Debt Diaries!

bananakinz

I like reading the diaries, and often a request for help turns into a debt diary. Once a rapport has been built up between people, then maybe they could be moved to a sub board.

It might also be worth looking at the 'sticky' threads - are half needed to 'be stuck' as this takes up half the first page? therefore new threads requesting help get pushed off the front page quicker. If there are threads people often watch/reply to can't they note them in their favourites?

Its also a well done to the forum that there is a high number of new threads and it is a popular board!

ZTD

southernscouser wrote:

Yesterday I was for moving them! Today I am not! And no I'm not a woman!

I'm honestly surprised to see quite a few newer members say they are inspirational/motivational etc. From my own point of view my diary is only there for my own benefit, and to provide me with motivation. I know it's available for everyone to see but don't appreciate that it could help others. (OK I know mine doesn't help others but other peoples do :rolleyes: )

Maybe we just need to make more of an effort to keep the pleas for help on the front pages!

I think we should sort out the "stickies" situation first, then maybe revisit the diaries at some other time.

Unfortunately, people seem to want it both ways. They want the diary traffic, so there's more eyes/reponses to the problem posts - but they don't want any diary traffic because it drops the problem posts off quicker.

You'll not resolve that one!

kathfisch

southernscouser wrote:

Maybe we just need to make more of an effort to keep the pleas for help on the front pages!

When I have a bit of time I do browse back a few pages to see if there are any threads needing more advice or just bumping for someone else to advise. It must be demoralising for those who don't receive many replies when they've summoned up the courage to post. But, being honest, sometimes it is nice to get involved in the diaries and fun threads as an antidote to giving what is often very similar advice over and over. I don't mean that newbies shouldn't ask for help, or that I don't enjoy giving it, just that its nice to have a mixture.

See - I'm another who is changing my mind after the latest posts! :rolleyes:

I will certainly make a conscious effort to browse pages other than number 1 and keep the mixture of topics on the first page changing!

Kath x

scorpioto

Hi everyone, as you can see by my posts I am very new to the DFW forum, when I first posted my S.O.A. I was a bit uneasy, I had never done anything remotely like it in my life, realising you are in so much debt all of a sudden can be pretty scary. I did get quite a few replies(many thanks to those who offered their advice and support) I think I probably would have received more advice if my thread had stayed on the first page a little longer. Unfortunately there is such a great ammount of threads that they don't stay on the first page very long and get missed by many people who could possibly give valuable advice. I read as much as I have time each night and I try to take advise from other posts, the popularity of the MSE forums is growing daily so each thread is not likely to stay on the first page for very long. The diaries are a great thing if only to keep in touch and a bit of moral support, I suppose they are a very important part of some members lives and I wouldn't like to compromise that in any way. I havn't read all the replies to this thread so forgive me if this has been suggested before, rather than have a seperate diary forum would it be more beneficial to have a forum dedicated solely to SOAs, this would give the advisors easier access to the first time posters who are in need of their help.

---

TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT AS OF 30/12/06 = £20664.67
TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT AS OF 31/01/07 = £18244.68
£2419.99 PAID OFF DEBT

My target for this year is to pay off Loan 2 and both CCs leaving just Loan 1 with a balance of £8848

Debt free date December 2008

Tis a far far better thing that I do now than I have ever done

PROUD TO BE DEALING WITH MY DEBTS

doodah

i think that's a really good idea scorpioto!

GettingThingsDone

I used to work with someone who when asked 'can we change things around here?' would smugly say 'of course, as long as you think it through for a couple of days first'.

Of course after a couple of days of debating we'd end up back where we started. O' smug one would then look down and say 'see - I have already thought about this'

I'm not saying Martin is smug, but maybe his overview of the way everything fits together is why he has been against the sub-board idea in the first place.

Counter-intuitively, maybe the churn of threads is what draws us in and makes sure that we keep an eye on things. Afterall a lot of what goes on in here isn't specific advice, but comforting recognition that life ain't always a bed of roses.

I've changed my mind (I'm not a woman, so we'll just say that this is what I was saying all along, you just misunderstood me ) and now I don't think there should be a sub-board.

Thinking back to last year, it was the shock of reading about people going through bankruptcy that initially got me lurking in DFW. That was when I had my LBM. Nowadays I don't read the Bankruptcy sub-board as I don't feel I have much to contribute there.

It's not the fact that diaries would be a sub-board of DFW, it's just once they are separate the audience/contributors is also likely to split. Who here visits the savings and isas board, or the MFW's? I don't even read the *** MADE IT OUT OF DEBT *** success stories (there are only so many hours in the day!).

Seeing the diaries gives you confidence that there is life here and that if you stick around things change. You're not in this alone.

Maybe over-analysing it? I'll stop waffling now... Less stickies please?

jo_b_2

southernscouser wrote:

We've had this discussion before but, are there too many of them? :think:

I personally think there are (and yes I know I'm as guilty as anyone) :rolleyes:

I know Martin likes them and wants to keep them where they are, but what do others think?

I'm particularly interested in hearing what the newcomers to the board think? Are the 'essential' threads asking for advice disappearing too quickly of the front pages for them to get a decent response?

The Debt Diaries were one of the main reasons that the Debt Free Wannabee board was created. Up to that board, the Debt Diaries were all spread out over the Loans/Credit Card boards and Martin wanted to keep them all together on one board to act as inspiration for others.

I suppose the board has evolved naturally, with the popularity of the money-saving challenges etc but, personally, I feel that the Debt Diaries are the heart of the board and, certainly as more of a lurker rather than an active poster on DFW, give the board something that sets it apart from other boards. (Lots of the other information/threads are duplicated across other boards - Debt Diaries are unique to DFW) Just my two penn'orth.

southernscouser

Anyone else get the feeling I started this thread just to stir things up?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

kathfisch

southernscouser wrote:

Anyone else get the feeling I started this thread just to stir things up?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

And keep switching sides to provoke discussion! You and me both.... :rotfl:

ZTD

southernscouser wrote:

Anyone else get the feeling I started this thread just to stir things up?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

There's nothing wrong with that. Without debate and discussion, how else do you know if you're doing things the best way?