The colder weather is drawing in , and the days are getting shorter in Saskatchewan..Summer is over, and what a Summer it was.....best in years ..and people definitely made the most of it!

Trusted monitors webtraffic on our websites and others, and knows that the Summer ( generally early June- beginning of September) is the 'slowest ' time for internet traffic as a whole...think about it ..would you rather be sat on the deck in the sun after work , or sat on the computer....weekends are spent at the lake or just outside soaking up the warmth..most internet useage happens at work in the Summer...or perhaps at home on a rainy weekend ( thankfully we didn't have many of those this year!) .....as the fall turns to Winter people begin to gravitate back to their laptops and computers at home ..to source entertainment, engage in socialmedia ..and to do RESEARCH on products and services BEFORE they purchase.

95% of Canadas 25million internet users do research online .....and it takes up ALOT of time to do that research..  

If the future is digital, it seems Canadians are ahead of their time. Canucks spend more time online than anyone else on Earth, according to new data from Web research firm comScore. And it’s not even by a small margin – the average Canadian spends 43.5 hours a month on the Web, almost twice the worldwide average of 23.1 hours. Both male and female Canadian Internet users spent much of their time on directory sites (the single most popular category for men, followed by photo sites and online trading). However, women visited photo sites most often, followed closely by directories and music entertainment sites....and it's not jst under 30's either as by far the fastest-growing demographic when it comes to Web usage in Canada is the 55-and-over crowd. While every other age group’s online engagement levelled off or even declined between the end of 2009 and the end of 2010, the number of older users or SILVER SURFERS jumped by 12 per cent!*

Trusted is here to save people some of that extensive research time, so you can spend more time doing the fun stuff...and we wanted to share some tips with you from some of our experts on www.trustedsaskatoon.com ..specifically when it comes to planning and researching renovations to your home. 

It seems that alot of people are talking about doing renos and improvements next year ......perhaps with tax return money , or simply because it is time to update that kitchen or finish that basement..so where do you even start the process ? Trusted was talking to Kevin, the owner of KTS Custom  ,who specialise in 're-facing' kitchens and is one of the  Trusted kitchen listings on http://www.trustedsaska Cabinetstoon.com/listings/kitchens.aspx , and she told us that most people he deals with take 6months from deciding to do ' something ' to their kitchen , to actually booking the job...so what are people doing in that time? ...well first they look at the options based upon the budget they are thinking of...and as a refaced kitchen from KTS ( when the layout of the kitchen is not altered , the cabinets themselves are kept then the doors, countertops etc..are all changed for a really ' magic' transformation) is less costly than say, a Custom Kitchen from Kevin Samms, the owner of  KTS Custom Cabinets who will design a kitchen based on your unique needs from scratch and your old kitchen will be totally removed and replaced with a stunning new one.. the TIME the reno might take may be an important factor for people to consider..refacing can take place in a few days with minimum disruption to the household, where a custom kitchen is going to take longer and involve more work..everyone is different...and the reasons you choose the option you choose is based on your unique set of needs...if you are doing other renos in the house like basement developments or even exterior work like decks , siding, roofing  etc.. the time frame from thinking about it, to deciding how to go about it, choosing the right option and then contacting the chosen Contractor or business is still not going to happen in a few days, but more likely in a few months , as we all have busy lives to work around too. 

Sara the Trusted founder was speaking to a very smart lady last week ,she had gone to Trusted to find someone to do renos on her home, she said she had read the listings on  http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/listings/renovations.aspx over and loved the fact that there were REAL client testimonials to read, she had already had wonderful experiences with other Trusted businesses and she especially liked that all the Trusted Saskatoon businesses were contracted to the 5 Trusted Guarantees....When choosing a contractor to do a big reno , the fact that Trusted contracts them to GUARANTEE that they will

1. CHARGE THE PRICE QUOTED WITH NO SURPRISES and

2. COMPLETE THE JOB ON TIME

Means that it takes the 'risk' out of selecting a company....and also in the listing of the renovator she chose to contact it stated that the company would never rush one job to start another...and it would be smart to book in advance to ensure that you get the dates YOU want for the work you want doing.....she is planning on the renos in late Spring..and she is booking her contrator in OCTOBER..a full 6months before, and by PLANNING today she ensure that she has the contractor she wants, who she can trust, and on HER timelines. If she had done all the research then tried booking someone in April for May, chances are she would have missed the boat, and may have paid dearly for that. Contractors that can do big jobs with a few weeks notice may NOT be as good a choice as one of our Trusted Saskatoon contractor/ renovations options 3 n' 1 Construction.  

