With Father's Day coming up, I've been on the hunt for the perfect gift to give my dad. Luckily, my dad is the easiest person in my family to shop for. Unlike my mother and sister, my dad will tell you exactly what he wants; all you have to do is listen to him or walk around the Bass Pro Shop with him. He will practically put his gift in the buggy for you. He also has pretty inexpensive taste, which helps me stay on budget. My dad also hates to throw things away. He wears everything he has slap out, which, luckily for me, means I can just replace his old item with the newest addition, and he's tickled pink.

If your dad is a little harder to shop for than mine, don't worry! Here are some tips that you can use to find the perfect gift for your dad this Father's Day:

When I think about summer, the first thing to come to mind is vacation. As a kid, summer is when you get a break from school, go to new places, and try new things. Other than the one week of paid vacation that you worked all year to take, summer is pretty much the same as any other time of year for adults. But what if this summer, we too, could spend all summer on vacation. 

As an Alumna of Coastal Carolina University, it's only natural for me to cheer for the Chanticleers. Luckily, I joined an employer who loves Coastal athletics as much as I do. However, cheering on my favorite team wouldn't be possible without the Chanticleer Athletic Foundation (CAF), otherwise known as the Team Behind the Team.

I don't know about you, but May is always like the kick-off to summer for me, and there's no better way to enjoy the summer than getting outdoors. I love being outdoors, mainly because some of my favorite hobbies are outdoor activities.

In 2020, many businesses, both local and big corporations, took major hits due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Even those that were able to stay afloat were not left unscathed. Everyone had to make significant adjustments to how they were operating their businesses, and online presence became a MUST to continue generating revenue.

So, here we are now, almost a year since Governor McMaster reopened all non-essential businesses. Like everything else, businesses adjusted to the new way of life; but, what does that look like? How have these adjustments affected the way we do business, and how businesses in our area are growing?

When a borrower wants to refinance car loan terms and payments, the process involves applying for a new car loan to pay off the existing one. Most automobile loans are secured with the vehicle serving as collateral and the borrower making fixed payments over several years.

One of my goals at the beginning of 2021 was to trade in my Jeep. As much as I enjoyed my Jeep, I was ready for a change and wanted something a bit more practical, fuel-efficient, and technologically advanced. I'd never traded in a vehicle before, so I had a lot of questions and uncertainty. With the help of a few of my Carolina Trust co-workers, I navigated my way through the trade-in process and got a new car that met all my criteria.

Improving the financial literacy in our area is one of the key ways that Carolina Trust tries to live out the credit union philosophy, "people helping people." To truly help our community, we have to go beyond providing them with financial services; we have to teach them healthy financial practices and help them implement them into their lives. Like learning anything, the earlier you start, the better off you'll be, which is why we put such a significant emphasis on financial literacy resources for our youth.

April is CUNA Youth Month, and Carolina Trust is celebrating in a lot of different ways. We're sharing financial content geared towards youth all month long, including activities, story time, and even a giveaway contest. You can visit our website for more information, and be sure to check back each week for new content.

If you're looking for a great way to start the conversation about finances with your child, bringing them into the credit union and opening a Goal Club account is a great place to start. Check out the BALANCE blog post below, "Is it time to open a checking or savings account for your children," for more information about the benefits of introducing your child to the world of personal finance at an early age.

Every April, bright, colorful puzzle pieces begin to appear all around us on social media, television, and storefront advertisements. World Autism Month is a great time to spread awareness for a disorder that affects so many. With 1 in 54 children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it has touched most of us in one way or another.

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its way! I can't believe that Easter Weekend is already here. I feel like Easter sneaks up on me every year. Maybe it's because Easter is never on the same day each year, so I never know exactly when to expect it. However, it could be because I don't celebrate the holiday with the same enthusiasm that I did as a child. I always looked forward to Easter because there were so many fun activities surrounding the holiday. This year, I plan to bring back a little bit of that excitement by checking out some of the area's Easter events.