The 850/850/850

[+ PhileasFogg]

Well, it’s finally happened: I hit an 850 credit score across all three reporting agencies.

I’ve hovered in the 750–840 range for years, but never quite made it. Interestingly, the biggest difference-maker — beyond the standard responsible habits — was paying off my credit card balances weekly. It’s essentially my modern twist on the old envelope system, helping me stay intentional with spending.

Honestly, I’ve followed my credit score more out of curiosity than necessity. “Good enough” has always been good enough. But I couldn’t help noticing something strange — my score seemed to increase when I felt financially stretched, and dip when I was feeling cash-rich.

And here’s the kicker: I just paid off the last of my debt last month, but the update hasn’t hit the bureaus yet. Still, the score hit its peak.

Bottom line? My financial habits haven’t radically changed through the score’s ups and downs. It’s a reminder that while credit scores attempt to measure financial health, they often lag behind reality — and sometimes tell the wrong story altogether. Yet we still treat them like gatekeepers.

Curious to hear if others have noticed similar quirks.

Edited May 8 by PhileasFogg

[hungrybrownbttm]

What would you say were the most useful tools/methods in achieving such a feat?

 

[+ PhileasFogg]

3 hours ago, hungrybrownbttm said:

What would you say were the most useful tools/methods in achieving such a feat?

 

Paying off my credit cards weekly since I charge everything.  This keeps the utilization lower 

Edited June 29 by PhileasFogg

[topunderachiever]

It is said that there is nothing an 850 score can provide that a 750 cannot. 

True?  

[Kevin Slater]

28 minutes ago, topunderachiever said:

It is said that there is nothing an 850 score can provide that a 750 cannot. 

True?  

Bragging rights.

Kevin Slater

[BuffaloKyle]

17 hours ago, hungrybrownbttm said:

What would you say were the most useful tools/methods in achieving such a feat?

 

 

13 hours ago, PhileasFogg said:

Paying off my credit cards weekly since I charge everything.  This keeps the utilization lower 

I have gotten up to 800 recently.

It also helps my oldest credit card is around 20 years old. I also recently asked for credit line increases as I never have but I saw it's good to ask to help your score have more available credit.

[+ PhileasFogg]

1 hour ago, BuffaloKyle said:

 

I have gotten up to 800 recently.

It also helps my oldest credit card is around 20 years old. I also recently asked for credit line increases as I never have but I saw it's good to ask to help your score have more available credit.

That’s the irony…I had very low utilization due to a very large HELOC.  Then, I fully funded it to bridge timing on an investment purchase…my score went up when it was fully used.  Then, I sold the house, paid it off, had NO debt, and my score dropped 80 points????!!!!

[Nightowl]

For me, positive credit scores always lag behind, it seems.  I still get emails from experian, telling me I’d benefit from loan consolidation when, in fact, I have no debt other than a mortgage.  When I accidentally missed a payment, though, the hit to my credit score rating was swift and devastating.

[mike carey]

2 hours ago, PhileasFogg said:

That’s the irony…I had very low utilization due to a very large HELOC.  Then, I fully funded it to bridge timing on an investment purchase…my score went up when it was fully used.  Then, I sold the house, paid it off, had NO debt, and my score dropped 80 points????!!!!

So it would seem that one of the aims of the credit rating companies is to signal to lenders, 'This guy is likely to borrow heaps from you so you can make huge profits from them, give them more credit cards'.

[+ PhileasFogg]

1 hour ago, mike carey said:

So it would seem that one of the aims of the credit rating companies is to signal to lenders, 'This guy is likely to borrow heaps from you so you can make huge profits from them, give them more credit cards'.

Maybe…but technically, the credit  score predicts the likelihood of a default in repayment (typically defined as greater than 90 days because, under accounting rules you get into impairment requirements - aka, recognition of loss.

all the rating agencies have other behavioral based products that they can sell to predict propensity to borrow, but the score is not that product.