So, in conclusion, as you start researching on the internet for ideas and options..make it a priority to decide which contractors or renovation companies are part of your short list ...call them asap....as the Winter sets in they will have more time to sit down with you and offer alternatives that perhaps you weren't even aware of ( a few of Ken Eade of 3'n1 Construction's  clients told us he offered great options that they ended up going with...without his input they wouldn't have know existed)   ....try getting them to sit down with you when the snow begins to melt and the first jobs (the smart people who pre booked well in advance) of the season are starting and you may be just pulling your hair out!    

TRUST Trusted to help in the selection process..we stand behind our Trusted businesses and endorse them...not for $cash ,but because they passed our very strict application / verification process and they live by the 5 Trusted Guarantees....we find them so YOU don't have to ...WE are the ONLY directory that works for you!  

Stay Trusted my friends..SAFE and TRUSTED of course 

*source: Globe and Mail: March 8th 2011

Trusted is thrilled to be bragging about 2 more fantastic Trusted partners who have passed the strict verification process with flying colors, they are the most recent of 75 businesses in Saskatchewan  to be given the thumbs up by www.trustedregina.com and www.trustedsaskatoon.com , and we have many more great businesses going through the process to follow them and we hope to have at least another 12 businesses live before the end of October...it won't be long before we hit the magic 100!

 Lets tell you about both of our new Trusted partners , starting with our first Trusted Regina Auto dealer:

Mercedes Benz of Regina

What a prestigious Auto Dealer to start the Regina category..and they certainly deserve the recognition and the reputation that they have worked hard to achieve. Mereced Benz of Regina is  very impressive in everyway, from the beautiful spacious galss building on Broad Street filled with vehicles you would love nothing more than to park on your own driveway at home..to the warm and friendly staff that don't have the ' aloofness' that is tangible when walking into some higher end car dealerships we have been into in the past.. the staff are professional and very approachable , they make no assumptions about you when they walk in  ( and believe us, the vehicle that we pulled up in was NO Mercedes !), as you browse around they make sure you have all your needs attended to without being ' pushy'... which is refreshing.

 When you think of the Mercedes brand certain shapes, colors and words flood the mind , and these all come together just as you had imagined them when you click onto the Mercedes Regina Website www.mbregina.ca    LUXURY-ICON-CLASSIC are the words that flash across the homepage, that's adorned with sleek images... Mercedes-Benz of Regina's automotive expertise is a product of their sustained interest in industry trends and characteristics. They feel privileged to share the latest news, promotions and events with you and hope the information will enhance your shopping experience. As you know, there are many new cars from which to choose, and they strongly believe an informed customer is the best customer.

Rick the owner is often in to greet loyal and new clients alike, he is a very respected and successful business man in the city , and he ensures that the integrity of his companies mission statement is carried through in each department and throughout every interaction and transaction with their clients and potential clients from beginning to end.  This is clearly proven when you read their listing on the Regina directory here  http://www.trustedregina.com/listings/auto-dealers.aspx , you will notice the outstanding testimonials from the clients that we surveyed , 12 out of 10 is always a good indicator when you ask someone to rate a business out of 10! What every single client told us was that the relationship just began with the first sale ....it didn't end there..in fact it got better,  as every interaction afterwards has been faultless ..wether with the service department, the shuttle drivers, the managers, or the owner himself ..they are all invested in your satisfaction. It makes us want to go and mystery shop them to experience it for ourselves..perhaps that means we can take one of those fancysports cars out for a test drive ... Welcome Mercedes Benz of Regina..our first Trusted Regina Auto Dealer..you and all of your staff are setting a highstandard for all that follow you!

P.S. Rick, if you want to give us one of these SLK 2012's for a month or so ( too icy after ) we would be OK with that!

