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. 

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.

With the start of a new school year right around the corner, its time to start filling up the cart with back-to-school items. If the rows and rows of school supplies at Walmart and Target haven't already sucked you in, then Tax-Free Weekend is the perfect time to grab some of the key items that may be on your list.

I just returned from a fantastic weekend getaway to the beach in North Carolina. My boyfriend and I wanted to go somewhere smaller and keep things budget friendly and low-key for a relaxing long weekend. If you're like me, you can't plan for the perfect vacation without a million lists. There's always a packing list, an "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. 

Living in an area that experiences hurricane season for six months out of the year, we need to be prepared. A great way to do a bit of pre-planning so that you're not panicking when a hurricane is on its way is to put together a Hurricane Preparedness Kit. 

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.

We're coming up on Memorial Day Weekend, which to most, is like the official kick-start to the summer. Schools are starting to get out for summer break, people from all over head to the beach for vacation, friends and family join together for cookouts, and everyone breaks out the fireworks and red, white, and blue. Although Memorial Day is a great time to gather with friends and family and celebrate the start of the summer, it's important that we all take time to remember the true meaning of the holiday and the individuals who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. 

Below are some of the different Memorial Day events happening in our area that you can attend with loved ones and acknowledge those fallen soldiers:

America Saves Week is an annual celebration and a call to action for Americans to commit to saving successfully. Over the past few years, America Saves has been exploring what it means to be financially confident. Financial confidence is inclusive in that it recognizes that Savers have unique circumstances. Even if you are in a scenario that makes it difficult or impossible to save at this moment — you are committed to doing the work, taking control of your finances, and becoming more financially stable. 

In honor of America Saves Week, I wanted to share this exclusive Financial Friday segment where Carolina Trust Chief Operations Officer, Christina Naylor shares some saving tips and tools with me on how to jump-start your savings and grow your wealth once you've developed healthy savings habits.

It's that time of year again; W2s are rolling in, tax professionals are gearing up, and your mind is already swirling with ways to spend your tax refund check. Before getting too excited and seeing dollar signs, check out this BALANCE blog post for common tax blunders you should try to avoid.