It's almost time for my favorite holiday, Black Friday. Of course, I'm kidding, but as someone who loves to shop, I do look forward to Black Friday and Cyber Monday each year.

Shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be a great time to score deals on items that you've wanted to purchase, but you can also get easily sucked into overspending if you're not prepared. Check out the BALANCE blog post below for tips on how to avoid overspending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year! However, as wonderful as the holiday season is, it can bring about many expenses that can cause you to bust your budget. If you need help saving on holiday gifts, travel, and meals, try my tips below:

Halloween is right around the corner, and if you don't already have a costume, this is your sign to make your own. If you're not super crafty, no need to worry, these costumes are super easy to make; plus, they're also super cheap.

Halloween can get pretty expensive once you've bought a costume, accessories, candy, treat bags, etc. Save some money this year and make one of the creative costumes below:

Fall is officially here, although it may not seem like it with 80-degree weather and palm trees instead of falling leaves.

Growing up in the mountains of Virginia, the arrival of fall was always seen and felt. It didn't take much to really get into the fall spirit. However, when I moved to the beach, I found that embracing the fall season required more effort on my end.

Since there isn't a major transition in the environment around me to help get me excited about fall, I've relied on the following things to get me in the spirit.

I love living in the south; life is slow, and the people are friendly, but boy, IT IS HOT. It's almost impossible to beat the heat without blasting the a/c unless you catch a breezy day at the beach (my personal favorite way). But having the a/c blasting from May to October can get pretty pricey. Check out the BALANCE blog below for Ways to Reduce Summer Cooling Costs.

I just returned from a fantastic family vacation to Tybee Island, Georgia. My sister is living in Savannah for the summer, so we killed two birds with one stone by visiting her and checking off a beach vacation.

If you're like me, you can't plan for the perfect vacation without a million lists. There's always a packing list, a "places to see" list, and if I'm really on top of things, there's normally even a full itinerary. 

Thankfully, I had the budget checklist below to help me think of everything I might have to pay for and keep myself in check. Because otherwise, unexpected expenses that we hadn't prepared for could have made our budget-friendly weekend getaway quite expensive. 

The time has come for you to do like Katy Perry said and "own the night like the Fourth of July," because this weekend, there will DEFINITELY be fireworks. 

Tips for Scoring Cheap Summer Getaways

Everybody likes a summer vacation, but travel can be expensive. If you’re looking to squeeze a getaway into your budget this summer, here are some tips for traveling on the cheap and getting the best deals.

Summertime has finally arrived at the grand strand, and unfortunately, hurricane season came right along with it. Living near the coast, we are in hurricane season from June 1st to November 30th. Thinking about a potential hurricane can be somewhat stressful. However, being educated and prepared can help relieve a bit of that anxiety.