Finance

Consumers may see more discounts for using cash instead of credit cards under a tentative deal announced Monday by the Justice Department and the credit card companies Visa and MasterCard.  Read More:

Bank of America, the nation’s largest bank, on Friday became the latest lender to put foreclosures on hold in 23 states because of concerns that court documents it submitted were improperly prepared. Texas is not one of the states.  Read More:

The bankruptcy statistics in America are alarming. The past few decades have seen a dramatic rise in the number of people who are unable to pay off their debts, and Congress has addressed the issue with legislation that makes it (somewhat) harder to qualify for this status.  read more:

New federal rules for gift cards mean you have longer to use them and don’t face as many costs upfront. But many problems remain.  Read more:

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your life and one of the most misunderstood. So many people don’t understand how the credit scoring system works because Fair Isaac Corporation, the designers of the FICO credit score, gives only vague hints as to how they calculate it. It’s specially designed to […]

The city is negotiating a deal with the developer of Washington Heights — a proposed Wal-Mart-anchored shopping center near Interstate 10 and Yale – that would reimburse the local builder for as much as $6 million in public infrastructure improvements. If the agreement is approved, developer Ainbinder Co. would widen and repave streets surrounding the […]

Cellphone plans are fast becoming the collateralized debt obligations of the consumer world, complex and chock full of unpleasant surprises. Blame it on the growing popularity of smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone and Motorola’s Droid.  Read more:

HOUSTON—Colleges and universities have become sympathetic to students’ concerns about the high cost of mandatory text books.As a result, major institutions in Houston now offer programs for students to rent textbooks instead of buy them. The colleges that allow renting include: Houston Community College, Rice University, Texas Southern University and the University of Houston. In […]

HOUSTON — The Texas Sales Tax Holiday weekend is Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year the legislature finally added backpacks and school supplies. All items on the tax exempt list must cost less than $100. Here is the complete list of items that are taxable and not taxable this year: NON-TAXABLE Baby clothes Backpacks Belts with […]

With all the blogs, tweets and status updates in today’s world allowing people to voice their opinions, it’s tough to find anything that is universally agreed upon. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any exceptions, as you won’t find too many people who think professional athletes’ salaries are too low. Collective scorn of pro athletes’ salaries […]

So much money and energy is wasted on things we could get for free. If you’re into new, shiny things and collecting stuff, this is not for you. But if you want less clutter in your life and want to keep more of your money, then check out these 15 things you shouldn’t be paying […]

DETROIT — General Motors has filed the first batch of paperwork needed to sell stock to the public. GM filed the paperwork for its initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.  Read more: