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Wednesday, February 8, 2012 • COMOX VALLEY RECORD
www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
How to cushion financial UPsets Things are looking up, these days. Gas prices — up. Electrical costs — up. Heating bills — up. UPsets like this can cripple your cash flow and figuring out how to cope with them can really get a person down. So, here are some practical ways to find the extra money you need to cushion those unavoidable financial UPsets you face every day. What not to do. If you find yourself a bit short at bill-paying
time, do not fund the shortfall by making a withdrawal from your RRSP or get a cash advance on a credit card. Here’s why: • You’ll pay income tax on your RRSP withdrawals – meaning that if you take out $5,000 and are in the 40-per-cent tax bracket, you’ll add $2,000 to your tax bill. You’ll also diminish the potential tax-deferred growth that the $5,000 would have contributed to your retirement life-
YOUR MONEY
J KEVIN
DOBBELSTEYN style. If your retirement is 30 years away, that $5,000 withdrawal will cost you $45,313 in tax-deferred growth (assuming eight-percent compound annual growth). • Use your credit card to get that $5,000 and you’ll probably pay interest at 18 per cent
Leonard VIRL chair again Jollife also on regional library board of directors The board of trustees of Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL), at its recent annual general meeting, re-elected Ronna-Rae Leonard by acclamation to serve a one-year term as chair. Leonard, a councillor for the City of Courtenay, will be joined
on the VIRL board by vice-chair Brenda Leigh, also elected by acclamation. The nine other members on the board include Comox Valley Regional District Area A (Baynes Sound-The Islands) director Bruce Jolliffe. The VIRL board administers an $18.2million budget for 38 libraries plus one eLibrary on Vancouver Island (except Victoria), Haida Gwaii, and Bella Coola on the Cen-
tral Coast. VIRL facts: • 364 employees (172 FTEs); • Total population served by VIRL — 417,524; • Residents with VIRL borrower card — 161,326; • VIRL holdings — 993,657 items (books, magazines, CDs, DVDs); • VIRL’s administrative offices are located in Nanaimo. — Vancouver Island Regional Library
or more. That adds up to $978 in yearly interest and if you don’t pay the balance all year and you’re in the 40-per-cent tax bracket, you’ll need to earn $1,630 just to pay the interest. What to do instead: • Consider consolidating your debt through a lower-rate loan from a financial institution. Use the loan money to pay your debts — targeting credit cards and other high-cost non-deductible debt first. • Obtain a line of credit based on the equity in your home or other assets, usually available at a very favourable interest rate. • Arrange a revolving line of credit to cover overdrafts on your bill-paying chequing account. You’re coping financially right now but … What happens if you’re hit by a serious illness or a huge house or vehicle repair bill? Once again, DO NOT tap into your RRSP, and avoid dipping into
Blind busy locally this week The Comox Valley White Cane chapter will be busy during National Canadian Council of the Blind public awareness week, which begins this Sunday. Besides having a table Feb. 9 at the Comox Centre Mall and Feb. 10 at the Driftwood Mall, the
local chapter displayed some visual aids at its regular meeting Feb. 7 at the Comox Senior Centre. This exhibition, courtesy of Humanware, showed some of the up-todate technological equipment available to assist blind and visual impaired residents.
31ST ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the
Comox District Consumers Co-operative
Thursday, February 23, 2012 Filberg Centre, Seniors Lounge SPECIAL RESOLUTION WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE AGM FOR MEMBERSHIP APPROVAL: Be it resolved that Whereas the directors believe that in order to represent the members that all directors should reside in the co-op trading area. The Board wishes to present at the Co-op Annual General Meeting the following special resolution: Motion to amend Qualifications for directors: Rule #80 (4) No individual is entitled to become or act as a director of the Association if: By adding to rule #80 (4) (h) the individual resides outside of the Comox Valley Regional District; (i) the individual resides on Hornby Island or Denman Island;
6:30 PM • Registration 7:00 PM • Pot Luck Supper 8:00 PM • Meeting Starts Please bring your favourite hot dish, salad or dessert RSVP to the office at 250-338-8181
It will also be a great way to learn more about coping with the ever-increasing sight impairment of age-related macula degeneration. — Canadian National Institute for the Blind
your savings or borrowing by: • Setting up an emergency cash reserve, typically equal to three months’ income, or if your job is iffy or seasonal, make that five or six months’ net income. • Turning your emergency fund into an investment in a Money Market mutual fund, Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), that are Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) eligible or government savings bond that will protect your capital, deliver a decent interest rate and let you withdraw your money quickly with little or no cost as needed. Price and rate UPsets are a fact of life but you can cushion the effects when you’re financially prepared. Keep your spirits up and your costs down by talking to your financial adviser. J. Kevin Dobbelsteyn is a certified financial planner with Investors Group Financial Services Inc. His column appears every Wednesday.
