DEAR HARRIETTE: I own a small restaurant, and I have a loose contract with one of my suppliers that I want to break. I call this a “loose contract” because we both signed it when we were closer friends and after a few beers. My restaurant isn’t doing incredibly well, and there’s a cheaper farm I want to start buying from.

The end to my contract is in three years. If I wait that long, I’ll probably lose my business. I don’t want to seem unprofessional, but I need to do what is best for my business. I’ve never had to break a contract before. I don’t even know where to begin. I just want to talk this out with my supplier, but he’s a bit of a hothead. I want this to end quickly. Should I start buying some of my produce from the cheaper supplier? I need to focus on cutting costs, and this contract is killing me while it’s helping my friend keep business. – Rotten Contract, Calvert County, Maryland

DEAR ROTTEN CONTRACT: Consult an attorney immediately. Have the contract reviewed to learn your legal rights. Speak to your accountant as well, to figure out where you stand with your finances. Some businesses file bankruptcy in order to free themselves from old debt and start anew. This can negatively affect your credit, but it could also give you a chance to stay in business. By incorporating another company, you may be able to create a contract with a different vendor. Should that be a consideration, you may want to speak to your potential new vendor in advance to begin to build a relationship. In that way, when the time comes – and your credit is damaged – the personal familiarity may help you.

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DEAR HARRIETTE: My aunt goes to the tanning beds at least four times a week. She has a pass at her local tanning salon and has been maintaining her “glow” for over two decades. Now that she is in her late 40s, health concerns that she did not previously have are popping up. She has had to get multiple skin biopsies, and there is a potentially serious biopsy in the lab right now. She frequently comes to my house to speak to my mother about how scared she is, but she never mentions how her actions might have caused this. I would be stunned if she didn’t know about how harmful tanning beds are, but she hasn’t stopped going! I suspect she might be skirting around that topic with her doctor.

Whenever she speaks to me, she asks me to pray for her. I always say I will, but in reality, I have reservations about asking God to help her with a problem she is causing herself. Is it best to just keep my mouth shut? – No Beds for Me, Savannah, Georgia

DEAR NO BEDS FOR ME: Your aunt seems to be addicted to tanning beds. You can still pray for her. When you talk to her, you can also recommend that she stop tanning. Saying it out loud may make it more real for her.

Trust that her doctors know she is tanning, although maybe not how frequently. Her skin is talking, even if she isn’t.

— Lifestylist and author Harriette Cole is president and creative director of Harriette Cole Media. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.