CNG Stone Products

Another wonderful addition to the Trusted Regina Directory is CNG Stone Products , they are situated on Scarth Street and are open 7 days a week ( Sunday by appointment ) to better serve you ..we are all so busy today and having weekend hours and flexibility is great ...Scott Tresek, the owner, has a great personality and it is obvious that he sincerely cares about his customers..in fact when Renee and Sara from Trusted were in  presenting to him, we discussed what is expected of a Trusted partner , and when we were reading through the 5 Trusted Guarantees he was nodding along furiously ..." thats how we run this business" he said "I couldn't sleep at night if I felt a client was let down or unhappy with me,I really couldn't" ...Renee and I looked at each other and smiled ..we can always tell a Trusted business when we witness sincerity like that. ..it is amazing how many of our Trusted partners would have said exactly the same thing,and we knew then that CNG Stone defintely belonged on www.trustedregina.com . However after contracts are signed every business has to go through the verification / application procedure ..which is a pass or fail ...once we started speaking to CNG Stones Products we knew that they were going to pass easily....funny the first client we called gave them a 12 out of 10 ..same as Mercedes.. How fitting that the listings go live on the same day and share the same blog! Cllck on the listing here http://www.trustedregina.com/listings/kitchens.aspx to read Janice Cain's testimonial and the other 4 that we added to the listing ...difficult to choose which ones to use when they are all so great!

The bottom line here is, that CNG stone tick all the boxes when it comes to providing countertops.... kitchens, bathrooms at home or at work..they have a VAST selection to choose from, they know all the answers to your questions, the showroom and their attractive and well laid out website www.cngstone.com give you inspiration, ideas and choices to suit any project you could throw at them..the boss is great, the staff are friendly, skillful, helpfull and hard working and all together that equals a great experience for YOU the consumer...that is what Trusted is all about ..Happy customers..NO risks and a positive , stressless buying experience! Thats why www.trustedregina.com and www.trustedsaskatoon.com truly are ' The Smart and Simple Choice' when it comes to a Directory ..as we offer Safe and Trusted choices to all GUARANTEED!

Here is a recent CNG stone Product job to admire for yourself...NICE kitchen!! Welcome to Scott and the CNG team ..we are proud to have you as a Trusted Regina Partner!

Stay Trusted my friends..Safe and Trusted of course!  

Trusted is thrilled to be welcoming Campbell Homes to www.trustedsaskatoon.com as our third and final Trusted Saskatoon Home Builder, and we can't wait to brag about them, and tell you what sets them apart from ' the rest' and why you are Safe choosing any of the 3 Trusted Saskatoon Home Builders on http://www.trustedsaskatoon.com/listings/home-builders.aspx  . but first lets talk about why trusting your homebuilder is VITAL.

Buying a home is generally the biggest purchase you will make, and BUILDING a home is many peoples dream.....but unfortunately all too often that dream turns into a nightmare ..just type ' Home Builder Horror Stories' or 'Home Building Nightmares' into Google ..and you will see the sites dedicated to these horrific stories of peoples experiences building a home..it really is almost enough to put you off even starting the process in the first place. We even found a website that was created JUST to describe all of the terrible experiences one family called the Stutlers in the USA had with their Home Builder...click here  to link to their site www.tkhomessuck.com .

There are so many things that can go wrong when building a home ...not least because so many different trades are involved ..and without careful and meticulous planning between all of these different trades ( sometimes different companies all together) communication fails and costs start to escalate...then to keep things on budget corners can get cut....the snowball starts rolling down the hill and good luck trying to stop it!  

Fortunately the 3 Home Builders we give ' The thumbs up'  to on www.trustedsaskatoon.com are safe and trusted ...in fact they are contracted to the 5 TRUSTED GUARANTEES which you can read by going to the website link ... 1 of the Guarantees is : Charge the Price Quoted with NO surprises ...all of a sudden a big risk is taken away..that together with the checking and re-checking that Trusted does ( which makes us UNIQUE in the world of directories..and advertising as a whole) on our Trusted businesses makes your choice of a Trusted Saskatoon Homebuilder to be an excellent one.

Campbell Homes

Campbell Homes came highly recommended to us...and it may surprise you that we were WARNED off more builders than we were recommended home builders ..so even here in a smaller city like Saskatoon, where word gets around , there are far too many bad experiences that poeple can tell you about.

