= ya sat ore - Business. TheReyiew Wednesday, July 24,1991 — A21 Living within means is difficult with easy credit So Canada is the second best place in the world to live, after Japan. According to a United Nations survey, we have one of the best education and health systems — better (and this is the problem) that you'd expect when related to National income. The only way to enjoy some- thing you can’t afford is to borrow. And so we borrow. Canada’s national debt is heading for a whopping $400 billion as each year we spend about $30 billion more than we ear. Not everybody enjoys the good life. But the lure of easy credit, both nationally and personally, makes it easy to live beyond our means. I had the occasion to meet Prime Minister Bnan Mulroney at a reception recently. “How do you plan to cut spend- ing, to tell Canadians they must accept a lower standard of living if the country is to live within its means - and still hope to get re-elected?,” I asked him. He didn’t have a ready reply. I don’t think any politician relishes the challenge of cutting back. After all, spending programs traditionally win votes. Politics aside, we have become sO conditioned to gratifying our needs that most of us resist or at least resent being told we can’t have something. Cocaine bust A joint investigation involving two RCMP detachments conclud- ~.ed with the seizure of one kilo- gram of cocaine valued at $140:000. The drug was found in a vehicle stopped on the Pat Bay Highway in the late afternoon July 17 after an investigation involving Victoria subdivision drug section and Coquitlam detachment drug sec- tion personnel. The lone occupant of the vehi- cle, Michael Dean Bleasdale, a Lower Mainland resident, has been charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of traffick- ing. Mounties from Sidney assist- ed with the arrest. Stolen boat Police are searching for a boat reported missing from the Piers Island Wharf located at Swartz Bay late in the evening July 12. A 17.5-foot Hurston fiberglass power boat, white with a gold hardtop, has a large searchlight and bears the name Rasor Point Princess. Anyone having information about this theft is asked to call Sidney RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 386-8477. Be honest. Would your be pre- pared to wait six months instead of two to three months for your income tax refund if government spending cuts reduced the staff at Revenue Canada? Would you tolerate potholes in the road that were repaired only every five years? Garbage collec- tion every other week? Mail deli- very every other day? A one- month wait to get a passport? Longer waits at the Canadian bor- der? Reductions in the health care and education systems? Cutbacks in the unemployment insurance, welfare, child tax credit, old age supplement and other social assis- tance programs? — You might accept less spending on education if you have grown-up or no children. But today’s stu- dents are tomorrow’s leaders; we need to make that investment today for the sake of our country’s (and so our personal) future. Less money for those who can’t look after themselves? Our society is based on caring for the truly needy. Reduce: mail delivery? That’s fine if you get hardly any mail, but business would certainly protest. Roads in poor shape? That could produce dangerous driving condi- tions, and higher car maintenance and repair bills. Every proposed cutback meets Is your tax bracket keeping your money boxed in? Call me today and find out how Investors can hel CALL JAN STAEBELL 388-4234 2 Investors Group Building futures since 1940. ; STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT : _YOUR MONEY. |i (Son HL [ San Feb [Ma [Aor May [Jan [uty | SUITE 6 - 9843 2nd St. SIDNEY (In Marina Court) | 1205 C Verdier Ave, (Brentwood Bay Shopping Centre) 652-1482 GURNEY SMITH & ASSOCIATES LTD. FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS e LIFE UNDERWRITERS 656-2411 resistance from those affected. We become accustomed to the level of services being provided. If you live without electricity or running water, you manage. But once the hydro is hooked up and you can have a flush toilet, it’s tough to go back to living without those amen- ilies. Tough — but not impossible. We all complained and missed Satur- day mail delivery when it was discontinued. But now we manage with mail only five days a week. It's a matter of priorities. Make a list of all expenses in order of pnority and tum from the bottom or make other adjustments until the budget balances. Who said it’s easy? When times are good, we spend more and enjoy the additional goods and services we buy. But we should also be prepared to cut back when times are bad. That will keep us from going into debt — personally and nationally — and help us appreciate the extras all over again when times are good. The only alternatives to cutting back are more income and higher productivity, again both personally and nationally. You can work (or invest) harder or smarter so you can afford your “higher expenses. Government can raise taxes — but while that might maintain the level of services you expect, you will have less money to spend to maintain the rest of your standard of living. Productivity can always be improved. It takes dedicated, skil- led managers and politicians to make government spending go further. Getting back to living within our means involves both cutbacks and more efficient use of money. Mike Grenby is a Vancouver- based columnist and independent financial adviser who works with individuals; he will answer your questions as space allows in his column — write to him clo The CARETAKER? HOUSESITTER? LOW RENT COTTAGE? Property manager going back to University. My wife and | would like to help you with gardening, chores, repairs. Non-smoking, no children, no pets. PLEASE CALL CROFTONS AT 656-6887 HOUSE OF RUSSEL HAIRSTYLISTS LTD. SIDEWALK SALE on Saturday, July 27th Review 9726-First St., Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C9. 7 I'll bet you were a beautiful baby, but baby, look at you now. Ke pee) | Our Reputation is on Your Head - up to 25% off Retail Products IN SIDNEY CENTRE #102-2367 Bevan Ave., Sidney, B.C. 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