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It's often said that it's better to give than to receive and to put others ahead of yourself. Day after day, many dedicate themselves to doing that and making our world a better place.

They might be your neighbors, fellow workers, or attend church with you. They might even be that person in line with you at the bank.

We met one such caring person at our Florence Branch. Her name is Juliette Wilson and we think she's terrific.

Juliette loves to help others. In fact, she's dedicated a large portion of her life to it. Through missionary work, she's been able to connect with and improve the lives of both less fortunate children and families around the world.

“You see the world one way until you travel it, and discover it's a lot different than you think it is,” said Juliette. “You realize that everyone has needs, feelings, hurts ...


Memorial Day is just one week away. What does it mean to you?

Memorial Day is the official start of summer, a holiday from work, a chance to relax and grill out.

But, most importantly, it's an opportunity to stop and reflect upon the many blessings we have in this country. It's a time to pause and say a silent thank you to those who have sacrificed their lives to preserve our way of life.

First Reliance Bank Memorial DayWill you be remembering a relative or a friend who made the ultimate sacrifice? Will you be thinking of the many who, throughout the years, have selflessly given their lives on behalf of America?

Will you be wearing some red, white and blue that day, displaying the flag, or decorating your home? Will you be teaching your children the meaning of the day and then involving them in a little fun like trimming out their ...


With summer right around the corner, are you planning a vacation outside the United States? Have you already booked that European cruise you've had your eye on?

With a fully-loaded checklist that includes everything from scheduling time off from work, to making travel preparations, to tackling a mountain-high pile of laundry and packing, the last thing you want to worry about is how much cash you'll need to have with you on your trip.

First Reliance Bank International TravelWhile it's always a good idea to take along a certain amount of cash while traveling, it's far safer and more convenient to travel with your bank debit card.

A First Reliance Bank debit card helps you simplify your international travel. Here's how:

1) It's accepted anywhere outside of the U.S. that accepts VISA cards. Rather than entering your PIN, you'll simply be asked to sign a sales slip.

2) It can be used at network ...


Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we want to celebrate all of you Moms who give so much each day.

Talk about multi-tasking superheroes!

On any given day, you probably find yourself serving as the family's chauffeur, designated shopper, recreational coordinator, meal planner, chef and much, much more.

First Reliance Bank Mother's DayMany Moms today also serve as chief financial officers, responsible for juggling the family's budget, keeping the bank account balanced, ensuring the bills are paid, and teaching the kids in the household how to be responsible with money.

Citibank recently surveyed their customers about Moms and money.

About 35% said their Mom serves as the family's CFO, and 38% said they turn to Mom for input on financial matters. That's about 5% more than turn to Dad for such advice. The survey also revealed that people engage Mom in conversations about money and finances nearly as often as they ...


Every spring, nature shows us how to have a new beginning. All around us, new buds are forming and flowers pop up from the ground. It's nature's way of saying, “out with the old and in with the new!”

Our version of spring's new beginning is the tradition of “spring cleaning.” When the pollen's gone and the windows are open, our thoughts turn to getting our home in order and refreshing our surroundings. It's the best time of the year to get rid of the unused, clean what's left, and get organized for the months to come.

Are you ready for your own spring cleaning?

To help you get started, here are seven steps that will ensure your spring cleaning is worth every minute you devote to it.

Get rid of the clutter. Stop saving those magazines First Reliance Bank My Finances you just can't get to and those long-expired coupons. If there's a ...


And Twelve Associates Awarded President’s Club


April 15, 2013, Jeremy Groom - 2013 Associate of the YearFlorence, S.C.  –  First Reliance Bank recently announced  that Jeremy Groom, Senior Vice President of Compliance and Risk Management, is the First Reliance Associate of the Year for 2013.

Each year, as part of the bank’s associate rewards and recognition program, all associates have the opportunity to nominate an outstanding associate and submit a detailed reason of why the chosen associate deserves the award.  A committee of  associates, then carefully reviews the nominations and selects the associate who goes above and beyond performance expectations and who is the best role model for living the values of First Reliance Bank.  Groom was selected from among the bank’s 100 associates.

In his twelve years of service with First Reliance Bank, Groom has demonstrated a career of upward movement because of his consistent dedication to produce excellent work while continuously improving his knowledge of ...


Love your vehicle, but hate the high payments? Thinking of trading in your car or truck for a ride that will cost you less per month?

Before you do, first stop and think about trading in your loan.

That's right. You can trade in your loan and actually keep on driving the vehicle you love.

First Reliance Bank Auto LoanHere's how:

If you don't already have a checking account at First Reliance Bank, open an account today. You'll need that account if you want to snap up one of the low loan rates available only when you set up your loan payments to automatically be drafted from your account.

Next, take a close look at how much you still owe on your vehicle. Chances are, you've paid down a good bit of the loan principal. So, you will be refinancing a lower amount.

What's your current loan rate? In today's economy, vehicle loan ...


As the saying goes: a penny saved is a penny earned. And, if you're running a business, you want to earn as much as you can. But you also want to save some funds for that day when an emergency or opportunity comes knocking on your business door.

First, you need to build a cash surplus. But once built, the challenge is to find just the right place to store your funds.

First Reliance BankThere are a staggering variety of investment choices from real estate to the stock market. Many carry the promise of big returns — along with the risk that your principal might be lost.

You can put your cash into a long-term investment like a CD, and you'll be giving your money the chance to grow safely and steadily over time. But the trade-off is liquidity.

What's a business person to do? If you can't afford to risk your ...


St. Patrick's Day brings to mind that famous pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Have you thought about if you could build your own pot of gold?

Your parents have probably stressed the importance of putting money aside for, well, as long as you can remember. “For a rainy day”; “for that vacation you want to take”; “for a house”; “for your future.” But let's face it: saving money is hard work. Between rent, gas, credit cards, and various other odds and ends, you're not usually left with much to spend – let alone save (especially in your 20's and early 30's!).

First Reliance Bank St. Patrick's DayThe good news is that saving money isn't nearly as difficult as you might imagine. In fact, that saying you've heard all your life is actually true: a little goes a long way. Saving doesn't mean going without and it also doesn't mean having to ...


Recently, readers of The News Journal voted that we are “Florence's Friendliest Bank" and "Florence's Finest Place To Work.” We're very proud. But we're also very grateful. Because without you, our customers, we would not be the place that we are.

We try hard to be different from other banks. Honors like this tell us that our efforts are succeeding.

Lexington Food Collection BinThe way we look at it, we're not just a banking business. We've got deep roots in the communities we serve, and affection for the people who live there. So, it's important that we do whatever we can to help make your lives better.

Those of us who work at First Reliance are proud to contribute over 800 hours of volunteer service every year. We were especially excited this year at your response to our “Feeding Neighbors In Need” campaign. We collected over 300 pounds of non-perishable food items and ...


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