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We’ve all felt it: the tinge of remorse that sets in after the holidays, when we think about all the excess food and shopping we indulged in. And for parents, the pangs of post-holiday guilt can be especially cringe-worthy when we think about the gifts we gave our kids.

Here at VyStar, the credit union philosophy of “people helping people” is at the core of everything we do. Aside from providing affordable and accessible financial services to the communities of Northeast to Central Florida, we also support our communities through charitable donations, volunteerism and sponsorship. Giving a helping hand is especially important to us during the holiday season, when the less fortunate need it most.

Did Santa bring you a new iPhone X for Christmas? If so, you’ll soon find out (if you haven’t already) that Touch ID® is a thing of the past, and your unique facial features are now replacing your fingerprint as your phone’s passcode. Face ID is the new feature that allows you to quickly unlock your phone and log in to certain apps.

If you read our blog, you know that we here at VyStar love sharing our expert tips that’ll help you save money—especially during the holidays, when budgets can be easily thrown off track. But we also know that our members are full of fun, creative, and just plain great ideas too. So we took to Facebook and asked our fans to tell us how they like to save on everything from greeting cards to gift wrap. Here are some of the wallet-friendly tricks they shared to help you have the merriest holiday season of all!

As the new President/CEO of VyStar Credit Union, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and explain what you can expect from my first weeks and months at VyStar...

You may not realize it, but this year’s holiday ads are chock-full of gadgets that use artificial intelligence, or AI. Many people associate AI with robots and science fiction movies, but the reality is that if you have a digital assistant, cell phone or computer, then you are already interacting with AI technology...

Got plans to travel this holiday season? Unless you’re hitching a free ride on Santa’s sleigh, visiting your out-of-state friends and family could end up costing you more than you expected. According to the United States Department of Transportation, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is one of the busiest times of the year for travelers. Compared to the average for the rest of the year, the number of long-distance trips (50 miles or more) made by Americans jumps up by 54% during Thanksgiving, and 23% during the Christmas and New Year’s season...

The holiday season is my favorite time of year. I have always felt that it’s a time of happiness and thanks centered on giving to those you love and the less fortunate. But thanks to the commercialization of the holidays, they can also be stressful if you’re scrambling to keep up with the increased expenses of the season. Believe or not, every year I use this opportunity to look at my finances and see where the gaps are...

Now that the rush to buy this year’s hottest gifts has begun, it’s important to remember that there’s a different way to get into the giving spirit this holiday season—and it won’t cost you a penny. This year, you can make a difference in the life of local residents in need by simply donating your gently used sweaters, coats or jackets that your family no longer wears.

Let me ask you a question: Did your parents teach you the importance of balancing a checkbook, making sure you never made a late car payment or establishing an emergency savings for a rainy day?