Personal Finance

Houston, You're Damn Mellow When It Comes To Finances (Really?)

A new study claims Houston is one of the best cities in the country when it comes to not getting too stressed about personal finances. This "Houston" that CardHub.com is talking about is apparently the one right here in Texas -- the one where we don't know too many people who aren't "stressed about ... More >>

Let's Get Ahead Of Ourselves: Romney Wins, Dies, And Paul Ryan Takes Over? Introducing Paul Ryan's America

For a moment, let's talk fantasy. Let's say Mitt Romney somehow overcomes all of his apparent weakness -- Bain Capital rapaciousness, tax-record speculation, rich-guy aloofness -- and somehow ekes past President Obama in November in one of the narrowest victories in recent American politics. Democra ... More >>

Barbarians in the Ivory Tower

America's for-profit colleges offer education only a con man (or a congressman) could love.

Four Ways to Keep Your Technology and Data Safe During a Storm

It's been a little wet in Texas recently for those who don't live here. When we get thunderstorms here, it can create some issues, particularly for technology, which, as you probably know, doesn't mesh very well with water or power surges from lightning. I mean, have you ever dropped your iPhone in ... More >>

Comment of the Day: The Hazards Of getting Financial Aid At Lone Star College

We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning or afternoon from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula i ... More >>

Lone Star College Students Say They're Getting Screwed On Financial Aid

When a student who shall remain nameless started at Lone Star College last year, he heard rumors about problems in the financial aid office: botched paperwork, delayed disbursement, and even random cancelations of people's financial aid. Then it happened to him. First, his application got held up w ... More >>

Dominique

Brian Greenhouse: Son of Man Killed on Rodeo Amusement Ride to Get $1.9 Million

A state judge has approved a $1.9 million settlement for the son of the man killed on a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ride in 2011. Brian Greenhouse, 46, was thrown 28 feet to his death on the Hi-Miler roller coaster at the 2011 rodeo. His family sued the rodeo and Ray Cammack Shows, which oper ... More >>

Money-Hungry MLB: Author Says the League is Treating Some Retirees Like Garbage

David Clyde: $10k richer but still no MLB retirement benefits for the Houstonian​Specific Major League Baseball retirees are getting the shaft, according to the author of the controversial A Bitter Cup of Coffee: How MLB and the Players Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve. The crux of Dou ... More >>

Pasadena, Home to Some Sickos, Is Also a Nifty Place to Retire

Retire to this in Pasadena.​The economy blows, especially for old folks, who aren't as able to kick it with an umbrella drink at some beachside hang like in the old days. No worries, according to Tom Corley, author of The Top 100 Cheapest Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2012. Instead of sink ... More >>

Thieves Suck: How to Protect Yourself When Your Stuff Is Stolen

​Sunday evening while I was out for a jog, my car was broken into and my purse was stolen. By some miracle of paranoia, I happened to have both my cell phone and wallet with me on the run, not for fear of them getting jacked, but because I'm always worried I might get lost, or need my ID if I ... More >>

Christian Lopez, Overtaxed Yankee Fan, The Sequel (Where He Becomes A Charity)

Christian Lopez: Now sponsored by the champagne of bottled beers​That's it, you win, Christian Lopez. I give up. You all remember, Christian Lopez, right? (It's only been like 24 hours since I last wrote about him. Please tell me you remember.) Just in case, Lopez was the ample Yankee fan wh ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Your City Bureaucracy at Work

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Payday Lending: Texas Takes Teeny, Tiny Step to (Barely) Regulate

Gary Elkins: State Rep, payday lender.​Payday lending, where lower-income, lesser-educated, financially strapped people get some instant cash but sometimes end up paying 500 percent interest, is an industry ripe for some regulating, you would think. But that's why you're not a member of the T ... More >>

Texas Publishes Their Social Security Numbers, Now Someone's Trying to Scam Them

Just give 'em John Doe's number, he won't mind.​Attorney General Greg Abbott is warning any Texans whose Social Security numbers were inadvertently exposed by the state government to, ummm, not just hand out that info to anyone calling to try to "confirm" things. More than three million emplo ... More >>

Betting Their Lives

It's easy for a three-time felon to get $20 million for his investment company, as long as no one asks any questions.