FREE Hearing Tests for Seniors
Hearing Care Centres www.beltone.com Courtenay • 519E 5th Street • 250-334-4044 Comox • C-105 1966 Guthrie • 250-339-1180
PICTURE of the Week Submit your local photography to the Comox Valley Record … please include your name and a short description. Photos chosen for publication will appear with photo credit.
Community
CALENDAR Editor’s note: This calendar is for special events put on by non-profit groups. We run as many as space permits, but only guarantee a calendar item appears once. Calendar items can be e-mailed to copy@comoxvalleyrecord. com, faxed to 250-338-5568 or delivered to 765 McPhee Ave. Deadlines: Friday at 5 p.m. for Wednesday’s paper and Tuesday at noon for Friday’s paper. Include date, location, time and a contact phone number that can be published.
Wednesday, Feb. 8 EVERGREEN Seniors Club AGM, Rotary Hall, Florence Filberg Centre, 1 p.m. Current membership required to attend. FMI: 250-338-1000, www.evergreenseniors.org.
Thursday, Feb. 9 KITTY CAT P.A.L. Society Adopt-A-Pal, Woofy’s, 2400 Cliffe Ave, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. FMI: www.kittycatpals.com. CANADIAN Hard of Hearing Association Comox Valley Branch meeting, Tsolum Building, Lewis Park, 10 a.m.–noon. Speaker hearing aid specialist Amy MacLean on newest in hearing aids. All welcome. FMI: Sarah Trotter 250-3395770.
Friday, Feb. 10 C.V. NEWCOMERS Women’s Walking Group (for those living in Comox Valley less than 2 years) meets for Campbell River Seawalk walk; meet at Home Depot recycling area, 8:50 a.m. Carpool $5/passenger. Brunch at Willows Market afterwards (2266 S. Island Hwy.). FMI: Maureen 250-871-3337, Brenda 250-871-3680, Kate 250-338-9310, www.Cvnewcomers.net. LUSH Valley Food Action Society presents workshop Cutting up in the Kitchen, LUSH Valley Kitchen, 1126 Piercy Ave., Courtenay, 1–3 p.m. Cook 2 recipes together & take food home. Free; pre-register to reserve spot: 250-331-0152. FMI: admin@lushvalley.org. EVERGREEN Seniors Club Armchair Travel presentation Reposition Cruise, Rotary Hall, Florence Filberg Centre, 1 p.m. FMI: 250-3381000, www.evergreenseniors.org.
Saturday, Feb. 11 C.V. FARMERS’ Market presents entertainment by David Stevenson, Native Sons Hall, 360 Cliffe Ave., 9 a.m.–noon. FMI: Vickey 250-218-321, www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com. KITTY CAT P.A.L. Society Adopt-A-Pal, Woofy’s, Ryan Rd. near Superstore, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. AND at Bosley’s Pet Food Plus, Guthrie Rd. near Quality Foods, 11 a.m.– 2 p.m. FMI: www.kittycatpals.com. COALWATCH Comox Valley Society fundraiser dinner, Fanny Bay Community Hall, 7793 Old Island Hwy., doors 6:30 p.m. Dinner, cash bar, oyster bar, silent auction. FMI: John 250-335-2246, www.coalwatch.ca.
