In the post yesterday I received my car insurance quote and was stunned. I got a good deal last year, £197 fully comp, no claims protected etc, etc. The same company cannot offer such a good deal this year, in fact the best the broker can find was £270 ! I don't think so. A lot of cash back sites offer amazing deals like £130 cash back with large household names such as the Pru. But whenever I've tried to buy insurance like this I've always had to revert to the phone to go through the quote, which means the cash back doesn't track.
Anyway on the positive side I tried a comparison site last week and ended up with a quote of £189.99, received it in the post days later, maybe a little more digging I can get it lower. Add the cost of car tax £97 ? And Breakdown cover £108 ! That's over £400 to spend in the next 6 weeks on driving alone.
Yesterday afternoon I spent blog reading, my hour of peace before the troops came home wanting food, water and attention. I know there are hundreds of UK Debt Free Wannabees, mostly hanging out on the Money Saving Expert Forum but not many UK blogs. Our American and Australian friends are quite open about Debt blogging. Is it a case of the stiff upper lip, feeling safe in the anonymity and numbers on the MSE forum ?
Tuesday 25 September 2007
The Cost of Driving
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7 comments:
I think that blogging provides the same anonymity as forums do. I also post on a forum about debt but find that they are often full of know it alls talking down to you...like you should have known the answer to the question you just asked...guess that's why I decided to blog...I can monitor posts if I'd like to.
But none of that answers your question of why they are not blogging as much...lol..sorry I'm not sure why...
Hi Jo
I think sometimes on a forum you only get a snippet of somebodys world, I guess with a blog you can follow the 'story' in full.
I agree with ms jo about some of the forums I've looked at and I love reading blogs because you do seem to get more of the personal side of peoples experience, the ups and downs and the 'real world' stuggles.
It's interesting why not many from the UK blog, Ian has commented on this as well in his blog.
thanks louise. Perhaps blogging allows a little more self indulgence, after all as much as we like to know people read them, it doesn't matter so much as in a public forum. I think support is valuable in either place, but it feels much more valuable/personal on a blog. Just my thoughts.. off to read Ian :)
Jo,
Anonymity appeals to an extent. But you have to kind of cover your tracks to an extent and think about how you can protect yourself.
Even before I discovered blogs after a spectcular failure, I had decided not to hide form anyone or anything.
I hope that doesn't come across as arrogantin any way. I am deeply hurt about what happened.
But I don't want to shy away from responsibilities or have to cower in a corner waiting for someone to come and get me.
Far better to face the world, and if there's going to be stigma, get it all out in the open.
I'm not saying anonymity is wrong. I crave it at times and have to force myself to continue on the same path when I hit discomfort.
Bjut do you know what?
I feel a whole heap better because I've got nothing to hide.
I was virtually an insomniac at times during the worst bits of pre-liquidation and potential bankruptcy.
Now, my head hits the pillow and minutes or seconds later, I'm fast asleep.
Just my soap box moment - but not judging anyone else who wants to blog anonymously - that's fine too. You have to let off steam the way that's right for you.
I agree Ian, and you are far from arrogant, honest is a better word :) Nothing wrong either way, some people are private, perhaps just our culture is a little bit more so.
I guess blogs have a great shield of anonymity anyway.
I admire your stance, it's right for you, and good for people like me :)
But the sleepless nights..oh dear..been there.
Jo,
I really think as Brits that we need to take a stand.
And tell it as it is.
I bet all of our personal circumstances are pretty similar. Low equiy on homes, loads of credit card debt, despair which makes us "blog" (yes, I'm addicted too!).
Doesn't really matter whether we have a business or just "life" as we know it here today. the result is the same.
We just need to confront it a little more than we do. Talk about it. Blog about it.
Share it. Anonymously or otherwise.
As long as we do and start to deal with it.
If a bookmaker was to give odds on me getting as far as I have, I could have repaid all of my debts with a £1 stake.
Bad analogy perhaps, because I never gambled.
But we should all try and tackle these things more openly and talk more.
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