Christopher Purser: Indicted for Huge Fake-Insurance Scheme

Insurance fraud for a tour boat that sank and killed 20​A Houston man is one of six people indicted for selling bogus insurance policies, including one to a tour boat that sunk and killed 20 people in a New York lake in 2005. Christopher Purser, 49, was one of the people who sold an insurance ... More >>

Lack Of Social Safety Net Tying Many Musicians To Day Jobs

"I fantasize sometimes that my musical career would hit gold and help us escape these grim realities, but it's not something I really expect to happen." ​There are few issues in the current political climate more fraught with contention than whether or not the U.S. government will take a more ... More >>

Fishers of Men: Pastor And Associates Get Prison Time For Fraud

Go thou and defraudeth FEMA....​It was almost two years ago that we wrote about the Fishers of Men scandal, a church in southwest Houston whose pastor and associates were charged with various financial shenanigans.It sparked a comment war between defenders and accusers that lasted so long and got ... More >>

As A Big Student-Loan Deadline Looms, Be Sure You're Using The Right Web Site

​Do you enjoy wasting hours when you're trying to meet a tight deadline to get federal aid for a college loan? Just log on to www.fafsa.com, and sign up for an ID, then spend hours getting material to answer all their questions. Ignore the many times an ad pops up, trying to sell you "professional ... More >>

No Justice

We've bailed out the banks. When do we go after the crooks behind our financial collapse?

Two Pastors And A Deacon Admit That Their Church Was One Hell Of A Scam

​Some blog items never die.Almost a year ago we wrote about the fraud charges filed against officials of the Fishers of Men Worship Center in Houston. To this day, barely a week goes by without someone throwing up another comment on the case, either defending the officials or saying they got what ... More >>

Houston Woman A Star (Unfortunately) In The New Michael Moore Movie

​Michael Moore's new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, expectedly serves up a quick and dirty glimpse at the consequences of unfettered corporate corruption and exploitation. But the most disturbing story of corporate greed in the film, unfortunately, comes right from our own backyard.Houston widow ... More >>

Missing the Mexican

Did we underestimate the popularity of Gustavo Arellano's column?

Moratorium Is Over, So Foreclosures Spike Locally

Photo by Paul KnightHarris County is seeing the result of failed government efforts to fix the housing crisis by issuing 90-day moratoriums on foreclosures.July was the worst month for foreclosures in the county since the savings and loan debacle, just 73 properties short of the record month -- Octo ... More >>

Cover Me

Kathern Cathey thought she had an insurance policy that would save her life. Not exactly.

Is the Honor System Dead?

Photos by Robb WalshDriving back from vacation, I noticed a honey stand along the highway in the town of Shirley, Arkansas with a sign that said "Self-Service." I pulled over and took a look. There was sorghum, local honey, bee pollen, beeswax and honey candy for sale. You took whatever you wanted a ... More >>

ID Theft

Someone gets your social, ruins your credit, upends your life. And gets away free and clear.

Dastardly Plan To Make Poor Put Money Into Banks Apparently Working

The Bank on Houston program, founded by City Controller Annise Parker in conjunction with area banks, credit unions and nonprofit organizations, says it's boasted early success. In three months 10,264 new accounts were opened; the goal for the entire first year was 10,000.People putting their money ... More >>

Mortgage Papers and Foreclosure

It's easy for a homeowner's payments to fall through the cracks.

Be Thou Fishers Of Men, Or Scammers Of Government

There's no scam like a religious scam. And there's no religious scam like one where the church involved has a really churchy name, like Fishers of Men. And that's what we have (allegedly) in Houston -- the US Attorney's office has indicted the heads of Fishers of Men for skimming millions in fa ... More >>

Freddie Mac Helps Out Bankers (And A Couple Of Home Owners)

Silver Lining Huh?

Marilyn Logan

“The Money Lady” reads from I Can’t Afford to Marry You

The Curious Incident of the Dog on the Internet, Part Two

College Immaterial for High School Students in Vocational Training

Good paying jobs, no huge loan burdens, exciting course work — the new vo-tech attracts more and more hi-tech students

Countdown to the 2007 Houston Press Best of Houston® Issue

In the Sub-Prime of Life

Homeowners complain that Litton Loan is quicker to foreclose than it needs to be

Jet Stream

Chris Cester on Jet's new CD, Shine On

Letters to the Editor

Costly Advances

Payday lenders take care of you till your check comes in, and for a long time after

Eaten Alive

Rent-to-own stores, pawnshops, payday lenders -- it's hope for sale, with interest

Fun with Guns

Have a blast at the Lone Star Shoot

College Credit

Shopping spree for your first apartment: $2,500
Spring break in Cabo: $1,000
Avoiding college credit card debt: priceless

Living in a House of Cards

Rank-and-file employees suspected something was wrong at Enron. Now they want someone to pay.

The Bust of Kenny Boy

Plus: Powers to Be, Japanic's Surrender

Placed in the Discard Pile

About to be booted from the Fourth Ward, poor people are being told they are too poor to qualify for public housing in Houston

Easy Money

Is a state rep taking Houston's poor for a ride on the law of the lend?

Lil' Stevie's Year in Review

Art of the Mortgage

MFA's one-of-a-kind home loan program