finances

  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Experiences, not things, create happy memories
Experiences, not things, create happy memories 644 364 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. This weeks topic covers how spending money (with intention) can make you happier. Psychologist Daniel Gilbert said, “Money itself doesn’t make you happy. What can make you happy [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Simplify Your Financial Life, Part 3
Simplify Your Financial Life, Part 3 1024 683 Donna Skeels Cygan
There are many other ways to simplify your financial life beyond organizing your files. Consider simplifying your lifestyle and reducing your spending. You may significantly reduce your budget by not buying new clothing, and that money can be redirected into savings and investments. Instead of buying a new car, decide to stretch your car to [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Finances
Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Finances 1024 683 Donna Skeels Cygan
When it comes to happiness, less is more Simplifying your life may include many different factors. It may be de-cluttering your house or office. It may involve getting rid of some responsibilities that are causing you stress. It may require that you stop being a perfectionist. It might mean saying “no” when people ask you [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Giving Back Financially
Giving Back Financially 1024 680 Donna Skeels Cygan
“Money is like manure; it’s not worth a thing unless it is spread around.” - Brooke Astor, philanthropist One of my clients, whom I’ll call Beth, told me that she had given away $40,000 the year before, and that it gave her great joy to do so. She is not wealthy by most standards, but [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

How Much Are You Saving?
How Much Are You Saving? 1024 613 Donna Skeels Cygan
Do you think people with high incomes are wealthier than people with average incomes? This is a myth that needs to be dispelled. Many people have extremely high incomes, but their net worth does not reflect the high income. The key is not how much you earn, but how much you save. The amount you [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Neuroscience and “How Your Brain is Wired,” Part 3
Neuroscience and “How Your Brain is Wired,” Part 3 1024 683 Donna Skeels Cygan
This is Part 3 of a series titled “Neuroscience: How Our Brains and Wired.” Part 1 described that the two major parts of the brain that are involved in financial decisions are the amygdala (which controls our emotions such as fear, greed, impulsive behavior, and cravings) and the prefrontal cortex (where rational thinking and logical [...]read more
Money Messages Learned as a Child
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Money Messages You Learned as a Child
Money Messages You Learned as a Child 1024 683 Donna Skeels Cygan
What did you learn about money? During our childhoods we received messages about money, and they are deeply ingrained in our behavior as adults. Taking the time to reflect on the money messages you learned as a child will help provide perspective on how you manage your money now. Money is often considered to be [...]read more
money envelope
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Reduce Your Expenses, Increase Your Savings
Reduce Your Expenses, Increase Your Savings 350 233 Donna Skeels Cygan
Having money can provide us with the freedom to live our lives the way we choose. Once we determine what makes us happy, we can then design our money to support our personal goals. This post gives tips for reducing expenses. As you reduce your expenses, recognize that the items we spend money on can [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Manage Your Human Capital, Part 1
Manage Your Human Capital, Part 1 1698 1131 Donna Skeels Cygan
This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on the topic Human Capital. In financial planning, we focus on financial capital, which is basically money. This includes your investments, how much you save, how much you spend, the growth within your investment accounts, withdrawals during retirement, and many other factors. Another important concept is [...]read more
yellow pie plate
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate
Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate 450 244 Donna Skeels Cygan
The book The Joy of Financial Security covers many financial topics, including estate planning. I encourage my clients to get their finances and legal documents “in good order” so that members of their family or an executor can more easily sort through everything in case of their disability or death. I provide my clients an [...]read more

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

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