42 — Wednesday, August 12, 1992 — North Shore News

Survey studies ‘average’ spending patterns

LET’S TAKE a break from our summertime series of

tax-saving tips to look at some new figures on how we
have been spending what’s left after the income tax we do

pay.

Statistics Canada has just

released its ($42) 196-page Family
Expenditure in Canada report,
based on a survey of what families
in 17 metropolitan areas spent in
1990.
ITEM: They play in Thunder
Bay, give in Saskatoon, smoke
and drink in St. John’s, and stay
pure in Vancouver.

Thunder Bay households spent
the most on recreation — $3,530
for the year or 7.4% of total
spending, compared with the
average of $2,358 or 5% for all
households in the 17 areas.

Saskatoon households allocated
more than 5.9% ($2,505) to gifts
and contributions compared with
the national average of 3.6%
($1,734).

In Vancouver, households spent
the least on tobacco and alcohol:
$997 versus $1,276 for all the cen-
tres. St. John’s, Nfld., had the
heaviest smokers and drinkers,
spending $1,722.

When you compare how much
your household spends with the
famous ‘‘average,”’ realize that
average doesn’t necessary mean
correct or normal.

Some households happily spend

hicnael
Grenby

DOLLARS AND SENSE

a high percentage of their money
on their homes, clothing, travel or
cars — while others spend only a
fraction of their total budgets on
any of these items. As long as you
can comfortably afford your
spending patterns and they are
appropriate to your situation,
that’s the right way for you to
spend your money.

Stil, it is interesting to compare

Protect skin from harmful
photo-aging process of sun

SO ALL the scary skin
canicer statistics have had no
effect on you. You’re going
out to get a tan this summer
because you feel it makes
you look more attractive
and healthy.

Weil stop right there!

The sun actually speeds up the
aging of your skin — to put it
bluntly — that means more
wrinkles, sagging skin and un-
sightly blotches at an earlier time

* in yout life. :

This accelerated skin aging,
known as ‘‘photo-aging,” is a
separate process from normal bio-
fogical aging. Photo-aging is
caused by the sun. Haven't you
ever wondered why the sun-ex-
posed areas of the body, like the
face and the backs of the hands,
start to look older earlier?

Photo-aging can start showing
up in your early twenties. The
eyelids, where your skin is only
one millimetre thick, are especially
prone to showing the effects of
aging sooner.

What happens to our skin when
it is exposed to solar radiation is a

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One often hears Canadians com-
plaining about the high amount of
tax they pay. What muny individuals
do not realize is that simply by
structuring their investments
carcfully, they can pay far fess
tax. This guide will provide you
with ideas for saving tax through
your investment program.

Call today to receive your com-
plimentary book!et.

Mark Osachoff
661-7433

ScotiaMcLeod

Trunted awessment aduce unce 1921

destructive process.

The outermost layer of our
skin, the epidermis, begins to dry
out with mere and mcre sun ex-
posure. Whea harmed by the sun,
the melanin-producing cells go on
to manufacture discolored patches
called ‘‘age’’ or “‘liver’’ spots.

In the dermis, the deepest layer
of our skin, a support structure of
collagen and elastin fibres,
responsible for the skin’s tone and
resilience, is‘ damaged, leading to
wrinkling. Blood vessels are
harmed and blocd flow is limited,
giving the skin a dull and some-
times sallow look.

Sweat and oil glands do not
function effectively and cell
regeneration slows down. The lack
of moisture and oil causes
dryness.

You can pick out seasoned
sun-worshippers by their leathery,
waxen skin which sometimes
hangs in folds. They probably
look at least ten years older than
thcy are.

For your good looks alone —
protect your skin from the sun!

RRIF/ANNUITY
RATES

Monthly incomes for an
investment of $50,000

For your rersenai
Annuity or RRIF
Miustration or a
copy of cur Gulde,

cal
925-3161

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Conveniently located at Park Royal

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SOLGUARD FINANCIAL LTD.
Consultants & Brokers since 1974

what you spend with the average.
Remember to make allowances for
statistics.

For example, the ‘$85,000 in-
come and over’ category that
follows includes the spending fig-
ures for people with incomes of
$185,000 and perhaps $585,000 —
who might spend considerably
more on some goods and services
than somebody with income of
$85,000.

