Browse the Blog

Blog Home
Budgeting
Credit & Debt
Spending & Shopping
Taxes
Security, Scams & Fraud
Advancing Equity
Hear From Our CEO
BECU Spotlight
Mortgages & Home
Jobs & Income

Katie J. Skipper

(She, Her, Hers)

BECU Community Content Manager

Katie manages the BECU Blog and writes about personal finance topics including credit cards, budgeting, debt management, loans, taxes, home improvement, inflation, fraud and scams. She also writes about race, gender and social equity, and features the stories and expertise of BECU employees and community members.

A former journalist, she has reported for daily newspapers in Washington and Montana, including The Daily (Everett) Herald, Great Falls (Montana) Tribune and The Bellingham Herald, covering a range of topics including government, law and justice, and the environment.

She transitioned to public service, communicating on behalf of the Northwest Clean Air Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology with a focus on helping communities understand complex environmental and regulatory issues. She broadened her communications portfolio to the private sector at Ragan Communications and Nyhus (now DH).

Katie has a Master of Communication, Digital Media, and a certificate in content strategy from the University of Washington.

You can learn more about Katie's professional experience and education on her LinkedIn profile.

Holiday Experiences in Washington

A couple pose in the snowy mountains for a photo. The two are standing and smiling and both people are wearing sunglasses. There are mountains and evergreen trees in the background. The sky is blue. The woman is wearing a yellow long-sleeved shirt with a scarf, and the man is wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and has a hat and backpack on.

Discover budget-friendly winter activities that spark the holiday spirit.

2023 Holiday Shopping Scams To Avoid

A woman wearing a tan coat, carrying shopping bags walks through a mall.

Learn about the latest online holiday shopping scams so you can avoid them.

Plan a Budget-Friendly Summer Vacation

A woman wearing sunglasses, a collared shirt and a backpack smiles at the camera with evergreen trees, Mount Rainier and blue sky in the background.

Reduce costs by exploring in Washington and including vacations in your budget.

SVP Values Diversity of Asian Experiences

Balaji Ponnuswamy with his daughters, Varsha (left), Priyanka (center right) and his wife, Gayathri (right).

Statistics hide the range of inequity and different experiences of Asian people.

Equity and Access to a Clean Environment

This is an image of three younger girls running at Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington. They are all smiling and the girl in the front has her hands in the air. She is wearing a pink sweatshirt and a yellow headband. The other two girls are wearing red and blue sweatshirts. In the background are people and children hanging out at the park. Also in the background is the gasification plant. The grass is bright green and the sky is light blue.

How pollution has a bigger effect on poor communities and communities of color.

Path to Equity: A Woman VP's Perspective

BECU's Vice President of Servicing and ATM Operations Shawna Thompson.

How the workplace has changed for women in Shawna Thompson's 30 years with BECU.

Coming Together Over Black Coffee

Three women standing together in front of a green, leaf-covered wall with a neon sign that says "Coffee" on it. The woman on the left is Intentionalist CEO and founder Laura Clise, wearing a Seattle Sonics hat. The woman in the middle is Seattle Storm Center Mercedes Russell, wearing a sweatshirt that says "Seattle." The woman on the right is Black Coffee Northwest co-owner DarNesha Weary, wearing a "Black Coffee Northwest" t-shirt.

Learn how Black Coffee Northwest is leading the conversation on racial equity.

A Career Focused on Culture and Values

Former BECU CEO Benson Porter gestures with his hands as he talks on stage. A sign on a podium next to him says Member Summit. A large mosaic of 12 photos of people's faces with different expressions is in the background the people are a diverse mix of races and genders.

CEO Benson Porter reflects on his career as he prepares for retirement.

How Remote Work Changed Working With a Disability

Illustration of a person sitting at a computer, working from home. Across the room, a dog is on a couch across below a window with curtains.

Employees talk about how remote work has helped them take care of their needs.

Feeding People for Social Change

A Latinx man and woman, both smiling, stand outside at a table covered in neatly arranged packages of food. A giant toy pepper decorates the middle of the table.

Roxana Pardo Garcia created a Latinx food bank to support her community.

Financial Education That Fits Native Needs

Head-and-shoulders portrait of Bethany Hawkins on a gray background. She is smiling and wearing a black suit jacket and red top.

A mortgage advisor is helping to create culturally relevant financial education.

5 Upgrades To Increase Home Value in 2022

Photo of a modern house with stone veneer along the bottom, vinyl-framed windows, and a four-panel garage door with windows across the top.

How to make the most of your home improvement dollars.

Road to Financial Health 'Takes a Village'

A BECU manager works to share her financial knowledge.

9 Steps To Include Fun in Your Budget

Two people kayaking in orange boats with orange paddles on a sunny day. A woman in the foreground is smiling, looking in the direction that the man in the boat behind her is pointing. The sun is shining on the calm water.

Learn how to loosen up spending limits to avoid splurges.

2024 Tax Extension: Deadline, Rules, How To File

A man sits in his kitchen looking at papers he's holding in his right hand and punching buttons on a calculator with his left hand. A laptop is open on the table in front of him.

Need more time for your taxes? Learn about tax extensions.

How To Budget for Inflation

A woman sits at her kitchen table reading a receipt she is holding in one hand. She is holding an apple in the other hand. A paper bag of groceries is on the table next to her.

Get tips on how to adapt your budget when prices are high.

How To Pay off Credit Card Debt

Two smiling men sit shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a laptop and look over a paper document together.

Get tips for paying off debt and saving for the future.

