Here Everything's Debit

H-E-B rings up new debit card with cash back perks for customers

H-E-B superfans have a new way to save, with little upkeep.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

As if Texans couldn’t already get nearly everything at H-E-B, they can now get even more with H-E-B, at other stores. The ubiquitous grocery store announced big news on September 12: It’s slipping its own debit card into users’ wallets, offering cash back on qualifying H-E-B purchases.

The H-E-B debit card, ready for applicants now, opens up a few avenues to grocery shoppers, most notably 5 percent on “thousands of products from H-E-B.” Specifically, the cash back applies to H-E-B brand items from pantry items to prepared foods, kitchenware, and more. Shoppers don’t have to do anything to claim the extra funds — they just appear right back in the account.

Further, it is one more card to carry, but it may replace or duplicate one other. H-E-B debit will be accepted anywhere Mastercard is accepted, and essentially functions just like any debit card from a bank: it offers “an optional, high-yield savings account,” direct deposits, and free H-E-B ATM withdrawals.

“At H-E-B, we’re always looking to provide Texans more ways to save,” said H-E-B Group vice president of marketing Ashwin Nathan in a press release. “With the H-E-B debit card, customers can have a more rewarding shopping experience that allows them to keep more money in their pockets while enjoying valuable benefits and perks.”

Maintaining the card is almost as simple as keeping it on hand, with no fees and multiple options to add funds, including cash at H-E-B and directly from other debit cards. While there is no full overdraft program (which allows the grocer to claim no overdraft fees), there is a $20 “purchase cushion” on qualifying purchases that gives the shopper 30 days to make up the negative balance. Users can more carefully track their spending through the H-E-B Debit mobile app.

So far, there is no sign that users can use the account without the physical card, so once it comes in the mail, shoppers should remember to bring it along.

More information on H-E-B Debit accounts, including a list of qualified brands for cash-back purchases, is available at hebdebit.com.

city-news-roundup texas shopping

closing the gaps

Texas no longer leads U.S. for racial progress, new report says

Photo by Jerry Kavan on Unsplash

WalletHub's report is released annually ahead of MLK Day.

Texas has been overtaken as the No. 1 state that has made the most racial progress, according to a new study.

The Lone Star State led the nation in 2025, but now ranks in third place behind Georgia (No. 1) and Mississippi (No. 2). It also ranked No. 5 nationally in the list of states with the most racial integration.

WalletHub's "States That Have Made the Most Racial Progress" study is released annually ahead of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The report compares all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 22 relevant metrics divided into two main rankings: racial integration (which the study defines as "the current integration levels of white people and Black people") and racial progress (defined as "the levels of racial progress achieved over time").

The report's author clarifies that the study focuses only on the racial integration between Black people and white people "in light of racial tensions in recent years that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement."

"We released this report ahead of the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement to end segregation and discrimination against Black people," the report says.

The study further divided each ranking into four main categories measuring the gaps between white people and Black people over time; spanning employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. Texas performed the best in education and health, ranking No. 4 nationally in both categories, and it ranked in sixth place for its social and civic engagement. The state ranked 16th in the category for employment and wealth.

According to WalletHub, Texas has "done a lot" to reduce gaps in health outcomes for white and Black residents, such as reducing gaps in health insurance coverage, and reducing the share of Black Texans suffering from "poor health" and diabetes. It also notes that Texas "made the second-most progress when it comes to obesity," but it did not acknowledge the racial bias in body mass index (BMI) that has been increasingly flagged in recent years.

The report further praises Texas for reducing the gap in business ownership between white and Black Texans, and for its improvement in reducing discrimination in the parole system. WalletHub does not offer data behind the parole claim.

"It’s encouraging to look at the data and see that some states have made significant strides toward racial equality over the past few decades," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo regarding the overall report. "This change demonstrates that state-level policies and residents’ attitudes regarding equality have grown considerably better."

Though racial disparity gaps are closing between white and Black people, racial profiling and discrimination is still a major issue affecting Black people and other people of color across the country.

In 2023, a senate bill banned public Texas universities from having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs, prompting warnings of discrimination against Black, Hispanic, and other marginalized students, including those with disabilities.

The top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Georgia
No. 2 – Mississippi
No. 3 – Texas
No. 4 – North Carolina
No. 5 – Maryland
No. 6 – Florida
No. 7 – New Jersey
No. 8 – Massachusetts
No. 9 – Louisiana
No. 10 – New Mexico

wallethub texas report mlk day