EACH year I end up in a race to don my finan- cially festive Scrooge hat ahead of the start of Christmas advertising. The day after Hallowe’en used to mark the stare of the shopping ads. But aow the kids are hardly back in school before the focus switches to spending for the holiday sea- son, as in: “If this is October, there must be ‘only’ 80 or so shopping days left before hristmas.” The key is to be busi- MOATGAGES WHE? THE BANKS SAY “NO” 687-2020 " Financlal Servt om VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.instafund.com Lender Broker fees may apply nesslike about your spending plans. After all, those business- es have certainly drawn up their own plans to encourage you to spend as much as possi- in recognition of - Decide now roughly the total you want — or can afford — to spend on gifts, food and drink, entertainment, clothes, perhaps travel, and any other categorics. Break down the total under the separate headings items in order of priority, then tim from the bottom or vim the amount for each item so you stay within the total. Your holiday spending should fit in with your overall financial plan — paying off debts, making an RRSP contri- bution (especially a spousal one, which should always be made by Dec. 31 to cut the normal three-year waiting peri- od to two years to avoid attri- bution back to the contribu- tor), other saving /investing. Then locate this money: B You have the money in a sav- ings account, maturing term deposit, Canada Savings Bond etc.; B You will have money trans- ferred every payday to a savings account to fund your holiday spending; 8 You will borrow the money, cither through a personal loan or by carrying an outstanding balance on your credit card. In this case, include the cost of the borrowing as part of your holi- day spending toral. You also need a plan to pay off the debt. Set up a control mecha- nism to make sure you don’t exceed your budgeted amount. Put savings into a separate account or even buy travellers’ cheques. When the money is gone, your spending is done. If you plan to buy now, pay Dian your Christmas spending later, put your credit slips into an envelope and keep a run- ning total on the front of the envelope Don’t worry if you fall a little short of a perfect plan. Any effort you make will pay _ off by reducing the financial angover so marr le suf fer ater the hotidars each year.” Mike Grenby will answer questions in this column as space -~ allows but cannot reply personal-- ly. Contact him at PO. Bax. 50029, South Slope RPO; Burnaly, B.C. V5] 5G3; e-mail . Lynn Valley boss is McManager of the year McDONALD’S Lynn Valley manager Melanie Shields is manager of the year in Canada for 1999. McDonald’s executive vice- president Bill Johnson said the award is a tribute for personal Matioal Fanaa Planning. Week | October 4-10 “The B.C. Affiliate of the oo Thursday, October 141 1999 7-9pm > Wem: Griffin Centre - Village Room: 851 West Queens, North Vancouver we fegices phone (604) 925-3101 _ out adult supervision: contributions to McDonald’s success in the Greater Vancouver market. “The award recognizes superior results in satisfying customers, developing employ- ccs, building sales and profits, delivering on our promise of quality, service, cicanliness and Kids must From previous page played, in favour of specific - . such as researching mate- rial on pets, sports, music, feshion, travel and anything else, which specifically i interests your kids, - | There is only one basic pale’ that should never be violated: Under no circumstances ..\. °.. should you ‘allow your child to “sign up” for anything with-, Today, “portal sites,” or "those sites that offer a wide array of resources and services Suck as e-mail, chat rooms, : search engines and sh ping - y for With Fido, any time _ is a good time to talk _ days, nights and weekends! | : Bank unused ‘mnonthly airtime’ “minutes (up to.your maximum “monthly bundle) with Fido'’s 400 -“minuce and. 1,000 minute airtime ‘plans. Get what you pay for - only 2. With Fido's bank of minutes. Don’t waste a minutel. 400. asinntcs a $40, per seactethe: For sales and information, call your Fido Business Sales Representative: NDREW GOH: 618-1332 1600 oniccetes $100 per month 2 00 amicantecn $ 20 per month value, and = strengthening McDonald's reputation in the community,” Johnson said. Shields, 35, began her McDonald’s career on the kitchen and counter crew. She started in Port Coquitlam in 1980, entered the manager traince program in 1984 and has been manager at. Lynn Valley since 1998. She attended’ classes at the western campiis of the Canadian Institute Hamburgerology in Bumaby. and graduated . Hamburger . University’ at ‘1 corporation’s headquarters Oak Brook, I th. not sign’ for anythin ‘and patronize those sites . t are “family-friendly.” Becoming a member of a por- - tal site has many benefits and” it’s common procedure to | ; ~supply a unique user name and *° My recommendation i is to never use your real name and | mx avoid any gender bias in your - _ , Selection. Parents should be aware of all user identifications res ad rds used by their. children. Software pro “+> such as NetNanny, CyberPatrol.“flter™ Web site go content and can be ‘used "primary defens¢ in protecting . . your children from offensive «: sites and also prevent selected rsonal information from are very popular activi f kids. It may also be the most trouble