Adult Education Topics

Read about the variety of topical workshops and webinars we offer.

Financial Education
Free Debt Education, Budgeting & Credit Webinars | Workshops
Workshop & Webinar Topics - Learning Money Management Skills

Workshop & Webinar Topics
Learning Money Management Skills | Adult Education

Ask yourself these three questions:

Were you born knowing how to manage money?
Did you learn money management skills from your parents?
Did you learn money skills when you were in school?

If you’re like most Canadians, your answer is “no” to all three questions. And yet, when we turn 18 years old, we are expected to be financially responsible adults. It’s so strange that we need to go for driver’s education to learn how to drive a car, but we don’t need money management training when we start borrowing money and earning a pay cheque. Instead we should intuitively know how to handle a credit card, a monthly budget and plan for our future.

The Credit Counselling Society is committed to teaching Canadians the basics about money management in a fun, engaging, non-judgmental way. We offer a variety of workshops and public webinars. Topics include:

Budgeting

Budget Breakers: Ever wonder where all your money went? This session uncovers the three biggest budget breakers -small daily expenses, irregular costs, and unexpected emergencies – and gives you practical strategies to stop them from derailing your finances. Walk away with a clear action plan and the confidence to stay on track.

Available in English or French

Making Cent$ of Money: Budgeting 101: Budgeting isn’t about restriction – it’s about putting your money to work for you. This session breaks down budgeting into simple steps that anyone can learn and apply, no matter where you’re starting from. Get the tools you need to take control of your finances and finally feel ahead of the game.

Available in English or French

Credit & Debt

Borrowing 101: Financing Basics: Borrowing money isn’t a bad thing – it’s all about doing it wisely. This session walks you through the essentials of credit and financing, so you can make confident, informed decisions the next time you borrow. From credit scores to loan types, you’ll learn what creditors look for and how to protect yourself.

Available in English or French

Debt Solutions: Dealing with debt can feel overwhelming, but knowing your options is the first step toward relief. This session walks you through practical strategies to manage and reduce debt, and explains the full range of solutions available to Canadians. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of your situation and a path forward.

Available in English or French

The Truth About Credit: Credit can be confusing, and that confusion can lead to costly mistakes. This session sets the record straight on credit reports, credit scores, and the factors that affect them, so you can make smarter decisions and protect your financial health. Myths, busted. Facts, delivered.

Available in English or French

Financial Living

65 Side Hustles: When trimming expenses isn’t enough, it’s time to look at the other side of your budget – income. This session explores 65 real side hustle ideas and helps you figure out which ones match your skills, schedule, and financial goals. A little extra income can make a big difference.

Available in English or French

75 Ways to Save on Household Expenses: The cost of living keeps rising, but your paycheck doesn’t always keep up. This session is packed with 75 practical, easy-to-implement tips for cutting costs on groceries, utilities, transportation, entertainment, and more. Every dollar saved is a dollar working for you.

Available in English or French

Cautious Consumerism: Fraud and scams cost Canadians billions of dollars every year but even careful people can be caught off guard. This session helps you understand how identity theft and fraud happen, how to protect yourself, and exactly what to do if you become a victim. Knowledge is your best defense.

Available in English or French

Cent$ible Celebrations: Planning a celebration shouldn’t mean sacrificing your financial peace of mind. This session gives you a practical framework for organizing any event, big or small, while staying on budget and on purpose. Celebrate what matters without the financial stress that follows.

Available in English

Holidays Without Credit: The holidays should bring joy and not a January debt hangover. This session helps you re-imagine how you approach the holiday season with a realistic plan that honours what matters to you, without starting the new year in the red. Plan ahead, feel good, and celebrate without financial regret.

Available in English

Death, Taxes and Beyond: Getting your financial house in order is one of the most caring things you can do for the people you love. This session takes the overwhelm out of estate planning by walking you through taxes, insurance, and the key documents your family would need if something happened to you. One step at a time.

Food and Finance: Two of the most common goals, eating better and spending less, don’t have to compete with each other. This session connects the dots between meal planning, grocery habits, and your food budget, giving you practical tools to save money while nourishing your family well. Simple changes, real savings.

Available in English or French

Holiday Money Hangover: The party’s over and the bills are here. This session helps you face your post-holiday debt head-on with a clear plan to pay it off and a strategy to make sure next year looks different. It’s not about guilt; it’s about getting back on track.

Available in English

Home Owner Basics: Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, and it’s about more than just the mortgage. This session helps you figure out if you’re truly ready, what to expect financially, and how to make a choice that’s right for your life and your budget. Go in informed, not overwhelmed.

Available in English or French

Investment Basics – Making The Most Of Your Money: Investing doesn’t have to be intimidating. This session breaks down the fundamentals, savings plans, investment types, fees, and risk, in plain language, so you can start making informed decisions about your money’s future. This is education, not advice; clarity, not complexity.