Campbell Homes however  did not come with any warnings attached, in fact when we called to survey their clients from the list of 25 clients names and numbers that Roger Grona,(the Sales Manager at Campbell ..who, by the way is a great guy to deal with) provided us with as part of the Trusted verification and checking procedure ( ALL of the Trusted business have to go through this process to be accepted as a Trusted business) ...every single person we spoke to had WONDERFUL things to say about Campbell, and how they go above and beyond for them before..during and AFTER the house is built.....IF you are thinking of building a home the AFTERCARE can be the most vital part ....the warranty should be there to protect you ..but all too often people are let down by the home builders after when something goes wrong, and they try to ' put problems' off..or just do'temporary fixes'until the warranty period is over........NOT the case with Campbell Homes ..you don't call them if something goes wrong ..they call you ..constantly....to check how things are going ...they make sure to walk through the house with you to check everything over before you move in AND before the warranty period is over .....this is part of what they do...why? Because they CARE ..they take real pride in the homes they build, and they consider each one to be as important as the next....on their website they CLEARLY state their intention..and in doing so you can see exactly what kind of personalites are involved in the company and what motivates them ...here is an excerpt from the COMPANY PROFILE Section of their website :

 "We understand that our organization is one of service, and that the competition is ever present, that words are weak and performance is remembered; our future depends on our ability to be reliable and professional while providing the highest standards of excellence in service and quality."

You can also go to their website Testimonial section here to read what their clients say ..here is just one example: 

"We stayed in our new home last night! Thanks for your patience working with us and creating a great place to call our home. The Campbell Homes team did a remarkable job from start to finish and we couldn’t be happier with our home. When we were looking for a builder, the quality of your work stood out in your show home and we see the same attention to detail and pride in your work at our place. The building time was incredible and combined with high end quality makes a strong statement about Campbell Homes. Thanks for the gift basket at closing day. Thanks again for a job well done." Mike, Yvonne, Cale & Casey

Jason Campbell, the owner, started the company in 1996 and he realized early on that a solid reputation is earned. He continually strives to exceed customer's expectations one home at a time by providing each client with the individual attention required to transform their dreams into reality. As he said " attention to detail & construction quality, combined with our personalized customer service have formed the cornerstones of our success."

Check out their Trusted listing here and read the testimonials Trusted took from clients that we suveryed....with the knowledge that we are NOT bias towards them for any other reason than that they passed our Trusted tests with flying colors and deserve our promotion and endorsement..we are PROUD to have Campbell Homes on board and we can assure you that your experience with them will be a POSITIVE one!  

We welcome Jason, Roger , Gary, Colin, Jeff, Gwen , Gary and Dennis..the Campbell 'Trusted team'

 The inside of a Campbell home...Go to their website www.campbellhomes.ca to take a virtual tour for yourself today!

WE have lots of listings for Regina pending final approval..so we will be back soon to brag about them...

Stay Trusted my friends...Safe and Trusted of course! 

Reginas Trusted business directory www.trustedregina.com  is taking on a life of it's own, as the 2 trusted consultants Renee and Michelle find their feet and follow the many nominations and recommendations that have started to flow in on a regular basis. It is very reminicent of how www.trustedsaskatoon.com started gaining momentum in April and May before it's May 30th media launch. The Trusted team are really looking forward to providing truly safe and trusted business directory options to the residents of both cities and beyond for years to come!  

The Trusted businesses who we have on board all share comminalities, they all really care about the communities they live in , and the owners wouldn't be able to sleep at night if they felt any of their clients had been left feeling anything but totally satisfied with how the they are dealt with at every stage of their transactions...our latest official Trusted partner is certainly no exception to that rule..we are really eager to brag about Candyce and her amazing  'A Team' at Shear Escape Salon & Spa ..our first Trusted Regina Salon.

SHEAR ESCAPE SALON & SPA

 We had heard SO MANY wonderful things about Candyce, the owner of Shear Escape ..that to be honest when we met her we couldn't believe how YOUNG she was to have done so much impressive stuff ( and to have really impressed so many really impressive ladies who had nominated her!) ...Candyce has a warm gentle character, with an easy smile, and she has the great gift of not having to talk loudly to get your attention..she is obviously a very saavy young business woman ( with awards to prove it), but she defintely hasn't stepped on anyone to get where she is ..she clearly works very hard and you can see she inspires a great deal of loyalty from the team of trendy, artistic , happy staff that work at the salon, which is situated in the strip mall next to Earls on Albert.

Candyce leads from the front and is invested in the sucess of every single one of her team.....if  you are looking for a salon that is up on all the latest trends and fashions, without being pretentious then Shear Escape is made for you! On the few occasions we were in the salon we observed Men with kids getting cuts together, older ladies, young college students and sharp suited business men and women all enjoying their time there, and emerging looking fabulous....The hours are GREAT too for those of us that work between 9 - 5 , as they are open Mon- Thursday 9am till 9pm ..Friday 9-6pm and Sat 9-5pm!

