The Grand Strand area is rich with African American history, and with February being Black History Month, there's no better time to explore the past and honor those who paved the way.

As I was researching places and events in our area celebrating black history month, I came across the blog post below, written by Visit Myrtle Beach. It is an excellent round-up of places in our community that share the story of how African culture has shaped our area and lifestyle.

February is here, and love is in the air. It's actually pretty hard to hide from love this time of year, especially when the shelves of every store are lined with hearts and other cheesy romantic things.

Although Valentine's Day can be a bit commercial, I love having a special day dedicated to showing my friends, family, and significant other how much I love them.

Whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it, this time of year is a perfect reminder to give yourself a little self-love.

Self-Love can sound like a cheesy thing. My first thought always goes to giving myself a big hug or something silly. However, self-love really boils down to the stuff you're doing every day to show yourself some love. Are you investing time and energy into yourself? Are you lifting yourself up? Are you as kind and giving to yourself as you are to the people you love? If not, Valentine's Day is a great time to start.

I'm not saying you have to buy yourself a card and box of chocolates. However, if it makes you feel good, then you definitely should.

If you need a few ideas for practicing self-love this Valentine's Day season, check out my suggestions below:

It's that time of year again; W2's are rolling in, tax professionals are gearing up, and your mind is already swirling on how to spend your tax refund check. Once you get through the initial stress of preparing your financial documents and filing your taxes, thinking of ways to spend the anticipated extra money can be exciting. However, don't let the excitement of having a little extra cash in your pocket make you hastily spend it on something you'll regret.

Instead, check out the BALANCE blog below for ten ideas to make the most of your refund money.

Have you been considering the idea of buying a home? Well, maybe 2022 is the year that you stop just browsing on Zillow and actually make the jump into homeownership.

So, how do you get started? Once you've gotten pre-qualified at Carolina Trust, you'll want to find a reputable real estate agent to help you find your dream home. But, how do you choose the right one with all the different agents and agencies?

Check out the BALANCE blog below for three easy steps to finding the perfect realtor.

Since we're still in January, you know we're going to talk about goals and resolutions. Every year, one of my New Year's resolutions is to increase my savings; this is a resolution that I keep each year because I think it is something that I can always strive to improve upon.

Every single year, improving financial habits is one of the most common New Year's resolutions. There are countless resources on improving your finances through budgeting, saving, investing, etc. Although those are all necessary for healthy finances, you also have to be able to say no when needed.

If you've been looking to make positive changes in your life or just looking for a fresh start, there's no better time than the beginning of a new year. Starting now, you have 365 days to make changes in your life and work towards new goals. I encourage you to reflect this week about areas of your life that you want to improve and set attainable goals to make positive changes.

If you're looking to improve your financial health in 2022, check out the BALANCE blog below for a few tips. Also, be sure to subscribe to my weekly blog posts for encouragement and tips to keep you on track throughout the year. 

There's only a week left in 2021, and there's no better way to end the year than by giving back. I know the holiday season can be busy, but I encourage you to make time to volunteer or donate before the year is up.

It happens every year, without fail, someone brings me a Christmas gift, and I have nothing to give them in return. So, of course, I'm immediately filled with guilt, make up a story about how I left their gift at home, and run out and buy them something last minute.

With Christmas just a few weeks away, you've probably made your list and checked it twice to make sure that you have the perfect gifts for all of your loved ones. Or, if you're like me, you're just now starting your holiday shopping. Either way, if you still have gifts to buy, local holiday markets are the perfect place to look.

One of my favorite things about holiday markets is having all of my favorite local shops in one place. I love shopping locally and try to do it year-round. However, if I'm looking for many different items, it can be time-consuming to drive from shop to shop when a mall or department store has everything under one roof. That's the beauty of holiday markets; they're like the malls of local businesses.

Although sometimes it's easy when you're in a time crunch to load up your Amazon cart with everything you need and have it on your doorstep in two days, I would encourage you to head over to a local holiday market before you do. They may have the perfect gift that you've been searching for, and by shopping with them, you get to help a neighbor provide for their family.

Below is a list of some great holiday markets popping up in the area this season. Be sure to set a budget before you go, though, because there will be so many phenomenal goodies, and it'll be easy to overspend.

Holiday Market in Valor Park
Each Saturday in December, 12pm - 4pm
Farrow Parkway in Market Commons

Inaugural Wicked Holiday Market
Each Saturday in December, 12pm - 5pm
Wicked Tuna