September Newsletter

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 In this issue: A New No-Fee Chequing Account Wondering Where to Start Your Reno? Some Money-Saving Websites... Shawn Mooney (403) 945-8769 Current Rates: Terms The Bank Our Rates 1 Year 3.30% 2.44% 2 Years 3.55% 3.09% 3 Years 4.10% 3.44% 4 Years 5.04% 3.69% 5 Years 5.39% 3.60% 7 Years 6.45% 4.85% 10 Years 6.60% 5.19% VIRM 3.00% 2.35% The prime rate is 3.00% Next scheduled date for Bank of Canada rate announcement: October 19, 2010. Contact Info: AIRDRIE, Alberta (403) 945-8769 Visit my Website

A New No-Fee Chequing Account Canadians are estimated to spend, on average, as much as $185 per year on banking service fees on their chequing accounts, according to an Angus Reid poll. This is cash ING Direct is hoping to spare its customers with the launch of its new, no-fee, THRiVE chequing account. Up until now, the most popular no-fee chequing account in the country belonged to Presidents' Choice Financial which, similar to ING Direct, is able to save customers money by eliminating full branches from its business structure. THRiVE Chequing offers many no-cost features such as free ABM access through the 2400-machine Exchange Network, free email alerts and monthly online account statements as well as the ability to write, deposit and view cheques online for no extra charge. THRiVE Chequing also offers Whoops! Protection, an industry-first feature that covers clients up to $250 on overdrawn funds with no fee or interest, provided funds are paid back within 30 days. The company will slowly roll out the product in the coming weeks and months, with the goal of offering it to all Canadians in January, 2011. Wondering Where to Start Your Reno? If you're looking to increase the value of your home through a renovation project, it can often be overwhelming finding a place to start. Since very few homeowners have unlimited funds to play with, it's important to start with the projects will give you the most bang for your buck. Below are the top three areas you should focus on, according to the Appraisal Institute of Canada: 1. Painting and interior decor Most prospective buyers can't help but fall in love with a well-staged home. Investing the time to add a coat of paint to the walls and either buy or rent some fashionable furniture will go a long way in getting a ‘sold’ sign on your front yard. 2. A Chef's kitchen While a kitchen renovation can often be the most pricey, you're virtually guaranteed a return on your investment. New buyers love new appliances, fancy countertops and plenty of storage space. 3. A bathroom fit for a King They don't call it the ‘throne room&rsquo for nothin'. A bright, clean bathroom - with nice fixtures and tiling - will make prospective buyers feel at home. Some Money-Saving Websites... Most people save where they can - and thanks to the wonders of the Internet, there are a lot more opportunities to do so! Below are some helpful websites that can save you a bit of cash: Groupon After establishing itself in the U.S., Groupon has finally made its way north of the border - to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The way this site works is pretty straight forward: each day it features one deal offered by a local business. You get the daily deal emailed to your inbox, and you have about 24 hours to buy it. The deals are usually pretty good - think 50% off or more - and feature a variety of products and services such as personal training sessions, massages, wine making, etc. Living Social Deals Living Social Deals is pretty much the same as Groupon, but as of now it's only available in Toronto and Vancouver. If you live in either of those cities it would make sense to sign up for both, since they both offer different deals every day. They also make great gifts! Byond the Rack Beyond the Rack is an online website that features products from different designers - typically for a two or three-day period. Each designer has a handful of products that are drastically reduced and able to be purchased online. The products range from high-end brands - think Prada - to lesser-known designers. Overstock.ca Think of Overstock as an outlet store on the Internet. The site - which features a wide variety of items, from housewares to clothing - essentially liquidates excess inventory from an array of manufacturers.