I finally understood why my credit score was stuck at 690

For years, I thought paying my card balance in full every month was enough. My big moment came when I got denied for a car loan in Phoenix last month. The lender said my credit use was too high. I was confused because I never carried a balance. I pulled my full report and saw the problem: my card company reports my statement balance to the bureaus on the 5th of each month. I always pay it off on the 10th, after it's already reported. So even though I pay it, the bureaus see a high balance, sometimes over 80% of my limit. I had no idea the timing mattered. I started paying down my balance to under 30% a few days before the statement date. Has anyone else had to change their payment schedule like this to see a real jump?

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