Everyone’s looking to save money. That’s what you were doing when you looked to refinance your home. There were literally hundreds of dollars in savings per month with a new, lower mortgage rate. Trouble was, you weren’t sure your present financial status would look good to the lender, so you fudged a few items on your application. You stated your income was higher than it really was, and you didn’t disclose some of your debts. No biggie, right? Wrong. What you did was illegal.

It may surprise you to know that some seemingly innocent practices involving money can be illegal. Let’s take a look at a few so you don’t find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

Sleigh bells ring, are ya listening? Well, let’s hope you’re listening or you just might find yourself as a hood ornament on that sleigh.

Yes, you need to consider safety even around the holidays, maybe even more so as many people’s minds are filled with more sugarplums than common sense. To keep the “happy” in “Happy Holidays,” be sure you keep your thoughts on the safety of you and your family. Here are some things to consider.

Your brain is full of spiders, you’ve got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch!
I wouldn’t touch you with a 39-and-a-half-foot pole!

If only that 39-and-a-half-foot-pole attitude applied to holiday debt!

The holidays are usually a happy time with festive gatherings and joyful giving, but there lurks just under all that holiday cheer a Grinchy beginning to the new year…holiday debt. Many times credit cards are involved; we use them for all those gift purchases, which can cause us to stretch our budgets to dangerous levels. Money is spent that we don’t really have all in the name of an intoxicating spirit of holiday giving.

Now don’t get us wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using credit cards for holiday purchases. There are advantages to using plastic. The problem comes when we use funds we don’t have and spend too much of the following year paying off all our holiday generosity. Not good. Like many things in life, using credit cards presents both advantages and disadvantages.

So your checking account is at a bank—like the U.S. MegaBank of Wealthy Stockholders… That’s okay, we won’t hold it against you. But your bank keeps adding more drama (and cost) to your relationship with more fees. Again? Well, keeping their stockholders happy is job one. Unfortunately, keeping YOU happy is job two … maybe even three or four. Don’t keep playing second fiddle to those huge entities out there in financial space. Break up with your bank! That’s right, cut the ties. Ditch the deviance. Move on to someone who will appreciate you and treat you with respect. And hey, we know just the credit union!

Transition time! Baseball to football. T-shirt to sweatshirt. Dew on the lawn to frost on the roof. Are you ready for the big transition? How about your house? There are a number of things you can do to prepare your home for the unforgiving nature of a bold winter, both inside and outside. Here are some things to consider from our friends at genxfinance.com. Let’s start with outside your home:

If you’re a smart consumer, you shop around. You compare prices at a number of different stores. You check ad fliers for sales. You don’t make the purchase until the conditions are favorable to your budget. But have you ever just come out and asked for a better price? Have you ever haggled? With many stores underperforming in sales, there’s never been a better time to seek better pricing on your favorite items. Retailers have grown tired of blowing dust off merchandise that’s been sitting on the shelves for too long.

But before you stride confidently into your favorite retailer ready to negotiate the deal of the century, keep these points from Bankrate.com in mind:

Your car is on its last leg … er, tire. All the huffing and puffing coming from under the hood points to you needing a new vehicle soon. Very soon. Who will you turn to for that auto loan? If you borrow money from brother-in-law Larry, and even make good on the repayment early and with interest, you’ll still be hearing about the favor he did you over Thanksgiving dinner for years to come. Who needs that? What you need is to leave the family out of the money equation and turn to your financial family right here at Vantage!