Business Calendar

Monday, Aug. 7

Exporting to Canada: U.S. Commercial Service staff from Canada will brief Illinois exporters on selling their goods or services to Canada. The seminar is from noon to 5 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton Place, Chicago. It costs $50. Call Monica Toporkiewicz at 312-353-8059 or e-mail monica.toporkiewicz@mail.doc.gov.

Tuesday, Aug. 8

Women's business luncheon: The Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ralph's Place at Blackberry Oaks Golf Course in Bristol. Networking begins at 11:30 p.m., followed by lunch at noon and a program on ergonomics at 12:25 p.m. The luncheon is $25 for chamber members and $35 for others. For reservations, call 630-553-6853 or e-mail yorkvillechamber@sbcglobal.net by Aug. 3.deadline

Starting a home business: A 1-hour program on launching a home business is at 6 p.m. at Timeless Spa, 1240 Iroquois, #506, Naperville.

Marketing & selling workshop: Learn how to find your prospects and keep them as customers from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Citicorp Center, Suite 1250, 500 W. Madison St., Chicago. The cost is $35 at www.scorechicago.org or $45 at the door. Call 312-353-7724.

Word (II) class: An intermediate computer class is offered from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 8 and 10 at the IETC One-Stop Center computer lab, 837 S. Westmore Road, Lombard. The fee is $145. To sign up, call 630-942-2732.

Thursday, Aug. 10

new md 8/4 Women in Business: The Wheaton Chamber of Commerce presents its women's luncheon, featuring speaker Ruth Sweetser of IIT, presenting "Women in Business: Myth Boosters or Myth Busters?" The luncheon is at 11:30 a.m., at Cozymel's Mexican Grill, 311 E. Loop Road, Wheaton. To make a reservation by Aug. 8, call 630-668-6464.

Saturday, Aug. 12

Solar 101 workshop: The Illinois Solar Energy Association, an organization dedicated to educating the public about solar, wind and other forms of renewable energy, will conduct a workshop on how solar energy can be used. The workshop is from 9:30 to 12:30 p.m. at NorthStar Credit Union, 3 South 555 Winfield Road, Warrenville. For more information, e-mail info@illinoissolar.org, call 708-524-0799 or 708-267-7965 or visit www.illinoissolar.org/workshops .

Monday, Aug. 14

Microsoft Outlook class: Offered from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 14 and 16 at the IETC One-Stop Center computer lab, 837 S. Westmore Road, Lombard. The fee is $145. To sign up, call 630-942-2732.

Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee: The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce committee meets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chamber, 55 South Main St., Suite 375, in Naperville. For more information, call 630-355-4141.

Tuesday, Aug. 15

SCORE meeting: The Fox Valley SCORE Chapter, Counselors to America's Small Business, meets at 9 a.m. at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, 43 W. Galena Blvd. Daniel Bleil, president and CEO of Spectrum Business Resources, will present Financing Small Businesses through Credit Unions. A business meeting will follow. Call 630-978-7080 or visit www.scorefoxvalley.org .

Excel (I) class: A beginning level computer class is offered from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 15 and 17 at the IETC One-Stop Center computer lab, 837 S. Westmore Road, Lombard. The fee is $145. To sign up, call 630-942-2732.

PowerPoint class: Offered from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 15 and 17 at the IETC One-Stop Center computer lab, 837 S. Westmore Road, Lombard. The fee is $145. To sign up, call 630-942-2732.

SCORE workshop: A half-day workshop on business financing basics will be presented by SCORE, Counselors to America's Small Business, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in suite 1250 of the Citicorp Center, 500 W. Madison St., Chicago. Registration is $35 in advance or $45 at the door.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.