Available in English or French

Irregular Income: Managing money on an unpredictable income takes a different approach and using the right system can make all the difference. This session offers three practical strategies designed for anyone with variable earnings, from freelancers to seasonal workers, to help you feel in control no matter what month it is.

Available in English or French

Mind Your Money: The Psychology of Saving: Knowing you should save and actually doing it are two very different things. This session digs into what gets in the way: your mindset, your habits, your relationship with money. It then gives you science backed strategies to make saving feel less like a struggle and more like a habit.

Available in English or French

Mind Your Money: An Introduction to the Psychology of Spending: Have you ever bought something and wondered why? Marketers spend billions understanding what drives us to spend, and this session gives you a behind-the-scenes look at those tactics. Once you see them, you can’t unsee them and that awareness becomes your superpower.

Available in English

Mind Your Money: Technology and Spending: Canadians spend an average of 11 hours a day on screens, and marketers know exactly how to use that time to influence your spending. This session pulls back the curtain on how algorithms, data, and digital design shape your financial decisions, and gives you the tools to take back control.

Available in English

Money and Mental Health: Money stress and mental health are deeply connected -and this session helps you understand that link so you can break the cycle. You’ll explore the components of financial well-being, learn practical steps to improve it, and discover where to turn if you need more support.

Available in English

Organizing Your Finances in 1 Month: Financial chaos is stressful -but it’s fixable. This session walks you through a four-week, step-by-step process to get your important documents organized, create a system that’s easy to maintain, and put a plan in place so your loved ones are covered if they ever need to step in for you.

Available in English or French

Planning For Temporarily Reduced Income: A sudden drop in income, whether expected or not, can be financially destabilizing. This session gives you clear, practical steps to reassess your budget, manage your bills, and navigate available resources so you can cope with less income without letting things spiral. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Available in English

Vacations on a Budget: Everyone deserves a break, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. This session walks you through how to plan a vacation you’ll love without the financial stress that can follow you home. From saving up to spending smart, you’ll learn how to make your next getaway work for your budget.

Available in English

Financial Living – Families

Ending the Financial Feud – Couples & Money: Money is one of the leading causes of relationship conflict, but it doesn’t have to be. This session helps couples understand each other’s money histories, values, and goals so you can build a financial plan you both feel good about. Less fighting, more forward movement.

Available in English or French

Planning for Post-Secondary School: Post-secondary education is a big investment and the earlier you start planning, the better positioned your family will be. This session walks parents through the full financial landscape of post-secondary, from RESPs and student loans to scholarships and the real cost of school beyond tuition.

Available in English

Raising Financially Fit Kids: Money skills are life skills, and parents are a child’s first and most important financial teacher. This session gives you simple, age appropriate strategies to introduce money concepts to your kids, from allowances and savings jars to teachable moments in everyday life.

Available in English or French

Student Success: Managing Money in School: Post-secondary is exciting, but money stress is one of the biggest challenges students face. This session gives students the tools to budget, avoid debt traps, understand credit, and manage their finances so they can focus on what matters most: their education.

Available in English

Retirement

10 Steps to Retire Without Debt: Retiring with debt is increasingly common, but it doesn’t have to be your story. This session walks you through a ten-step plan to assess where you are, address what you owe, and build toward a retirement free from the weight of debt. It’s never too late to start.

Available in English or French

Living Well on Retirement Income: Living on a fixed income in a world of rising costs takes planning, creativity, and a clear strategy. This session helps retirees identify ways to stretch their income, reduce expenses, and avoid relying on credit to get by so the golden years can actually feel golden.

Available in English or French

Looking Ahead to Retirement: Retirement looks different than it did for our parents and planning for it requires a fresh approach. This session helps you put a dollar value on your retirement vision, navigate the challenges that stand between you and your goals, and build a realistic financial road map to get there.

Available in English

Specialized Groups

Money Basics for Newcomers to Canada: Starting fresh in a new country means navigating a whole new financial system. This two-part session walks newcomers through Canada’s banking system, credit basics, and how to protect yourself from scams giving you the foundation you need to build financial confidence in your new home.

Available in English

Planning Financially for Your New Arrival: Welcoming a new baby is one of life’s greatest joys and one of its biggest financial adjustments. This session helps expectant parents understand parental leave benefits, budget through every stage of leave, and prepare for the new expenses that come with a growing family.

Available in English

Women & Money: Taking Charge of Your Financial Future: Women face a unique set of financial challenges: from the gender pay gap and career interruptions to longer life expectancy and the risk of financial abuse. This empowering session gives women the information, tools, and confidence to take charge of their financial futures.

Available in English

Want to Learn More?

Every week, our financial educators host free webinars that you can sign up for right now. You’ll come away with practical tips you can use right away. Join a session from the comfort of your home or wherever is most convenient for you.