The Vision vs.

SHE’S THE visionary. He’s
got his feet firmly on the
ground. For newlyweds, that
can lead to conflict, especial-
ly when she wants to cut the
family income by $50,009 to
build her own busine

Ltalked to Margo and Tom
Dalinghaus two weeks after she ~-
and their income - had taken the
plunge.

“tCs a bit scary and { know Ton
worries about the way | used to
spend money,” Margo said, “But
what's interesting is that with my
commitment to my business, know-
ing it's what I've always wanted to
do, I don’t feel the urge to go out
and spend the way | did.”

I first met the couple, now both
30, a year ago at a marriage prepa-
ration course put on by West
Vancouver's St. Francis in the
Wood Church,

Margo, a nurse who was then
selling pharmaccuticals, had found
it hard to manage money when s
left home “because [ still felt my
dad would look after me.”

Tom, a mutual fund and option
trader, who wus more into manag-
ing money, told Margo at the’ time:
“Lcan't afford to take you on a sun-
break holiday every winter the way
your family used to.”

With the help of a toan co-
signed by Margo's dad, the couple
bought a two-bedroom bungalow
which they have been renovating.

Since then, Margo has embarked
on her own career,

“In my job | used to sell
Prozac,” Margo explained. “When I
talked to doctors I found there was
a real lack of detection of depres-
sion and of referral options for
counselling.”

That led Margo to set up a coun-
selling business, Liberty Education,
specializing in “cognitive behav-
ioral management for the treatment
of depression, anxiety and stress.”

Michael

: y

DOLLARS AND SENSE

“Ewas stil working at my regu-
lar job, earning about $50,000." she
suid. “E rented space as [| needed it
in an office with five GPs. L built
the counselling up to another
$25,000 to $30,000."

But it was getting oo stressful,

Said Toni: “Ud feave the house
at Siam. while Margo was still in
bed. Wher P'd come home she'd
sometimes be home for an hour,
then rush off to do her counselling.
She'd come home at 10 or [1 at
night when Md be asleep.”

Sul, Tom was “a little bit
scared” at the idea of Margo quit-
ting her main job: “I knew she'd be
happier on her own. But we were
spending so much more with the
house than before, when we were
renting. How would we manage if
our income went down?"

Margo said she has strong visu-
alization skills: “can really picture
myself making $100,000 within a
couple of years, with individual and
corporate group counselling. But!
know my grandiose dreams aren't
enough for Tom, who's more con-
servative, more down to earth,
more of a day-to-day doer.”

Guided by such logic, Tom said

Ca

to Margo: “Cruneh some nunibers.
How niany patients do you need to

they had one major serewning fight
ve Margo's independence vs.
‘Tom's concern over their finances
. ans Support and
quit her phare ical job,

“Before, Lused to buy really

ye. ON OT WO
: Margo siti
a go out for dinner at least a
couple nights a week, but now it's
two or three months since our last
meal out.”

Even though it's been only a
couple of weeks, Margo has been
y conscious about our new
finaneial situation and realizes she

can'( buy something like a nice
piece of art now although she
should be able to in the future.” he
said.

Tom said he and Margo don't
meet every month to discuss their
finances the way they used to “bat
we want to get buck to that” Added
Margo: "Money problems cas build
stress inthe relauonship, ¢
as our income has dropped and my
sammings Muctuate, Meeting regular-
ly helps reduce that stress and lets
us reatlirm our goals.”

Tom also worried about taking
on more det ven when [saw
this could eventually improve our
situation, Margo sat me down and
showed me the information she'd
got from her brother when he setup
his practice asa docios, and from
others who'd done really we
Those peaple took
see all the figures, i
me.”

Mike Grenby is a North Shore-
based columnist and independent
financial adviser who works with
individuals; he will answer your
questions in this column as space
allows — write to Mike clo 24-b4
Haywood Ave., West Vancouver,
V7V LY.

Wednesday, November 2, 1994 — North Shore News - 33

NEWS photo Mike Wakefletd
PACIFIC MARINE Training Institute's Jim Arnott (left) joins
Vancouver East MP Anna Terrana (centre) in congratulating
graduate Geoffrey McNeill during the North Vancouver insti-
tute’s 1994 graduation ceremony for shipping and marine
operation programs.

Lana Marks Pulver, Ma and lan Mitchell invite you to
an evening with

Best Selling Author of
“Balancing Act : A Canadian Woman’s Financial
Survival Guide”

Invest In Yourself
Wednesday, November 9th, 1994 - 7:30 p.
Waterfront Hotel, Waterfront Ballroom
900 Canada Way Place, Vancouver

Tickets: $10 each.
All proceeds will be donated to the
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
- B.C. Chapter -

Seating is limited. Reservations Required
Please Call:

lan Mitchell or Lana Marks Pulver, “sa
661-1515 661-7407

ia ScotiaficLecd

Suite 1100, 609 Granville Street, Stock Exchange ‘Tower, Box 10442, Vancouver, British Columbia V7 1H6