Credit utilization ratio is the percentage of your total credit that you use. It is a major factor in your credit score, so its important to keep an eye on it. Most credit experts advise keeping your credit utilization below 30%, especially if you want to maintain a good credit score. However, some suggest that you should aim for a single-digit utilization rate (under 10%) to get the best credit score. It's all right to occasionally make purchases that exceed 30% of your available credit, as long as you pay them off within your grace period and avoid turning them into revolving balances or long-term debt. It's important to note that the FICO scoring model seems to agree with the recommendation to keep your credit utilization low. Consumers with FICO scores of 800 use, on average, 7% of their available credit.