People with higher incomes
spend fess on rent because they
are more likely to own homes than
those with lower incomes.

The Statistics Canada’s house-
hold income categories are (a)
under $15,000, (b) $15,000-
$19,999, {c) $20,000-$24,999, (d)
$25 ,000-$29,999 (e} $30,000-
$34,999, (1) $35,000-$39,999, (g)
$40,000-$49,999, (h) $50,000-
$59,999, (i} $60,000-$69,999, (j)
$70,000-$84,999, (k) $85,000 ard
over.

Food bought from stores: (a)
$2,143, (b) $2,882, (c) $3,342, (d)
$3,425, (e) $3,605, (1) $3,915, (g)

$4,278, (h) $4,768, (i) $5,291,
$5,571, (k) $6,205.

Food bought from restaurants,
etc.: (a) $396, (b) $745, (c) $760,
(d) $1,226, (e) $1,315, (f) $1,406,
(g) $1,585, (h) $1,843, {i) $2,564,
() $2,688, (k} $3,462.

ITEM: Living together certainly
saves money. One-person house-
holds spend $3,233 on food while
households of five or more per-
sons spend $1,826 each. Cor-
responding shelter costs drop from
$6,031 to $2,109.

ITEM: People are spending
more of their budgets on shelter
(17.3% versus 16.7% in 1986) and
on taxes — 22.3% versus 19.9%.
Child care expenses jumped 35%.

People spend fess on food
(12.6% versus 13.9%), transporta-
tion (11.8% versus 12.5%),
household furnishings and equip-
ment (3.0% versus 3.3%) and
tobacco and alcohol (2.7% versus
3.1%).

Rental costs: (a) $3,244, (b)
$3,645, (c) $3,471, (d) $3,785, (e}
$3,323, (f) $2,848, (g} $2,418, (h)

$2,466, (i) $2,122, G) $1,878, (k)
$994,

Home ownership costs: (a)
$725, (b) $931, (c) $1,297, (d)
$1,675, (e) $1,965, (f) $3,051, (g)
$3,691, (h) $4,580, (i) $6,414, @)
$6,888, (k) $8,812.

Household operation: (a) $865,
(b) $1,055, (c) $1,337, (d) $1,273,

(e) $1,499, (fF) $1,570, (g) $1,826,

(h) $2,136, (i) $2,325, {j) $2,645,
(k) $3,468

Household furnishings and
equipment: (a) $392, (b) $643, (c)
$766, (d) $999, (e) $936, (f)
$1,057, (g} $1,170, (h) $1,689, (i)
$1,739, (Gj) $2,111, (k) $3,199.

NEXT WEEK: Hew much
people spend on clothing, trans-
portation, recreation, lotteries,
alcohol, tobacco...

Mike Grenby is a North
Shore-based columnist and in-
dependent financial adviser who
works with individuals; he will
answer your questions as space
allows — write to him c/o The
North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale
Ave., North Van. V7M 2H4.

Back To Schooi

Look to your Sunday August 16th issue of.
the North Shore News to see what's new for ~
“Back to School” in 1982. Find out about the’ §

latest trends

in fashion, electronics,

careers plus many more interesting and °
educational topics.

Don't miss this
special feature.

JHE ENCE OS

SUNOAY - WERNESDAY-+ FRIDAY

NOTICE TO MOTORISTS
TRANS CANADA. HIGHWAY
(First Avenue to Brunette)
SINGLE LANE TRAFFIC

The Ministry of Transportation and Highways advises that there will be single
lane traffic on the Trans Canada Highway between First Avenue and the
Brunette Interchange from Sunday July 26 to Tuesday August 25. Single lane @
traffic is needed to enable crews to repave the highway and will be in effect 6

as follows:

Sunday to Thursday
10:30 PM - 5:30 AM

Motovists should expect delays —
or plan to use an alternative route.

Note: the eastbound lanes will be repaved first, followed by the westbound §
janes. No work will be done on Sunday August 2 and Monday August 3. For ¥
further information, please call the Minisiry’s 24-hour road report at 525-4997.
(Greater Vancouver) or *4997 (BC Cellular/Cantel). =

Province of

‘ British Columbia

Ministry of Transportation

and Highways