KATU - News - Problem Solver

Frugal Living: Live without buying anything new

A Southeast Portland mom says it's possible to go through life with buy just about nothing new. KATU Problem Solver Shellie Bailey-Shah sat down with her to learn her secret.

Companies might be charging your phone bill without your permission

If you get a spam text message, you probably delete it. But check carefully, because it could be a sign of "text cramming" – charges you don't want on your account.

States, banks reach $25 billion foreclosure-abuse settlement

Federal and state officials announced at a news conference that 49 states had joined the settlement. Oklahoma announced a separate deal with the five banks.

Local couple hopes mortgage settlement will save their home

Struggling homeowners in Oregon and Washington still have a lot of questions about what the settlement means for them. Who qualifies for help? And do you need to file any paperwork to get it? Or will the help come automatically?

Family gets ripped off in mortgage phishing scam

The money went to an offshore bank account operated by someone pretending to be a Bank of America employee.

Green TVs can save you money without sacrificing quality

More people buy TVs in the days before the Super Bowl than any other week of the year. But this year you have new choices: Green TVs are designed to use much less energy than the TV you have now.

Online search won't display every sex offender in your neighborhood

When Stephanie Miller did an online search to find registered sex offenders in her neighborhood, nothing turned up in the results. But with a little digging, she found only five percent of registered offenders show up in the state's online database.

Customers complain after not receiving promised furniture

They thought they were getting fabulous furniture from a local craftsman but these customers got only a headache and an empty wallet.

Business registry scam warning

Watch out for a tricky letter that looks like it's from the state of Oregon. It's going out to businesses in this area asking for money. Don't fall for it.

Warning: Some companies sending out fake invoices

You get enough real bills in the mail, now some companies are sending out fake ones trying to get your money. Those "invoices" are going out to people in the Portland area.