Happy New Year! We want to wish you a year filled with good health, happiness and prosperity.

Prosperity? Yes. It's a goal that's within the grasp of all of us, no matter our income level. But to reach prosperity, we need to do some honest analysis of our spending, set goals and put our money to work for us. After all, we work for our money, so why shouldn't it work for us?

Right now some of us are feeling the aftershock of the holidays. It's not hard to be surprised when you count up the dollars you've spent on gifts, decorations, parties and other holiday treats.

That's why so many Americans spend January and February with a case of the post-holiday financial blues. It can take a long time to get back to financial health — especially if a lot of the holidays were funded with your credit card. ...

Did you know that there are more hungry people living in the U. S. today than at any time since the U. S. Department of Agriculture began gathering data in the 1990s? Nearly 49 million Americans don't get enough nutritious food on a regular basis.

And as Charles Dickens wrote in A Christmas Carol, “it is at Christmastime that want is most keenly felt.”

Many of those hungry people live in communities served by First Reliance Bank, so we've decided to do something about it. But we need your help.

This holiday season, won't you help us feed our neighbors in need?

We're launching a drive to provide 500 meals to those in communities served by our bank and its branches.

Together, First Reliance Bank and you can help fill hungry bellies and make this season just a little brighter.

The drive will run through January 21, 2013. Here's ...

Do you know how much you make and where your money goes? Do you have any idea how much you can afford to spend this holiday shopping season?

Before you head for the mall, why not take a quick snapshot of your finances and create a holiday spending budget? When you better understand how your money flows, you can better manage your finances and keep your holiday spending under control.

Check out our easy-to-use free budgeting tools for personal and family budgets. You'll discover a variety of tools like financial calculators, videos and budgeting worksheets that will help you manage your money better.

You can avoid the shock of bills that could rock your finances in 2013.

Now is also a great time to begin planning for the 2013 holiday season. Our tools show you how to easily track what you spend on holiday gifts this year. Divide that total ...

Active and Retired Military Are A Segment Supported In The Bank’s Unique Hometown Heroes Program

[caption id="attachment_5451" align="alignright" width="300"] The Citadel Lacrosse Team, in conjunction with the Virginia Military Institute and First Reliance Bank presented a check to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.[/caption] November 28, 2012, Charleston, S.C. —   The Citadel Lacrosse Team, in conjunction with the Virginia Military Institute and First Reliance Bank presented a check to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation in the amount of $3,000.  The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full four- year scholarships to children of deceased special operations veterans from all services. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation in the past year has provided over $4,000,000 in financial assistance to the children of fallen soldiers.  The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is only one of 5% of all charities in the country to continually receive a 4 star rating for financial efficiency. Michael Grimm, the head ...

Mortgage rates are at their lowest in history. Are you asking yourself if it's a good time to shop for a home? Do you know the advantages of house hunting in November and December?

If you're considering selling your current house or buying a new one, now is a very good time. If you’re a first-time home buyer who is ready to make a down payment on your dream home by tapping into your money market account or cashing in a certificate of deposit, there's no better time to realize your dream of home ownership.

There are several advantages to house hunting in winter. Best of all, home shopping during the holiday season can translate into real cost savings for smart shoppers.

[caption id="attachment_5351" align="alignleft" width="300"] Click image to enlarge[/caption]

But there are pros and cons, so let's consider them:

Want quality time with your agent? Winter's the time to ...

Veterans Day is this Sunday. Most of us know someone who is serving or has served in our military. Maybe it's a family member or a friend. Perhaps it's a neighbor down the road or a fellow parishioner at church.

Why not reach out and thank them for their service to our country?

It only takes a moment to show your appreciation, and to let them know that they have not been forgotten.

[caption id="attachment_5329" align="alignleft" width="150"] Click image to enlarge[/caption]

At First Reliance Bank, we show support for veterans everyday with special programs and fundraising efforts.

Right now, we're raising money for the Wounded Soldiers Fund by honoring those in the active or retired military, military veterans and even deceased veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice. Here's how you can participate through November 11.

[caption id="attachment_5328" align="alignright" width="150"] Click image to enlarge[/caption]

We especially appreciate those of you who ...

The recent cyber attack on South Carolina Department of Revenue records has put more than 3 million South Carolinians and over 600,000 businesses at risk.

On October 26, the state announced that the Social Security numbers of 3.6 million people and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers have been exposed. On October 31, it was revealed that information from up to 657,000 businesses had also been stolen when the state's computers were hacked.

Any individual or business that filed a state return from 1998 through the present may be at risk.

Consumers Are Urged To Enroll In Protectmyid.com — It's Free To Use

The state is paying for a year's worth of free identity protection for each South Carolina taxpayer. Although the bill for this will be $12 million, it's an investment that must be made to protect the millions of citizens made vulnerable by the cyber attack.

You can ...

Purchasing a home can be overwhelming. With lots of homes on the market across the state and historical low mortgage rates, here are some helpful tips as you get ready to buy a home.

Get pre-approved – This process helps you understand what you can afford and it helps your broker too. Ask your First Reliance Bank Residential Lender for a list of documents you’ll need to obtain a pre-approval. Call 888.543.5510 or visit our website and click on the “Apply For A Mortgage Loan” image on the bottom left hand corner of our homepage. There is plenty of information on getting your mortgage started and you can conveniently apply online.

Buy within your means – Balance what you want in a mortgage with current and future obligations. One example would be setting up a structure to pay off a home that you see yourself staying in while paying off ...

Would you like to help us honor someone who is active or retired military, a military veteran, a deceased veteran, in the Reserve Forces or the National Guard? From October 1 through Veterans Day, November 11, First Reliance Bank will be recognizing this very special segment of our Hometown Heroes program and raising money for those who protect us!

And we have three ways that you can be part of this effort and help raise up to a total of $1,000 for the Wounded Soldiers Foundation.

[caption id="attachment_5029" align="alignright" width="150"] Click image to enlarge[/caption]

There are those in our community who go to extraordinary lengths contributing to the safety and well-being of us all. We call them our “Hometown Heroes” and this month we are celebrating the many ways that their lives make our lives better. If you're someone who is active or retired military, or who works in the fields of fire and rescue or law enforcement, we'd like to thank you by inviting you to be part of our Hometown Heroes program. If you're a medical professional, teacher or school district employee, or work for a religious organization or a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we want to celebrate your contributions by inviting you to join our Hometown Heroes program too. Over the next several weeks, your First Reliance team will be visiting each Hometown Hero with a special thank you basket. We hope to see you then! Learn more about the Hometown Heroes program ...