Some people like to joke about taking things to the limit, but when it comes to your credit, maxing out a credit card is no laughing matter.
Maxing out a credit card means swiping until you reach the card's credit limit, or the total amount of credit extended to you. And that's bad news for your credit scores because your debt utilization ratio (e.g., how much debt you have versus your total available credit) is one of the key factors credit agencies use to determine your score. Bump up against that limit, and your score will take a hit.
Debt levels are another factor that go into your score. Carry too much, and you'll send a red flag to lenders that you're in over your head; slack off on a few bills, and they'll begin to think you can't manage your payments responsibly.
A few Credit.com readers learned the hard way about the dangers of maxing out credit cards. While they aren't proud of what they did, they came out stronger for their experience and took steps necessary to get their finances back in order. (Note: At their request, some names and locations have been withheld to protect readers' privacy.)
'I Maxed Out Seven Cards'
Between 2006 and 2008, Steven M. Hughes was saddled with a lot of debt. "I maxed out seven cards in my freshman year alone," he said via email, "two more as a young professional." The problem was he didn't understand how to use them. "My parents always told me to stay away from them and didn't teach me how to manage them properly," he said.
"I had one credit card for emergencies that I maxed out on car repairs for a car at the time. I had department store cards that I maxed out on clothes for school and work because I worked while I was in college. I had a card I maxed out going to a family member's wedding in New York City. I started assigning jobs to each card, but I didn't have the income to pay them off, and paying the minimum balance wasn't cutting it. All but one card was charged off. I managed to pay the lone card off and start a new account with the creditor."
Today, the Columbia, South Carolina, resident teaches millennials how to manage their money through his nonprofit, Know Money, Inc. "After making all the financial mistakes, I started to learn as much as possible about personal finance," he said.
'I Was Into Wearing Ralph Lauren'
Deborah Sawyerr, a fashion and lifestyle blogger based in London, was about 32 when she visited Woodbury Common Premium Outlet, in Central Valley, New York, during a family holiday in 2005. "We bought clothes, shoes, suits, my daughter some bits, belts, jackets and some gifts," she recalled via email. "At the time, I was into wearing Ralph Lauren clothing, so most of my spend went on this particular brand."