When the average joe thinks of pirates, he thinks of a certain captain in a certain flick playing at a theater near you. What he may not know is that pirated stuff is for real ... counterfeit goods were priced at 200 billion smackers worldwide in 2005. Just goes to show ... you need to keep a close eye on the people you do business with, baby.

Know what you're getting into. Look for good deals where you can get a bargain and use cash, but make sure to do business with places that are on the up-and-up. Know when to look for scams, like those midnight cable TV real estate commercials or envelope stuffing for the stay-at-home-mom. Those things work about as well as a 25-year-old kid lounging on his parents' sofa. And as long as we're talking about things to stay away from, don't go within 50 miles of a payday loan company. Stay honest and stay out of trouble.