 TITLE: How to Manage Your Debt CONTENT: Limit Your Outstanding Balances\n-------------------------------\nThe second most important factor in your FICO® Score is the amount of debt you owe, which also includes the amount of credit used in comparison to your credit cards' limits (your credit utilization). For the most benefit to your credit scores, it's best to keep balances as low as possible. That's because your credit scores can be negatively affected more significantly as your utilization approaches and climbs above 30%. In other words, if your limit on a credit card is $1,000, think of $300 as your actual limit for charges each month. For the best credit scores, keep your utilization in single digits.\nMake it a goal to pay off your credit card balance in full by your billing date to keep your credit utilization as low as possible. END