Brandon Ballenger Writer

I'm a freelance writer based in Pompano Beach, Fla. who's done work for The South Florida Business Journal and BusinessMiami, covering real estate, health care, and franchising. I received a bachelor's degree in English and public communication from Florida Atlantic University in 2008, and am currently pursuing a master's degree in communication there. In my free time, I read fantasy novels, plays video games, and take advantage of South Florida's perennial summer at the beach.

Posts by Brandon Ballenger

Ready for IKEA Hotels?

Mar 06, 2013 - IKEA and Marriott are teaming up to build budget hotels – in Europe, for now.

Banks Wrongfully Foreclosed on 700 Military Members

Mar 06, 2013 - Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo were all involved. Some people were even wrongly evicted despite being current on payments and out of the country.

Almost Half of Americans Have More Credit Card Debt Than Savings

Mar 05, 2013 - A quarter also said they had more credit card debt than money in the bank.

Apple is Censoring Email

Mar 05, 2013 - iCloud email users won't receive messages with certain words in them – and Apple doesn't tell anybody when it happens.

Bank of America Won’t Prove Disputed $4,000 Charges

Mar 05, 2013 - A customer says he never signed up for a service with automatic recurring payments. The bank says he did, by phone, but refuses to offer evidence.

Groupon CEO Gets $378.36 Severance Package

Mar 04, 2013 - A Groupon founder, kicked out the door last week, is getting what must be the smallest severance in Wall Street history. Don't shed too many tears - he's still worth millions.

Girls Gone Wild Has Gone Bankrupt

Mar 04, 2013 - The move is to dodge millions in outstanding debts from lawsuits against the company and its founder.

$9 Will Speed You Through Security on United

Mar 04, 2013 - United Airlines customers can now bribe – er, I mean, enjoy premier access – to shorter airport lines.

A Date to Mars Will Happen in 5 Years

Mar 01, 2013 - Men are from Mars, and one woman is going to take her husband back there on a millionaire's dime.

Lawsuits: Budweiser Is Watered Down

Mar 01, 2013 - People in three states are suing Anheuser-Busch, because apparently they're not as drunk as they paid to be.

What the Best-Paid Wall Street CEOs Make And How Many People They Fire

Mar 01, 2013 - The five-best paid CEOs have collectively laid off – or plan to lay off – over 60,000 people in the past two years and this one, while raking in $62 million in total compensation.

The Tooth Fairy Predicts the Economy

Feb 28, 2013 - And the tooth – sorry, the truth – is, things are getting better.

Another Social Network Wants To Save You Money

Feb 28, 2013 - Foursquare users can now get some special discounts when they connect a credit card to the app.

Legal Marijuana Faces a 75 Percent Tax Rate

Feb 28, 2013 - Dispensaries can't take the deductions other businesses do, so profits are going up in smoke for many.

When an Associate Degree Outpays a Bachelor’s

Feb 27, 2013 - Some people graduate with a 2-year degree into $50,000-a-year jobs. And some with 4-year degrees make $10 an hour.