Pandemic Pressure: A Toll on Women's Finances

This is a photo of Marybeth, BECU employee, and her three sons. They are all smiling for a group photo. Marybeth has her arms wrapped around them and is wearing a stripped sweater. They are outside and behind them is a parking lot with cars parked.

A BECU employee shares how her career took a detour because of the pandemic.

BECU Educator Helps Brighten Financial Futures

A Black financial educator empowers students to achieve financial health.

Creating Opportunity for Black-Owned Business

Kesha Rodgers is on a quest to help local Black-owned businesses flourish.

RV Supplies Increasing, but Prices Still High

A father, mother and their two boys pose for a family photo in front of their RV, which is hitched to their pickup truck.

What to expect — and what to consider — if you’re shopping for an RV.

How To Maximize Your Charitable Donations

A BECU employee speaking with another person, with food donations in the background.

Get tips for making the most of your donation dollars and time.

Barriers to Indigenous Wealth

Learn how access to financial health has been limited for Native people throughout U.S. history.

Different, Not Less: Employment for All Abilities

Photo of a smiling man driving a forklift and wearing personal protective equipment.

Randy Lewis’s successful effort to employ thousands with disabilities.

Voice Cloning AI Scams Are on the Rise

Three illustrated people are having conversations on the phone. The person on the left is holding up a cellphone and to the right it's a question marking indicating confusion. The person in the middle of the illustration is also holding up a phone and to the right of her is an exclamation point, indicating that she's surprised. Last, there is an older individual holding up a phone and to the left of him is a voice pattern, which indicates his voice being cloned.

Protect yourself from scams that sound like calls from loved ones.

Password Phishing: How To Avoid Scams

Computer screen with password typed in has a sticky note in the top right corner with a fishing hook going through it.

Protect your personal and financial information from online attacks.

Latinx Culture Informs VP's Equity Work

Photo of Jackie Martinez-Vasquez's face. She is smiling.

Jackie Martinez-Vasquez works to achieve equity for oppressed people.

End of Rental Eviction Ban: Where To Get Help

Find help through government and nonprofit programs.

Is DIY Home Improvement Right for You?

A woman smiles as she paints a white wall gray using a roller brush.

Save time and money and increase your home value by doing your homework.

Mortgage Scams Are Real in 2021: How To Avoid Them

A woman, man and dog sit on the front stairs outside their gray house. The bright yellow front door is ajar behind them.

Protect yourself from mortgage fraud, foreclosure scams and wire fraud.

Guide to 2021 Child Tax Credit: Amounts, Eligibility

A toddler squats in the grass, looking at a clover held by her smiling mother.

Find out how advance payments might affect your tax return.

Why You Should Spend With Pride Year-Round

Illustration of two people walking toward each other, one carrying a Pride flag and the other carrying a scarf that says "Pride." Five icons in circles arch over them: a grocery bag, a contract, a graph with a dollar sign, a beach scene and food.

Your everyday spending can support the LGBTQIA+ community year-round.

Juneteenth

Learn about barriers to Black Americans' financial health.

Edgar Villanueva on Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

The author of “Decolonizing Wealth” works for equity and community healing.

BECU SVP: Value Differences To Open Doors

Bryan Lee MacDonald says real connections pave the way to equity.

Consider Costs Before Getting a Pet

A woman dressed in warm clothes sits on a Pacific Northwest beach with two dogs

Learn how much you’ll need to budget to care for a new furry friend.

No Stimulus Check Yet? Here’s What To Expect

A person holds a stimulus check with two hands, facing the camera

Find out whether a payment might be due to you and how to claim it.

Women Leaders Share Vision for Path to Equity

Leaders discuss what it takes to increase opportunities for women.

Buy or Refi? Low Mortgage Rates Boost Buying Power

Standing in front of a yellow house, man cradles woman in his arms while she dangles keys from her fingers.

Read expert tips about what low rates could mean for you.

Credit Unions Positioned to Lead on Gender Equity

Credit union leaders share their experiences and ideas for closing the gap.

A Steeper Climb

Image of a woman's face on gray background.

How an SVP overcame challenges as a woman in the financial services industry.

Employee Helps Others Benefit from his Experience

Black man in a suit and tie looks at the camera.

A Black BECU employee talks about overcoming adversity and helping others.

Fund Takes New Approach to Building Black Wealth

Four Black women, founders of the Black Futures Co-op Fund, stand outside together and smile for a photo.

Transforming how philanthropy builds Black wealth and health.

A Wedding During COVID-19? Learn from Two Couples

A man smiles at the camera while a woman wearing a flower wreath on her head hugs him from behind

Couples share how COVID-19 affected their big day and their budget.

11 Black Finance Leaders in History

Collage of photos, some very old black-and-white photos, of the faces of Black finance leaders in history.

Learn about Black trailblazers in finance.

Small Businesses Get Second Boost for COVID-19 Relief

Cafe worker wearing surgical mask over his nose and mouth standing in front of the counter

Learn the basics of the Paycheck Protection Program, Round 2.

How to Stay Positive When the Job Search Drags On

Woman smiling, talking on a cell phone and looking at a laptop

Motivation for when it seems like your job search has no end in sight.

Stimulus Round 2 — What You Need to Know

A hand holding a check labeled "relief program" from the United States government

Checks are on the way. Find out how much you’ll get and when you’ll get it.

Set Sights on Smaller Resolutions for 2021

Illustration of the start of a New Year's resolution list surrounded by six pictures in circles: an apple with a milk carton, a person walking outside, a person riding a bike, a book, a small picture of a piggy bank, and a small picture of a dumbbell.

After a tough 2020, it’s ok to set smaller goals for the new year.