After hearing that one of the girls that works there is famous for ' the best head massage in town' , Sara the Trusted founder ( who apprecaites a good head massage) HAD to see if it measured up to previous head massages she had got around the world.....YES YES YES is the answer ....she didn't want to remove her head from the wash basin!  

 We could have written pages and pages of clients testimonials on the listing ( which you can check out here ) , but we managed to edit them down to just 4 ..the reason being , is that we wanted to tell people how much more Shear Escapes does ...They have a program for empowering young women in partnership with the YWCA called ' Girlspace initiative ' ..community involvement and ' giving back' is very important to Candyce ...and you can see that only adds an even better atmosphere to the Salon as a whole ..you can't help but feel the positive VIBE ...what a great place to spend a few hours getting a new look and soaking it all in!  

It's easy to see why Candyce and the team at Shear Escapes are the latest recipients of ' The Thumbs up' from www.trustedregina.com ..we know you will not be disappointed...try them out once and you will be a client for life..what a great addition to the Trusted Regina family and what a fabulous standard is set for the salon category in Regina! Check out their website if you want to book, see what services they offer or to see some great pics and more information on their well designed site!

Here is a pic of Candyce...and underneath ..the Team ..we are so thrilled to promote you and endorse you all..you deserve it! 

Check out our trustedsaskatoon.com Facebook page here to see how you can win an ipod shuffle!!

Stay trusted my friends....Safe AND Trusted of course!

Trusted loves to brag about great businesses and the 2 new Trusted businesses that went live on www.trustedsaskatoon.com today certainly have many, many things to brag about!

Lets start with our first Trusted Cleaning service listing:

ENVIROWISE: Cleaning Solutions for a Healthy Planet

20 years ago, before it was popular, a small local company came up with the idea that a business could be sustainable while also being environmentally wise. The idea that sparked it all back then was that packaging could be reused and refilled rather than being thrown into the landfill. Since then, the concept has evolved into a full line of environmentally conscious household and commercial cleaning products. Today, the EnviroWise brand supplies successful retail franchises across western Canada. They are experts in solving your cleaning needs with with Environmentally conscious products...without losing any cleaning power what so ever! Carol runs the spotless, yet welcoming andf bright store in the mall on the top of 8th street a few doors away from the the liquor store and opposite the CIBC Bank, and if you haven't been in , we suggest you do..you will be surprised at what they have to offer! Which are Safe products that can be TRUSTED in your home

The Trusted owner and the team in Saskatoon are now fully converted to the Envirowise products , in fact we were actually quite surprised how excited we were over the amazing results of the products ( even WE were sceptical at first before testing items at home) ...honestly, we challenge anyone to take the 'Red Marvel Bathroom Cleaner Challenge' and see how fantastically it works...without irritating your skin or smelling overpowering.. . Check out the testimonials on their listing here , to hear the true stories of their clients that Trusted spoke to....Look after your family and homes cleaning needs with a clear conscious...small changes by everyone makes for BIG changes in the long run.

Envirowise we are proud to have you on the Trusted Saskatoon directory and you are very deserving of ' The Thumbs up'  Here is a picture of Carol in the store

On to our next Trusted listing that went live today ..our final ( 3 of 3 )  Financial Services listing. Trusted is eager to tell you all about them!

GPS FINANCIAL 

Wendy Cooper heads up an all women team of Wendy ( Certified Financial Planner/ Investment Representative) , Tammy Richmond ( Financial Security Advisor/ Investment Representative) and Alisha Rokochy ( Marketing Associate) ..and it is a wonderful 3rd option to the 2 other Trusted Listings in Financial Services in Saskatoon....   

The way the GPS team conduct themselves from the first contact is very warm and professional .

Financial security planning is about more than planning for retirement or protecting yourself against risk – it is about making dreams come true. They are focused on helping you achieve freedom and choice at all stages of life. To do this, they use Freedom 55 Financial's planning process, which is based on the four cornerstones of financial security. It is a process designed to help you:

 •Better understand what financial security means to you by reviewing your current situation and defining goals

 •Identify and discuss any roadblocks to achieving your goals and analyse your situation

•Identify any gaps and build a plan to help you achieve your short- and long-term goals and dreams

•Review and monitor your financial security plan regularly to help ensure it continues to meet your changing needs

 In short ..they care and are here to help YOU

Welcome GPS ..check out their listing here to hear the great testimonials and to see why they were given the "Thumbs UP" by TrustedSaskatoon.com

Stay Trusted my friends..Safe and Trusted of course