28 — Wednesday, December 10, 1997 ~— North Shore News north shore news A Royal Trust/Environics sur- vey asked affluent women what advice they would give younger women about achieving their goals. At the top of the list were “get a good education” and “start saving carly.” Only two per cent suggested “marrying rich” as the way to succeed financially. Nevertheless, financial institutions consider married women an important part of the investment scene because they tend to live longer than their husbands. So older wenen often end up with not only their own invest- ments but also those of their late husbands ~— a rofled-over RRSP, other investments, perhaps life insurance. My advice to women (and many men) is the following. If your spouse (or other artncr) deals with the fami- ly’s money, find out every- thing you need to know so you can take control if neces- sary — in case you end up on your own..And if you do stay tegether until the end, two brains are better than one. Married or single, ask questions about anything you don’t understand. If your banker or other financial adviser can’t or won’t explain things to your satisfaction, find somebody else who can and will. If you are being promised 10% or 15% or 20% on your moncy when you are lucky to get 5% on a five-year term deposit, there must be more ~ to the story. Before you put money into any investment promising more than a GIC or term deposit, ask yourself — and the company promot- ing the investment — why BUSINESS Community Connections (BCC) is looking for businesses to participate in a pro- gram that aims to deliv- er hampers to the Lower Mainland - Christmas Bureau. For a fee calculated on the basis of the participating busi- ness’s size, BCC will deliver a decorated hamper and also provide details of how a partic- ipating business can pitch in. Benefits to participating employers include savings to often already stretched staff resources and heightened staff morale. For more information interested businesses can call Brenda Sawada at 263-5958 or fax at 263-5952. ~~ Robert Galster investment opti the promised returns are so much higher than a guaran- teed investment. If you do enough research, the answer will always be: “Because the risks are higher.” If you can toler- ate the risks — and fully understand what youcare get- ting into — then go for it. Otherwise, don’t let greed blind you, and blindside your investment plans. Mortgages are low, real estate prices are down in many areas from a year ago. If buying a home suits your To find out more, and ask us about our Midnight Madness Specials, visit us this Friday at the Cantel® AT&T™ Store, 1830 Marine Drive, Nerth Vancouver. » BUSINESS Consider i with Ons lifestyle, you should always be looking. ‘That way you will know when you find the right place in the right loca- tion at the right price. Before you buy, project your income and expenses over at least the next five years to make sure you will still be able to afford to cat out and rake a holiday now and again. Cnly buy if you are prepared to stay in your place for at least 10 years. You will probably lose money if you sell again after only a few years. — Copyright 1997 M&M Creations Ltd. Mike Grentby is a columnist and independent financial adviser who works with indi- viduals; he'll answer questions in this column as space ullows but cannot reply individually. Contact him at 2444 Haywood Avenue, West Vancouver, B.C. V7V 1Y1; email: Mgrenby@aol.com. : Ph. 983-3235 tong distance, roaming charges and applicable taxes art: extra. Three year term applies to $29.95 plan. Offer avaitable to existing customers who have been customers for a minicnun of 18 months. See store for details. Notlae i isa reaistcree trademark of Nokia Com., Finland. oem Cantel inc. "AT&T Corp. Uy