Finances

  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Plan a vacation without blowing your budget
Plan a vacation without blowing your budget 1682 1116 Donna Skeels Cygan
With summer almost here, vacation planning season is upon us. This often involves blowing your budget and suffering a “credit card hangover” after you return home. This year, try something different: With these 12 tips and some careful planning, you can stay within your budget and still have a great vacation. 1. What is your [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Important ‘F’ word for investors: fiduciary
Important ‘F’ word for investors: fiduciary 700 273 Donna Skeels Cygan
Despite the endearing advertisements in which the financial industry tries to make you think they are giving you advice that is in your best interest, in many cases, financial professionals simply want to sell you something. Far too often, their profit motive is a higher priority than what is best for you. So, it is [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Take control with a net worth statement
Take control with a net worth statement 456 304 Donna Skeels Cygan
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Many people are intimidated by money. They don’t know where to begin to get organized. Some people may work with a financial adviser and not be directly involved in managing their money. Other people do not know what they own and whether their net worth is a positive or negative number. Putting [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

New bucket list: create wise tax strategies
New bucket list: create wise tax strategies 837 449 Donna Skeels Cygan
“Don’t let the tax tail wag the investment dog” is a quirky saying that has been a mainstay for financial advisers for many years. It means to not let tax issues override smart investment decisions. However, smart tax planning is essential for smart investing. The key with tax planning is to be proactive, and a [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Want to be a millionaire? Focus on saving
Want to be a millionaire? Focus on saving 700 883 Donna Skeels Cygan
Saving is the key to financial security. I know many people think saving is hard. However, when you see your account grow and compound over the years, it becomes exciting. You realize it wasn’t that hard, and saving actually gets easier over time. You just need to take the first step. Thomas Stanley and William [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Plan now for a financially secure 2017
Plan now for a financially secure 2017 1000 729 Donna Skeels Cygan
We are in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and 2016 is about to come to a close. Would you like to experience financial security in 2017? Are there changes you want to make to your finances? Now is the time to start planning for the new year. During the last two weeks [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Strategies to help you stick to holiday budget
Strategies to help you stick to holiday budget 2048 1365 Donna Skeels Cygan
The holidays are supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” yet they often lead to overspending and stress. Many people end up with a credit card hangover in January. Being proactive can help break the cycle. With just a little effort, the following think-out-of-the-box strategies will result in a happier holiday season [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Why ‘keeping up’ may be keeping you down
Why ‘keeping up’ may be keeping you down 1180 544 Donna Skeels Cygan
We feel pressure to keep up with the status quo (the proverbial Joneses). If our neighbor buys a new car, our six-year-old car may start to look pretty shabby. We see ads on TV for new cars, we start paying more attention to other cars as we drive around town, and we may start researching [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Happiness is within our reach – and control
Happiness is within our reach – and control 500 722 Donna Skeels Cygan
We’ve all heard people say “money buys happiness.” Others say “money does not buy happiness.” So, which is it? While writing my book, I reviewed research from the fields of psychology, neuroscience and economics to unravel the relationship between money and happiness. My conclusion is that money does not buy happiness. In other words, money [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Retrain your brain for better financial decisions
Retrain your brain for better financial decisions 1000 872 Donna Skeels Cygan
This month I will be posting a series of articles that were published on the Albuquerque Journal. These articles will explore the relationship between money and happiness. Are you ever disappointed after making what seems to be an emotional – and unwise – financial decision? Understanding how our brains are involved in our financial decisions [...]read more

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

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