Increase Your Credit Limit
Recall that FICO scores are calculated partly by looking at all of your available credit (whether used or unused). When your credit limit is raised but your spending and paying patterns remain the same, the credit bureau perceives you as using less of your credit. This in turn can quickly increase your three digit credit score and improve your credit rating!
Asking for a raise to your credit limit is something that you should do on a regular basis – once every six months. This lowers your balances relative to your credit limit in the eyes of the credit bureaus, which is of course a good thing.
Although asking for your credit limit to be raised can cause a negative comment on your score (that disappears after a year) it will not lower your score as much as a maxed out credit card will.
In fact one of the smartest things you can do if your card is maxing out is to immediately ask the credit card company or bank for a raise in your limit to prevent damage to your overall credit.