<prompt> Human: I have 3 credit cards. Chase balance 1567 limit 3700, Barclay 867 limit 2000 and wells fargo 400 limit 1000. I have been funding my emergency savings which is no where near complete just under 1k. I will be moving states soon. My current credit score is 631 myfico.com-although creditkarma says 717?!. Should I abandon paying into my emergency fund so that when new apartment complex runs a credit check on me in the next 3 months my credit score might increase due to lower balances?  <response>: Does the apartment have really strict credit guidelines? From my experience, landlords are most concerned about your background check, your income, and having debts in collections. Having debt that youre currently paying on isnt a big deal if your income is high enough. Take your income, subtract your minimum payments, and if that is still 3x rent I wouldnt worry about your score too much. 