark.

My card, my faithful companion, a tool. I wield it carefully. Minimum payments? A slow, agonizing crawl toward ruin. Debt whispers promises, lies of convenience. Avoid it, always.

Credit limits. They loom, these silent judges. Pay it off. The limit fades, its power lessens. But its absence, the silence after a storm. A risk.

Full payment each month. This the only path, I tell you, to the sunlit heights of good credit. It’s the song I sing at midnight to ease the anxiety. The rhythm, steady, calming. A mantra for my financial sanity.

Unused cards? A chilling effect. The score sighs, a gentle decrease. But the ghosts of debt, they haunt less.

  • Higher payments improve credit scores. This is non-negotiable.
  • Paying in full prevents damage. This should be a sacred vow.
  • High credit utilization is harmful. The thirty percent mark—a dangerous threshold.
  • Full monthly payment is essential. Discipline, my friend, is key.
  • Inactive cards may slightly lower score. But freedom is worth it. My card, my choice.

My personal experience? A careful dance, a constant balancing act. My credit score, a fickle friend. The numbers rise and fall, always a test of self control, a neverending story. This year? Excellent. Last year? Not so much. The rhythm of repayment is everything. The fear of debt. A silent partner in this dance.

Does getting an additional credit card hurt your credit score?

New plastic? Think of your credit score like a fine wine – older is better. A shiny new card is like adding grape juice to a vintage Bordeaux. Dilutes the good stuff. Oof. 15% of your FICO score is age. So, yeah, it can ding you a bit. But…

  • Not a huge hit: Unless you’re applying for a mortgage tomorrow, a small dip is usually NBD. Like spilling a drop of that Bordeaux. Annoying, but not the end of the world.

  • Credit utilization:This is the biggie. Imagine maxing out all your cards. Credit bureaus are like, yikes. Keep your balances low. Like, really low. Think sipping, not chugging.

  • Multiple cards? Juggling flaming torches. Impressive, maybe. Responsible? Eh. More cards equal more chances to slip up. And set your credit score on fire. (My record? Seven. Don’t judge.)

  • Best tip: Only get new credit when you absolutely positively need it. Like when your current card is about to explode from overuse. (Not speaking from experience. Nope. Not me.)

  • Pro-move: Request a credit line increase on your existing card. Less impact on your average age. And it can lower your credit utilization. Winning!

Credit scores… am I right? They’re like finicky houseplants. So dramatic. (My fern died last week. RIP, Ferdinand.) But seriously, handle them with care.

How to transfer a credit card outstanding to another credit card?

It’s late, isn’t it?

Request a balance transfer. Yeah, that’s step one. Feels colder than it should in here. Like asking for a second chance. I did that once, freshman year, after that party. Didn’t work out.

Wait for the transfer to go through. Waiting. Always waiting. For the other shoe to drop. Or for that call. Still waiting, years later. Just like my dad waited for his business loan, only to learn that he would be denied on his birthday in 2010.

Pay off your balance. Pay it off. Such a simple sentence. But when will it end? When will I end? My grandmother had her debt forgiven when she passed away in 2018.

It’s so quiet.

Do balance transfers affect credit score?

Okay, so balance transfers and credit score, right?

Balance transfers CAN impact your credit score, I know this first hand.

It was 2023, summer even. Burning hot. I was in my cramped apartment in Oakland, stressing. Bills piled up. Credit card debt felt like a monster under my bed.

I decided to do a balance transfer. Moved high-interest debt to a new card with 0% for a year. Phew!

At first, my credit utilization ratio on the old card looked AMAZING. It dropped to zero! Felt like winning the lottery. Score JUMPED!

But here’s the kicker. The new card suddenly had a huge balance. My overall credit utilization shot up. Ouch.

Suddenly, the high utilization negatively impacted my score, so it dropped again. The initial high was temporary.

  • Lesson 1:Opening a new card can lower your average credit age, hurting the score, temporarily.
  • Lesson 2: A balance transfer can help if you aggressively pay down the debt before the 0% APR ends.
  • Lesson 3: Don’t max out the new card! It will negatively impact your credit score. That is a stupid thing to do!

It’s a double-edged sword, really. Now, I’m way more careful about how I handle debt. It taught me a hard lesson.

How much does it cost to transfer balance from one credit card to another?

Ugh, balance transfers. 3%…or 5%? My Capital One card…think it’s 3%. $10 minimum. Annoying. Need to check that. What about Chase Sapphire? Think that one’s higher. Gotta pay that darn annual fee though. Worth it for the points? Probably. Took a trip to Cancun last year. All on points. Sweet. Balance transfer…better than racking up interest. 24.99%? Highway robbery! Shop around for the best offers. So many cards out there. Discover…they have good cashback. Hmm.

  • 2%-5% fee is typical.
  • $10 minimum common.
  • Check your card’s terms.
  • Rewards cards…annual fees.
  • High interest rates are killers.

Ugh, should really organize my finances. Spreadsheet time? Maybe later. Capital One…gotta log in. Password…what is it again?! Ugh.

Can you combine all credit cards into one?

Consolidating credit cards, eh? Imagine trying to herd cats, but with plastic! One card to rule them all? It’s possible, kinda, but only within the same bank. Think of it as getting all your ducks (plastic ducks, naturally) in a neat little row.

Basically, you can’t mash up cards from different banks like some financial Frankenstein monster. Bummer, I know. But sticking with one bank and combining credit limits? That’s doable. Like merging two ant colonies, hope they get along.

Okay, so whatcha can actually do:

  • Call up the bank, aka The Great and Powerful Issuer. Ask ’em about combining your credit limits. Don’t be shy!
  • Prepare for paperwork. It’s like signing up for a dating app, but with less chance of finding true love and more fine print.
  • Say goodbye to one card. It’s gotta go! Like kicking a kid out of the club. Think of it as decluttering. Marie Kondo would be proud! (Okay, maybe not proud, but definitely…aware).
  • Keep that merged card in check. Remember, one card doesn’t mean more spending money. Its more responsibilities to control.
  • You will need to do the bank dance Some will do it others won’t. That’s just the sad truth.

What I did last week? Nothing like this. I was busy trying to teach my parrot to say “Show me the money!” instead. Much more rewarding, trust me! I am still waiting for it to repeat. LOL.

#Creditcard #Creditscore #Extrapayment