It’s not something we’ve heard a lot of lately… but there is some financial optimism many Canadians are experiencing. It’s the financial “upside” to the pandemic thanks to relief measures and reduced spending.

At some point, everyone has succumbed to the impulse to buy a new gadget, a new pair of shoes or some other spur of the moment gift for themselves. There’s nothing wrong with occasionally treating yourself. But when frequent impulse purchases start getting in the way of your other financial goals, things can quickly spiral out of control. Knowing where to strike that balance is difficult, but it becomes much easier when you use a budget.

Financial scams have been around for decades. But they have never been as common and invasive as they are today. The internet, online banking and countless other technologies have enabled fraudsters to invade people’s lives and trick them into handing over money, personal information and access to personal electronic devices.

Get up to speed quickly with the bite-sized insights you need to better manage your debt and stay on top of your finances.

It’s difficult to predict the future. But it’s particularly difficult to predict your financial future. After all, who has a crystal ball to tell them what the future holds? What if your car breaks down and it needs major repairs? What if you get laid off or lose your job? What if you become ill and are unable to work? There’s a lot of “what if” scenarios out there.

This time of year we think about festivities and fun with friends and family. And sometimes we do it without thinking about finances. Often finances are something we don’t focus enough on through the entire year because we have acquired bad financial habits. They’re easy to fall into and can cause all sorts of personal and financial difficulties.

If your debt payments have become overwhelming, Consolidation can be the answer. There are numerous ways to consolidate your debt, but generally it involves lumping most or all your balances together into a single affordable payment. Here are just a few Consolidation options that come with their own benefits and also some potential risks.

Is it difficult to declare bankruptcy? The short answer is… no. However, there are a few things you should know before you consider bankruptcy as a debt management resource.