The Joy of Financial Security

Articles by the Author
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Ten years ago this month — looking back at the financial crisis
Ten years ago this month — looking back at the financial crisis 900 653 Donna Skeels Cygan
Ten years ago this month – September 2008 – Wall Street took a huge nosedive. Today’s article will provide a summary of what happened in the financial crisis. Next month’s column will focus on how you can prepare for the next financial crisis. The first clear indication of trouble occurred on March 17, 2008, when [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Money matters
Money matters 1200 800 Donna Skeels Cygan
Why is money important to you? The quick reply may be “it helps me pay my bills” or “it keeps a roof over my head.” These answers may be true, but I want to go deeper as we explore the role of money in our lives. Money has tremendous power in our society. It has [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Summer is time to slow down, enjoy family
Summer is time to slow down, enjoy family 900 628 Donna Skeels Cygan
If you are old enough to remember Gershwin’s classic song “Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy,” then you can envision sweltering weather, family gatherings, cookouts with deviled eggs, pedal pushers and plaid shirts. If you’ve never heard the song, Google it and you will find recordings by Billie Holliday (1936), Ella Fitzgerald (1968) and Norah [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Follow these five steps to take control of financial future
Follow these five steps to take control of financial future 5616 3744 Donna Skeels Cygan
Money skills are learned. They are not genetic. Many of us learned how to deal with money from our parents or grandparents. It was not a formal class or an organized discussion. It was merely watching the way they handled money while we were growing up. Did they save for their future, or were they [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Get started now to raise money-savvy kids
Get started now to raise money-savvy kids 6000 4000 Donna Skeels Cygan
All parents want their kids to grow up to be financially responsible adults. We want our kids to learn how to live within a budget, to avoid credit card debt, and to understand the concept of “not keeping up with the Joneses.” We want our kids to be happy. We want them to find a [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Start now to plan a fun, affordable vacation
Start now to plan a fun, affordable vacation 6000 4000 Donna Skeels Cygan
Summer is just around the corner and if you have kids, that often means a fun-filled family vacation. As you plan your summer, keep in mind the following tips. Simple and short When planning a vacation, do not limit yourself to thinking it must be elaborate and expensive. Summer getaways do not need to last [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Have you Weeded Your Financial Garden?
Have you Weeded Your Financial Garden? 1200 800 Donna Skeels Cygan
Spring has sprung! March is a great time to weed our gardens so the spring flowers can shine through. I weed my gardens, clear out the old growth, and then put down a layer of compost so my flowers will flourish all spring and summer. They are happy, and I am happy. The same concept [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Windfall wisdom
Windfall wisdom 1200 798 Donna Skeels Cygan
The IRS estimates that more than 80 percent of American taxpayers receive a tax refund each spring, and the average amount of the refund is approximately $3,000. Many people look forward to their tax refund, and they do not mind that too much money is being withheld from their paycheck throughout the previous year (which [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

How tax reform will impact New Mexicans
How tax reform will impact New Mexicans 958 736 Donna Skeels Cygan
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 22, 2017. People are asking: How is this going to impact me? Will my taxes go down? Am I going to pay more taxes? Let’s break it down as it pertains to New Mexican taxpayers. TIMING: The changes [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Create a positive financial mindset for 2018
Create a positive financial mindset for 2018 900 599 Donna Skeels Cygan
The year is not yet over, but many of us are looking forward to January 2018. Starting a new year is always exciting, offering opportunities for making healthy changes. But often, our best intentions have faded within a few weeks, and we fall back into our old routines. Let’s focus on our mindset to improve [...]read more

© 2024 Donna Skeels Cygan, CFP®, MBA, Author of The Joy of Financial Security and Becoming Enriched.

Enter your
text here