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The Benefits of Good Credit

It’s true: Good credit is important.

Having a good credit history shows that you reliably repay borrowed money. That is reassuring to many lenders you will encounter in the future and makes you a more desirable customer. Here are a few ways good credit can give you a leg up and even save you money.

Lower Interest Rates - When you apply for a loan, like a mortgage or a credit card, the higher your credit score, the lower the interest rates that will be available to you. As a result, you’ll save with lower payments.

Qualify for Credit Card Deals - A good credit score will help you get approved for a credit card, but it will also let you choose a better card with low interest rates, rewards, and cash back. Using these card perks will help you save money and keep your credit score up when you continue to pay on time and maintain a low or no balance.

Easier Approval to Rent - A landlord will want to see your payment track record by looking at your credit. A better score makes you a more favorable tenant. A low credit score may mean a higher security deposit or require a co-signer on your lease.

Better Car and Home Insurance Rates - Insurance companies will look at your credit score when you apply. Your premiums could also be higher or lower, depending on your score.

Skip Utility Deposits - A utility company may use your credit ranking to understand your payment performance. With good credit, they are more likely to go forward with little issue. If it’s low, they could require a deposit or letter of guarantee that says a friend or family member will pay your bill if you don’t.

You can stay on top of your credit score with North Shore Bank’s free resource and tracking tool, My Credit Score. See your score as often as you want, learn how to improve it, and more!

FAQs

To start using Zelle® at North Shore Bank, you must be enrolled in Online Bill Pay. If you are not already enrolled in Online Bill Pay, you can enroll by logging in to the Mobile App or Online Banking (web-based). Locate the Online Bill Pay tab and follow the instructions to complete the Online Bill Pay enrollment steps. 

Already enrolled in Online Bill Pay? Follow these steps to start using Zelle®:
  1. Log in to the Mobile AppFootnote 1 or Online Banking (web-based)
  2. Select "Send Money with Zelle®"
  3. Accept Terms and Conditions
  4. Select your U.S. mobile number or email address and deposit account

1 Mobile network carrier fees may apply.
Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.

Bill Discovery will automatically connect you with your eligible bills by searching the biller database and if you consent, your credit bureau data. Once the bills are located, you can add them to your list of bills in one click. Bill Discovery greatly reduces the time it takes to set up Bill Pay and reduces the chance of manual input errors.

Bill Discovery will continually search for new bills and alert you if new bills have been found.

Bill Discovery is available in both Online Banking and the Mobile App.

The following are screenshots of how you can set up and use this feature.

You first must consent to have your bills be found through the biller database and your credit bureau data. If you wish to have your credit data used, it is a soft inquiry and your credit score will not be impacted.

 

Once you provide consent and click Find My Bills, you will be presented with a page of potential payees.

 

If biller(s) require additional verification upon selecting the biller, you will be provided with the additional verification fields.  If the biller does not require any verification then you can add those directly by clicking the Add button.

 

If you are not yet using Bill Discovery, you may see the following banner ad to begin using the feature.

 

After initial entry into Bill Discovery, new billers found among billers from the biller network or in your credit report will appear in the top, right area of your window.  When clicking “Get My Bills”, you will be walked through the process of adding your bills in the same manner as the initial setup.

 

Yes, you can easily schedule an appointment at any of our offices or with one of our Mortgage Loan Officers through our online scheduling tool.

My Card Manager shows the most recent 50 debit card transactions posted within the last 30 days. Additional history can be viewed within the Accounts menu.

Sometimes a merchant will pre-authorize the card for an amount that may be more than the spend limit you allow on the card. In this case, your card will be denied.