Articles

Shop the Hat's article section is for members of the community to talk about shopping, business, or industry. A lot of the time, these members of the community are business owners themselves; however, if you have something you want posted, get in touch with us here.

Finding a Financial Advisor

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 14:48

Article by Stephen Maser of Raymond James

The primary concern I hear from people is the need for financial advice and where to find it. There are many places to find an opinion, from the internet, TV, magazines and newspapers, however trying to sift through that maze of information can be overwhelming. You need to find answers to your financial needs and that first step should be a financial advisor.

While all the outlets mentioned can vary in the quality of their advice, the advice given could be damaging if you’re unsure what financial planning entails. Here are some quick ideas to find a professional to help you with planning your financial future:

Ralph's Events July - December 2010

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 20:04
July July 1 – Ride the Mechanical Bull, 8pm July 1, 2, 3 – Colleen Rae, 9:30pm each night, Thurs Night Free, $5 Fri and Sat after 8pm July 7 – Gong karaoke, 9:30pm, no charge July 8 - Ride the Mechanical Bull 8pm July 8, 9, 10 – D.L.O. 9:30pm each night, Thursday Night Free, $5 Fri and Sat after 8pm July 14 – Karaoke, 9:30pm, no charge July 15 – Ride the Mechanical Bull 8pm July 21 - Karaoke, 9:30pm, no charge July 22 – Ride the Mechanical bull 8pm July 29 – Ride the Mechanical Bull, 8pm July 28, 29, 30, 31 – Foxx Worthee 9:30pm each night, Wed and Thurs Night Free, $5 Friday and Saturday after 8pm
Read more... [Ralph's Events July, December 2010]

The Encore Marriage – Financial Planning for Your New Life

Monday, 07 June 2010 21:11

Article submitted by Tony Zuback of The Investor's Group.

If you’re among the growing number of families where one or more spouses or common-law partners have children from a previous relationship, you already know that your new life brings with it many changes.

This includes changes in your relationships with your new partner and children, changes in your day-to-day activities, and changes in the way you handle your new financial life together.

Money is always one of the most challenging aspects of relationships and that is especially true for blended families – so here are some financial planning basics to help ensure a smooth financial ‘blend’.

Second Contest Completed!

Wednesday, 21 April 2010 19:58

Our second contest is officially over and completed! The three Medicine Hat News packages have been given out to the winners:

Trent Keays

Winner of the Medicine Hat News at work package. Trent on Twitter

Honda Is Named As Canada’s Best ‘Mainstream Brand’ For Residual Value

Tuesday, 13 April 2010 21:07
Honda Canada Inc. received top honours from ALG as the winner of the “Mainstream Brand Residual Value Award” as part of ALG’s Canadian Residual Value Awards that honour vehicles that are predicted to retain the highest percentage of their original price after a conventional retail lease. Honda was ranked the best overall brand out of 19 mainstream automotive brands in Canada. Acura, the luxury division of Honda Canada Inc., received a second-place award in the Luxury Brand Residual Value category, placing ahead of 11 other luxury brand competitors. The awards are based on 2009 model year vehicles. The awards are derived after carefully studying segment competition, historical vehicle performance and industry trends, and are based on analysis using only Canada-specific data. ALG, based in Santa Barbara, California, provides data and consulting services to the automotive industry and publishes the “Automotive Lease Guide” in both Canada and the U.S.
Read more... [Honda Is Named As Canada’s Best ‘Mainstream Brand’ For Residual Value]

Refinancing Your Mortgage – Why, How and When

Thursday, 18 March 2010 15:00

Article submitted by Tony Zuback This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

You may be thinking about refinancing your mortgage. Mortgage rates are fairly low right now, so why not take advantage of them? But is that really a good idea? Let’s take a closer look at the why, how and when of mortgage refinancing.

Why refinance?

Get a mortgage at a lower rate than your current mortgage.
Reduce payments – restructuring your current mortgage and paying it off over a longer period can reduce your monthly cash flow obligations.
Consolidate debt by increasing your mortgage – to obtain a lower interest rate than conventional loans or credit cards, lower overall monthly payments, and lengthen the repayment period (mortgages can be amortized up to 25 years).
Improve cash flow – to make monthly payments or balance your budget.
Equity take-out – that can be used for anything you wish, from renovations to purchasing a car or a second property.

All of this will then help you with other areas that need review, such as investing, insurance and establishing an emergency reserve.

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