Originally Posted by
MadMadso
you should pay all but 1 credit card balance before the statement date so that all but one card reports a zero balance. That will keep your credit score high.
^ Yep, I used to pay everything off before the statement closed. The moment I let a card close with a balance, I think it was only a few $100, my FICO, which hadn't changed in months, jumped up 4 points. Counter-intuitive, but seems to be true.