With the holidays right around the corner, you've probably started making your shopping list and scouring through sales ads for all of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Although you could quickly load up your Amazon cart with all the gifts on your list, I would encourage you to look into local businesses as an alternative.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and, if done right, can be one of the year's best holidays. With all of the delicious food, the gathering of loved ones, and the entertainment (football and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade), it's a recipe for success. 

As we kick off a new month before the holiday season, you may be looking for ways to make or save a little more money than usual for upcoming expenses. Check out the blog post below for ways to save every day so that come December, you have a little extra to spend during the holidays. 

And after the holiday season is over, check into our Christmas Club Account for great savings options for next year. 

For the October Financial Friday Community Panel, I was honored to be joined by my President/CEO Tim Carlisle; Christina Jackson, Executive Director of the McLeod Health Foundation, and Nicole Spencer, Assistant Director of Oncology Services for McLeod Health, to talk about the McLeod Health Foundation, McLeod Health's upcoming Comprehensive Cancer Center and raise awareness for Breast Cancer.

It's officially pumpkin season! Pumpkins make the perfect fall decor, and who doesn't love carving/painting them for Halloween fun? However, with the South Carolina heat, you almost have to wait until later on in the season to run out and grab those pumpkins, or you'll end up with a rotten mess (yuck). But now that temperatures are starting to cool down and Halloween is right around the corner, it is full steam ahead for pumpkin patches. 

The Biden administration announced the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan in June 2023. The plan will put monthly payments at $0 for many borrowers and save others up to $1,000 monthly. Here’s how to know if you’re eligible and what to do if you are.

October is here, which means it is officially spooky season. I love decorating and celebrating Halloween, but in doing so, I like everything to reflect my typical aesthetic, just in a holiday way.

In Part 1 of this series, we defined passive income as money received on a regular basis that only requires a little time or effort after the initial set-up. Now, we’ll look at specific examples of passive income to help you determine which might fit best with your situation and goals. Let’s get into it!

Decorating my home for each season is one of my favorite things to get me into the spirit of the upcoming seasonal activities. Fall, in particular, is one of my favorite seasons to decorate for because it gives such warm and cozy vibes. 
However, incorporating new seasonal styles and décor pieces into your home at each season change can be expensive. And, of course, with styles changing all the time, last year's trends are rarely still in style, making you feel like you have to go out and buy more to keep up.
This year, I decided to try decorating my home for fall with easy-to-find items from local thrift stores. In doing so, I found great pieces that can be reused each year and for multiple seasons, depending on how I style and mix and match them. Below are some of the items that I was on the hunt for: