Financial worries are still making life less than enjoyable, I'm sure there is no quick fix but I can understand why so many people take out extra loans to consolidate their outstanding debts. It seems that nearly every advert on daytime television is pushing huge consolidation loans as the answer to all your money worries.

I'm hoping to see someone at our local Citizens Advice centre tomorrow, we really do need some (free) financial advice. I have been getting all our figures for incoming and outgoing cash together today, the difference between the two is really scary.

The bad news is that we owe thousands, we are way short of being able to pay all of our commitments each month (almost £1000 per month short). There isn't much good news except that we are facing up to our money problems and seeking help. The one key factor that could get us out of this mess is that the equity on our house (the difference between what we have left to pay on the mortgage and what the house is currently worth) is a bit greater than all of our combined debts. In theory we should be able to sell our house and pay off everything, mortgage included, and then be totally debt free. We would then need to rent a house and hope that either house prices come down, or my salary goes up.

With average house prices being over £100,000 and average wages being around, £20,000, how do school/university leavers ever manage to get on the housing ladder?