Discharged! How to benefit from surviving accounts?

[spooby72]

My wife and I were just discharged on our Chapter 7. We have lived the cash lifestyle with paid off cars for close to a year and are by no means anxious to get back into debt. We are however interested in building our scores back up to a respectable level as we will be upgrading our home in a few years.

As of today, we have two higher limit accounts that survived our Bk...both with "0" balances. We have a Kay Jewelers account, limit $6400, and an Ultimate Electronics account with a $3200 limit.

We do not want to lose these accounts as they will help tremendously over the next few years.

Questions:
Do we keep these at a "0" balance and just let them revolve?

Do we charge small items on each, utilization around 10%, and pay monthly?

Will charging on them help assure the companies won't review our credit history and close the accounts?

Any other game plans on how to use these accounts, or not to use these accounts, and improve our credit worthiness? Again...we are not interested in accruing more debt...we love the cash lifestyle...but will need a good score for good interest rates when we relocate to a nicer neighborhood.

[Genenco]

I'd start small...Maybe a $50-$75 purchase...Full payment when it comes due..Go slow...

[AAAArt]

Length of time plays a role in your credit score, but a small part. Is it really worth buying things you don't need to improve the score a little bit? Perhaps you can buy a small Xmas present or two and then pay them off in 1-3 months.
The problem with this type of credit is that it is usually high interest and does not attract prime lenders to want you.
I think that you would be better applying for a "secured" credit w/ a semi-reasonable or 2 and using them for something like your monthly DSL or such.
Try to get one that does not report as "secured" After a year, you can ask for them to remove the "security" deposit. Also every 6 months you can request a limit increase.
Another excelent way to increase your credit score is to open a savings acct. or CD at your bank and get a secured loan against it. They normally only charge 2.5-3% over what the CD pays. For example, deposit $1000, borrow $500 against it. Pay it off over 6-12 months. Or $500...borrow $300 and pay it off over 6 months. Whatever you do, take the proceeds from the loan and put them in another savings acct. At the end of 6-12 months, you have the original money you deposited, plus the amount of the loan plus a good payment record on your report...all for about the cost of an annual fee on a cc. In addition, you have the safety net that if you are short on any given month, you can tap the newest savings acct for the payt. CRA's don't say much about it, but they do like savings accts, CD's, etc.
Be sure that if you are applying for cards, loans, limit increases, etc. that you save up and do all of the applying w/in a 14 day period. That way it only shows as one inquiry on your credit staatus. Each "hard" inquiry (which all of these may trigger).
Finally, be wary of credit unions as not all of them report. Art

[spooby72]

Thanks for your thoughts!

Good info....I appreciate your input!