Use it or Lose it!

Challenging your brain on a regular basis causes new neurons to grow and slows aging

related deterioration. Memory games are a great way to exercise your thinking muscle,

and improve your memory. Here’s a game that you can play alone or with the family.

Memory Match

To start you will need a deck of playing cards. Remove 2 of the 4 suits, so that you have 13

matching pairs - 2 kings, 2 queens, 2 jacks and so on. If you’re playing with younger

family members you can start with fewer pairs. Next, lay the cards face down

and give them a good mixing around.

Now it’s time to challenge your memory.

• Turn one card over at a time.
• Take a good look at the number and then place it face down.
• Keep doing this until you turn over a card that matches one turned over earlier.
• Using your memory, locate the matching card.
• As you match pairs, set them aside.
• The game is over when all the pairs are matched.

TIP: When you’re getting the hang-of–it, shift things up a gear

and try timing yourself or adding more pairs to the game.

A Simple way to Simplify Finances

Bruce K and Diana N. of Calgary, Alberta knew they wanted to stop paying such high interest rates on their credit cards and simplify everything into one monthly payment. Diana says, “We didn't know what was involved in borrowing with a home equity loan but the first meeting with our mortgage consultant was excellent. Cherie explained everything in detail and made this a very uncomplicated procedure.”

Now Bruce and Diana’s finances have been simplified into a single monthly payment helping them to reach their goals sooner. “For us, the benefit of dealing with Capital Direct was getting a very manageable mortgage payment that allows us to get out of debt sooner,” Diana explains.

Every month, Capital Direct helps Canadians just like you to realize their dreams. What about you? Your home equity is something you've worked hard to build, so why not 'let your house lend a hand'© when you need it most! Contact a Capital Direct mortgage specialist to discover your options.

After the Storm

From Vancouver to New Brunswick, uncommonly severe weather is catching many Canadians by surprise. More extreme weather or extended periods of bad weather can cause problems, such as burst pipes and damaged roofing.

No matter if you’ve had to dig yourself out of the snow on the West coast or you’re in the deep freeze of Manitoba, here are some areas around the house to check for damage.

• Downed Power Lines – Remember, safety first. Call your local utilities authority.
• Burst Pipes – Check the floors and walls for signs of water damage, especially in areas like the kitchen and bathroom
• Roofs – Snowmelt and freeze cycles create an ice dam that can cause water to back up under shingling, damaging them and potentially causing leaking.
• Gutters – Wet snow can have enough weight to damage gutters, tearing them loose from the house.
• Storm Drains – Make sure they are clean and clear before the melting begins.
• Damaged Concrete – If water has seeped into existing cracks or spaces in concrete, when it freezes and expands it has enough force to cause damage. Check exposed concrete in basements, crawls spaces and retaining walls for signs of cracking or chipping.

It is always a good call to rely on the expertise of professionals when assessing or repairing damage to your home.

Capital Direct's Eco-friendly Calculator

Do you know how large your home's eco-footprint is? Under the ecoEnergy Retrofit program, homeowners can take advantage of available grants when improving the energy efficiency of their home. Not only will you be reducing your home's energy consumption but you can receive money back through available grants.

Visit Capital Direct's Eco-friendly Calculator online at, http://www.capitaldirect.ca/eco-calculator. Calculate the environmental impact of your household and find out ways of reducing it, then give us a call to learn how we can help you apply for available retrofit grants.