Step 1: Crush Your Credit Card Utilization Ratio (The Fastest Boost) The Credit Utilization Ratio (CUR)—the amount of credit you're using divided by your total available credit—accounts for about 30% of your FICO score and is the fastest factor to change. Lenders want to see your CUR below 30% , but aiming for under 10% provides a powerful score boost. Action: Pay down your revolving credit card balances aggressively. Pro Tip for Speed: Don't wait for your statement. Pa