Safe Keeping

Keeping your important papers, documents and insurance policies in a convenient location, which is known to you, your spouse, and your loved ones, will save time and frustration.  You could save thousands of dollars in the event of an emergency, death, or illness.

Here's a list of the items the organized homeowner should keep together, in a fireproof file cabinet, safe, or strongbox:

• Bank information:  Your account numbers, loan documents, statements, and deposits, as well as your most recent canceled cheques.
• Car Documents:  License, registration, insurance policy, extended warranty, repairs, and other key information.
• Education Records:  Official transcripts, report cards, test scores for each student.
• Insurance Policies:  Life, homeowners, health, disability, and any others.
• Tax Returns:  Revenue Canada suggests you keep your tax returns for three to five years, just in case.
• Official Documents:  Birth Certificates, passports, legal papers, deeds, and wills should probably be kept in a safe deposit box.  However, you may wish to keep copies on file at home, with instructions as to their location attached to the file.

Additional Record Keeping Responsibilities

Here are a few ideas for accounting for the items inside your home, as well as the home itself.

Make a video or photo record and retain receipts for any specific items that are valuable or unique.  Remember to add those items, especially jewelry, computer equipment, stereos, etc. to your insurance policy as specifically scheduled items.  The additional cost of the insurance is low, and the peace of mind is worth every penny.

It is important to keep lease or mortgage documents, as well as receipts for all home improvements in a secure place.  Improvements are defined as those things which add value, extend the useful life, or adapt to a new use.  Replacing a roof, building a fence or deck, or adding a garage are all examples of improvements.  By retaining this information for all of the homes you own, you will be able to show that your profit or capital gain upon the sale of your last home is lower than Revenue Canada would otherwise think

Canadians Love Their Coffee

81% of Canadians drink coffee occasionally and over 63% of Canadians over the age of 18 drink coffee on a daily basis making coffee the # 1 beverage choice of adult Canadians. Coffee is a more popular beverage in Canada than the United States with just 49% of Americans drinking coffee on a daily basis. Daily coffee consumption varies across the country, from a high of 70% in Quebec to a low of just over 53% in the Atlantic region. Approximately 60% of adults in Ontario, 67% in the Prairies and 61% in B.C. drink coffee on a daily basis.

For several decades coffee has been the favourite beverage of adult Canadians, other than tap water and is more popular than tea, milk, beer, fruit juices and soft drinks. Canadian coffee drinkers' drink an average of 2.6 cups of coffee per day. Men and women are equally likely to be coffee consumers with men drinking slightly more coffee than women. Coffee is a morning beverage with nearly 51% of coffee consumed at breakfast, 16% in the balance of the morning, 9% at lunch, 10% in the afternoon, 8% at dinner and 7% in the evening.

Medium roast coffees dominate the breakfast market, accounting for 56% of coffee consumed at that time of day. The majority, 66%, of coffee is consumed at home, 12% is consumed at work, 16% is consumed or purchased at eating places and 5% is consumed in other places such as hospital, schools, hockey rinks and other institutions. Drinking coffee in-transit increased from 2% in 1999 to 7% in 2003. 79% of coffee consumed at home is purchased at a grocery store/supermarket, with 7% being purchased at a gourmet/specialty coffee shop. Approximately 9% of coffee drinkers' drink decaffeinated coffee on a regular basis. The share of total coffee consumption accounted for by instant coffee is 17%.

One-half (50%) of adult Canadians consumed a 'specialty' coffee beverage in the past year. However, with 6% of Canadians drinking these beverages on a daily basis, specialty coffee remains an occasional purchase. Iced coffee is growing dramatically. Past year penetration of 24% compares favourably to 21% in 2001 and 14% in 1999. Thirty-two per cent of adult Canadians reported drinking cappuccino during the past year, compared to 38% in 1999. One-third (32%) of adult Canadians reported drinking a flavoured coffee in the past year. This is unchanged since 1999. Flavoured coffee tends to appeal to younger Canadians with higher income and higher education.

In terms of what they put into their cup of coffee, 20% of Canadian like their coffee black, 7% with sugar only, 33% with cream or milk only and 40% like both dairy and a sweetener. 37% of coffee drinkers have an awareness of organic - up from 30% in 2001. Awareness of fair trade coffee increased from 4% in 2001 to 11% in 2003.

The Coffee Association of Canada commissioned the Canadian Coffee Drinking Study. The results are based on telephone interviews on 2,500 Canadians 18 years and older. The data is broken down equally over the five regions of the country. 

Low Fat Lemon Cheesecake

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 (8 - oz.) tubs light process cream cheese spread
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup frozen cholesterol free egg product, thawed
1 3/4 to 2 cups plain yogurt cheese (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sliced fresh fruit (strawberries, oranges, and / or kiwifruit)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 -inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle bottom  with crumbs.  Refrigerate.  In large bowl, beat cream cheese spread until smooth.  Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients except fruit; beat until smooth.  Pour into crumb coated pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes or until edges are set. (To minimize cracking, place shallow pan half full of hot water on lower oven rack during baking.)  Remove from oven; cool to room temperature on wire rack.  Remove sides of pan.

Refrigerate cheesecake for 6 hours or overnight.  Just before serving, top with fruit.  Store in refrigerator.  16 servings.

Vanilla Yogurt Cheese

1 (8 oz) carton nonfat vanilla yogurt

Spoon yogurt into a strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheese cloth.  Place strainer over bowl; cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate and allow to drain overnight.  Discard liquid.  Cover, store in refrigerator.  Makes about 1/2 c.

If you want me, and the most professional real estate services, please pick up the phone and call.  I'll be right there.

- Thomas