With the holidays right around the corner, you may do more shopping than usual. In the blog post below, you'll learn some of the most costly mistakes shoppers make and how to avoid them so that you don't fall into a trap while doing your holiday shopping.

Holiday décor and music are filling department stores, Starbucks and Dunkin have released their holiday drink menus, and some people have already started putting up their trees. Although I'm not quite in the holly jolly spirit yet, I have begun financially planning for the holidays so that my debt doesn't outweigh my cheer. Below are the tips I'm using to keep myself in check as I kick-start my holiday spending.

Are you heading to college in the fall? If so, I bet you're super excited! I remember how much anticipation I had the summer before heading off to Coastal Carolina University. I couldn't wait to arrive on campus, meet my roommates, get my new dorm room set up, and officially start my classes.

As exciting as starting college can be, it can also be nerve-wracking. I was moving away from home for the first time, where I'd be away from my family and have to make all new friends. On top of the social stress, I was worried about juggling college coursework and getting good grades to maintain my scholarships.

Luckily, I received a few scholarships to help with the expense of college tuition. However, scholarships don't always cover the entire cost. Luckily, you can apply for several federal financial aid programs through FAFSA, such as loans, work-study, and grants. Check out the BALANCE blog post below for 5 things you need to start your FAFSA application.

As we're still coming off the excitement of Independence Day, I thought, what better time to discuss the importance of financial independence and how to achieve it. 

With the growth of technology at an all-time high, there has never been a more opportune time for cybercriminals to take advantage of vulnerable people. Protecting yourself and your private information can be difficult when there are so many different types of fraud.

Carolina Trust wants to make sure you have all the tools you need to protect yourself from scammers and know what to do if you've been scammed, which is why this month's Financial Friday Community Panel was all about fraud. Check it out below:

It seems that emergencies always strike when you least expect them.

I went out of town this past weekend on a girls' trip, where I probably spent a little more money than I should have, and wouldn't you know it; my car broke down on the way home from the airport. My first thought was, "please don't let this be expensive," and my second was, " all that money I just spent on my trip would come in handy right now."

Unfortunately, wishing my worries away isn't going to pay for the auto repairs. Luckily, I have an emergency savings account. Although I hate depleting it, times like this are precisely what that safety net is for.

I couldn't help but think of the trouble and panic I'd feel if I didn't have my emergency savings account to fall back on, so I wanted to share the tips below from BALANCE on how to jump-start your emergency fund.

As you may know, I just graduated from the 42nd class of Leadership Grand Strand. Leadership Grand Strand is a 10-month program sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to develop a corps of informed, committed, and qualified individuals who provide dynamic leadership for the Grand Strand area. As part of the requirements for graduation, my classmates and I had to volunteer at least 75 hours with various local charities, including Habitat for Humanity and New Directions Men’s Shelter in Myrtle Beach.

Although I already knew that I had a heart for service through previous volunteer opportunities with the credit union, Leadership Grand Strand tremendously strengthened my desire to give back to the community. However, with so many different volunteer opportunities, finding ways to help that will actually make an impact can be tricky.

If you are already an avid volunteer or are looking for ways to start giving back to your community, check out the BALANCE blog post below:

April is Credit Union Youth Month, and Carolina Trust is celebrating in full swing like we do every year. This year's official youth month theme is "Save Small. Dream Big. at your credit union™, and one day you may have enough to fulfill a financial dream!" This theme makes saving for the future fun and encourages younger members to create financial dreams and work hard to see them through.

Youth Month is a great annual opportunity to engage with our young members and teach them about important financial topics. Taking financial concepts and putting them into terms that kids can understand can be tricky, so I'm here to help!

In this BALANCE blog post, you'll learn different tips and tricks to raising kids that are financially responsible.

April is Credit Union Youth Month, and Carolina Trust is celebrating in full swing like we do every year. This year's official youth month theme is "Save Small. Dream Big. at your credit union™, and one day you may have enough to fulfill a financial dream!" This theme makes saving for the future fun and encourages younger members to create financial dreams and work hard to see them through.

Youth Month is a great annual opportunity to engage with our young members and teach them about important financial topics. Taking financial concepts and putting them into terms that kids can understand can be tricky, so I'm here to help!

In this BALANCE blog post, you'll learn different tips and tricks to raising kids that are financially savvy.

April is Credit Union Youth Month, and Carolina Trust is celebrating in full swing like we do every year. This year's official youth month theme is "Save Small. Dream Big. at your credit union™, and one day you may have enough to fulfill a financial dream!" This theme makes saving for the future fun and encourages younger members to create financial dreams and work hard to see them through.

Youth Month is a great annual opportunity to engage with our young members and teach them about important financial topics. Taking topics like credit, investing, and budgeting and putting them into terms that kids can understand can be tricky, so I'm here to help!

In this blog post, I will show you how you can teach the kids in your life about budgeting by having them assist with grocery shopping.

I loved going to the grocery store with my parents as a kid. I would always try to sneak treats into the buggy and collect as many coupons from the aisle coupon machines as possible. Although going to the grocery store was a fun trip for me, I'm sure all of my shenanigans made it quite stressful for my parents. If you're in the same boat when it comes to grocery shopping with kids, try letting them assist with shopping. Having them help gives them something to do, and it's also an excellent opportunity to teach them about budgeting.