Four pitfalls to avoid so your summer fun doesn’t end with the chill of a large bill you can’t afford.

There are numerous reasons why some people choose to take on a project themselves rather then engage another person or company. These can range from an interest in learning a new skill, to a passion for doing the work themselves, pride and shame of asking for help, or lacking the financial means to hire a professional.

Managing insolvency engagements within the new reality of the Bubble impacted engagements when travel was required from individuals outside the Bubble. The creation of the Bubble affected interaction with other professionals – such as lawyers, courts, appraisers, auctioneers and most importantly, buyers of assets.

Unmanageable debt is stressful enough without the persistent half-truths and complete inaccuracies that prevent people from getting the relief they need and deserve. Bankruptcy, more than any other debt solution, often seems to be the target of these myths and misconceptions. Yet it is often the most cost effective, affordable, and fastest path to relief for many Canadians.

Bankruptcy can provide relief for most types of consumer debt, save for a few noteworthy exceptions. Therefore, you can — in most cases — include a debt owing to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) in a bankruptcy. However, each situation is different and ICBC will take a position based on the facts of each file.

Children and teenagers need better financial literacy training. That is a point everyone can agree on. Consensus is lacking, however, around just who should be providing it.

Everyone has different interpretations of what is reasonable when it comes to budgeting and debt. Disagreements around spending priorities, what the household can afford, and long-term financial goals is a leading source of relationship conflict and, perhaps not surprisingly the top cause of divorce in Canada.

When applying for credit, most people believe they must accept whatever interest rate a lender is willing to give them. But that’s not always the case. Beyond shopping around for competitive rates, it never hurts to ask whether a lender is flexible on interest rates.