Summer has officially arrived on the Grand Strand, which means beach days, boat rides, and long evenings outside. Unfortunately, it also means the start of hurricane season.

One of the best things about living on the Grand Strand is that people spend all year saving money to vacation where we live every day. As summer gets underway, it's easy to feel like every weekend needs to involve a trip, a ticket, or a big expense. Between vacations, concerts, dining out, and activities for the kids, summer can start to feel expensive before it even officially begins. But the truth is, some of the best parts of summer around here cost very little at all.

Whether you're a die-hard country music fan or just enjoy the energy that comes with a major event, Carolina Country Music Fest has become one of the signature weekends of the year here on the Grand Strand. Every June, thousands of visitors make their way to Myrtle Beach for four days of live music, oceanfront views, and a whole lot of cowboy boots. It's one of those events that brings a different kind of excitement to the area, and even if you're not attending every day, you'll definitely feel the buzz around town.

It's graduation season, and whether it's high school, college, graduate school, or a specialized program, graduation is a huge accomplishment worth celebrating. This year feels especially exciting in my family because my sister is graduating from physical therapy school. As her graduation got closer, I found myself asking the same question many of us do this time of year: What do you get someone to celebrate such a major milestone?

The ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic is officially back this week, and honestly, it’s becoming one of my favorite events of the entire spring season here on the Grand Strand. There’s just something really fun about seeing Myrtle Beach show up on the national golf stage while the whole community leans into the excitement of it all.  My husband is a huge golf fan, so I’m excited to take him back with me again this year, and one of my favorite golfers, Brooks Koepka, is playing, so it’s going to be an exciting few days. 

As a millennial, you're part of a unique and special generation. You're probably at the exciting stage in life where you're just starting out or you're beginning that career climb. Undoubtedly you want to avoid some of the financial pitfalls that have befallen previous generations, but how can you do so? Read below to learn the top 10 financial tips for millennials today. 

With the Federal Reserve reporting that Americans owe $1.021 trillion in outstanding credit card debt, having the facts about how to get out of debt has become more important than ever before. The good news is getting out of debt does not have to be as stressful, painful, or hard as you might think. Mostly, paying off debt requires focus, a changed perspective on spending, and the ability to separate the myths from the facts.

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? I feel like there are still so many things left to do. Luckily, I was able to cross baking cookies for Santa off of my to-do list. Growing up, we'd make a big batch of Christmas cookies a day or two before Christmas to take to different Christmas gatherings, and we would always save a few to set out for Santa. Santa wasn't the only one who got a treat; we always made sure to leave carrots for the reindeer too! We may have even left carrots for Santa instead of cookies a few years because my mom insisted that Santa was dieting.

This year, I requested cookie recipes from Carolina Trust employees at our annual cookie exchange so that Santa could have a new variety. I'm not going to lie this close to Christmas, I may have snuck a few cookies, but they were specifically for taste testing purposing. I wouldn't want to give Santa a nasty cookie. He would put me on the naughty list for sure!

There's no better way to spend the holiday season than spending time with those you love, and there's no better way to enjoy each other's time than with a home-cooked meal. However, cooking at home can often add up if you're not prepared. Check out the BALANCE blog post below for six ways to save on homemade meals.