Sunday, Feb. 12 KITTY CAT P.A.L. Society Adopt-A-Pal, Woofy’s, 2400 Cliffe Ave, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. FMI: www.kittycatpals.com.
Monday, Feb. 13
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C.V. CHRONIC Pain Support Group hosts educational session Exercise, C.V. Nursing Centre, Glacier Room, 615–10th St., 2–4 p.m. Free; patients can self-refer. FMI: 250-331-8504. COMOX Seniors Association presents Gwen Spinks teaching Feldenkrais Method of movement, d’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., 3-3:55 p.m. Members $10/each class, guests $12. FMI: Arabella 250-941-8885, arabella888@ gmail.com. COMOX Seniors Association presents Gwen Spinks teach-
ing Country 2-Step, d’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., 4–5 p.m. Singles welcome. Members $10/each class, $ guests $12. FMI: Arabella 250-941-8885, arabella888@ gmail.com. COMOX Seniors Association presents Gwen Spinks teaching Argentine Tango, d’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., 5:05–6:05 p.m. Members $10/each class, guests $12. FMI: Arabella 250-941-8885, arabella888@ gmail.com. C.V. NEWCOMERS general meeting (for women living in the Comox Valley less than 2 years), Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave., Courtenay, 6:30 p.m. Topic: Whales in the waters of Northern Vancouver Island by naturalist Mark Evans. New members welcome; membership $35/yr. FMI: 250-898-0277, cvnewcomers.bc@gmail.com, www. cvnewcomers.net
Tuesday, Feb. 14 C.V. FAMILY History Research Group meeting, Courtenay & District Museum, 4th & Cliffe, 7 p.m. Museum archivist Catherine Siba presents Family History Study Materials at the Museum with tour afterwards to view items mentioned. FMI: Bev Gunter 250-334-3896. COMOX Seniors Association presents Pat Newson’s new program Eat and Drink Your Way to Health, d’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., 1–2:30 p.m. Focus: live foods & better health. Members $10/session, guests $13 (3 sessions total); reservations required. FMI: Arabella 250941-8885, arabella888@ gmail.com. C.V. UKRAINIAN Cultural Society meeting, Florence Filberg Centre, 7 p.m. All welcome. FMI/sale of Ukrainian food: Nellie 250-224-2653. NORTH Island Rhododendron Society (NIRS) meeting, Comox United Church, doors 7 p.m., meeting 7:30. Panel of experts 4 gardeners speak on their particular area of interest & answer questions. Guests welcome.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 BETTER Breathers COPD Support Group meeting, C.V. Nursing Centre, 615 10th St., Courtenay, 1:30 p.m. Guest speaker: kinesiologist on exercise & COPD. FMI: Michele 250-331-8504 ext. 38125. HEART Support Group Comox Valley Chapter meeting, Comox Rec Centre, 1855 Noel Ave., 7 p.m. For those having heart procedures & their spouses; all welcome. Guest speakers St. Joseph’s Hospital cardiac care nurses. FMI: 250-339-5349.
Thursday, Feb. 16 COMOX Seniors Association presents Beginner Waltz with Ray Chesin, d’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., 3–4 p.m. Also Slow Foxtrot for Absolute Beginners 4:15–5:15 p.m. FMI: Arabella 250-941-8885, arabella888@ gmail.com.
Friday, Feb. 17 C.V. NEWCOMERS Women’s Walking Group (for those living in Comox Valley less than 2 years) meets for Lewis/ Simms Millennium Parks walk; meet at Lewis Park parking lot near totem poles, 8:50 a.m. FMI: Michelle 250-331-9158, Bev 250-871-2027, Susan 250871-4422, www.Cvnewcomers.net. EVERGREEN Seniors Club At the Movies, Rotary Hall, Florence Filberg Centre, 12:30 p.m. FMI: 250-338-1000, www.evergreenseniors.org. EVERGREEN Seniors Club Friday Night Dance with music by Crosstown Express, Rotary Hall, Florence Filberg Centre, 7:30–10:30 p.m. FMI: 250-338-1000, www.evergreenseniors.org.