Some of the best financial advice I ever got came from the Grinch

Each year, we cheer as the villains of our favorite Christmas movies change their tune, get their comeuppance, or meet an ignominious end. But these holiday baddies also have a lot to teach us about money.

One of the benefits of rewatching your favorite holiday films year after year is getting the opportunity to take a deeper look into the stories. We’re all familiar with overt themes about how Christmas is a time for giving, togetherness, and Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model air rifles—but the hidden messages in these movies can also provide some surprisingly cogent financial advice. In particular, the Grinch and other Christmas movie villains teach some of the most useful lessons about money. Here’s how the worst characters in your beloved Christmas movies can change how you look at money.