New to St. Louis: Bank Account, Phone & Building Credit
If you just moved to St. Louis — from another city or another country — three boring tasks make everything else easier: a bank account, a working phone number, and a credit file. Here is the fastest path to all three.
1. Open a bank account
A local account means no check-cashing fees, a paper trail of income that helps rental applications, and a safe place for your deposit money.
Wherever you bank, bring: photo ID (passport works), proof of address (your lease counts), and your SSN or ITIN. Many banks accept an ITIN plus a passport under federal identification rules — ask before you go so you only make one trip. Avoid accounts with monthly fees; free checking exists everywhere.
2. Get a phone without a credit check
Prepaid carriers — Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, Mint Mobile, Boost, and others — require no credit check and no SSN. You pay month to month, plans start around $15–$40, and you can bring most phones. Postpaid plans from the big carriers usually run a credit check, so start prepaid and switch later if you want.
A stable phone number matters more than people think: it is how landlords reach you to approve an application, and it is required for almost every account you will open.
3. Build credit from zero
No credit history is not the same as bad credit — but landlords and lenders cannot see the difference until you build a file. The standard toolkit:
- Secured credit card. You deposit (often $200), the bank gives you a card with that limit, and your on-time payments get reported to the credit bureaus. Use it for one small bill and pay in full monthly. After 6–12 months, many issuers upgrade you and return the deposit.
- Credit-builder loan. Offered by credit unions and services like Self: you make small monthly payments into a locked savings account, the payments are reported as loan payments, and you get the money at the end.
- Rent reporting. Some services report your rent payments to the bureaus, turning the bill you already pay into credit history. Ask your landlord if they use one; Experian Boost can also add phone and utility payments for free.
- Authorized user. A family member with good credit can add you to their card — their history helps your file, and they do not have to give you the physical card.
Six months of any of these is usually enough to generate a credit score — and that changes what apartments will approve you. See our guides on renting with bad credit and renting without an SSN for what to do in the meantime.
While your credit builds
- Keep every pay stub and bank statement — proof of income is your strongest card in any application.
- Get a reference letter from each landlord when you move out, while they still remember you.
- Watch out for "credit repair" companies charging fees for things you can do free. Building credit costs almost nothing; anyone charging hundreds is selling you your own homework.