Jasmine's Jottings

From debt to riches

I was on GMTV and Sky News this morning talking about the new debt figures from the Citizens' Advice Bureau - got such a response it crashed Moneymagpie. Aargh! Thankfully it is up again and my hosting company has sorted the problem out so it shouldn't happen again.

I'm not in the least surprised that the CAB now finds that debt is the most common problem it deals with. I think it is going to get worse before it gets better. So much money has been lent out (we now owe over £300 billion in loans, credit cards, overdrafts and HP) and so much interest is being charged on it, that even if no more is borrowed, the current debt across the country will keep growing for a year or more.

There are ways out though and we have loads of them on Moneymagpie:

• Obviously - switching all essential expenses like fuel, insurance etc to cheaper ones where you can
• Switching your debts to cheaper ones where you can (I say 'where you can' because it often depends on your credit rating - but you can check that for free beforehand)
• Cutting back on everything that is not essential
• Getting as much as you can for free
• And, importantly, increase your income. We have loads of ideas on that - many of them pretty easy things you can do in your spare time.

On the other hand, if it really is too much to handle, bankruptcy or an IVA may be the answer. Personally I think it's best to talk to one of the free advice agencies first before doing anything drastic. The Bankruptcy Advisory Service are good, as are the CAB, of course, and the CCCS.

Off Facebook

I've just come off Facebook.

It's been brewing for a while. I only went on it because my friend Woody said it was great for networking and an essential for business (he came off it himself a month after putting me on - ha!). It has irritated me from the start.

There are some great aspects to the site and I have met a few really nice, interesting people through it. I have also made contact with people I haven't seen for years. But too much of it annoys me to bother anymore.

• I don't care if 'Charles' is now friends with 'Anna'.
• I don't care how many books Joel has read (or says he has read)
• I don't care if William is feeling 'cool' or 'edgy'
• I'm quite unhappy knowing that a decent-looking guy who has just 'poked' me is looking for 'random play' or 'anything I can get'.
• I don't want to be Zombiefied, super-poked, slapped or even sent a virtual present.
• I really don't want people writing dodgy things on my wall (not that anyone has yet, but give it time).
• I don't want dodgy messages from dodgy types I don't know who want to make unhelpful comments

Yes, I know I could tighten my privacy settings, and I certainly never put important information in like my mobile number, address or date of birth, but frankly, I just can't be bothered with the trivia anymore and I don't think I'm the only one. In fact, I'm going to stick my neck out now and say that I give Facebook about three months before it implodes. It's too big, too wide, too open and too easily abused.

Time for more of a real social life instead of a virtual one. Time for moving myself out into the big wide world more often and seeing people face to face. I want a real face to talk to, not a facebook.