Ultimately you decide whether it's raining debt, or raining credit.

“You don’t need a job to survive the recession?…Yeah, right!” some may serve up as a retort – along with a generous side portion of sarcasm. Others may envisage that I’m about to expunge the joys of financial prudence like a nan.

“You don’t need a job to survive the recession”. Honestly I really mean it, and truly believe it. Here’s why…

A job, unless you’re self-employed, means someone else giving you a ‘handout’ (salary) according to the value your services have to them.

Think about why you supposedly need such a job?

To make ends meet. To keep the baliffs out. To put bread on the table. To keep a roof over your head. It’s all about making money.

You don’t really need a job, what you need is to make money. A job just provides you with one way of doing that.

Freeing up your thought process to see the wider picture allows you to be more creative in the solutions to making money that you come up with.

For example,  de-clutter the house by selling unused possessions. (Many people are currently looking to buy cheap goods to ‘make do’ and help them through a financial rough spot).

Or perhaps, start a local leaflet around your neighbourhood with money saving tips. See if local businesses would be interested in offering a modest discount to customers holding your leaflet, which has an advert for their business on it.

Or even, join ailing businesses together into a ‘service chain’. Help an accessories store to cross-advertise with a hairdresser and nail bar – helping ladies to get glammed up for a night-out without breaking the bank to do so.

You don’t really need a job, what you need is to make money. So if the Recession, like Life, doesn’t give you an opportunity – then feel free to make one!

No, that’s not a euphemism for swearing. You did read it correctly.

“Swoopo” is the cross between an auction site & gambling site. An odd idea, intelligently humourous, and well executed.

The idea is that bids only increase by a nominal amount (e.g. 10pence) for each bid made. When a bid is made it increases the auction’s countdown clock by a few seconds (e.g. 20secs). If the clock reaches zero with your username on the bid you get the goods going for a song. Music to the ears of most people during a recession, no?

It offers paticipants the potential for massive savings up to 100% off, I kid you not.

Such savings can be offered as each bid made has been prior purchased, and 50p of which goes towards meeting the company’s needs. So if we do the maths… an auction item reaching £100.00 would have involved 1000 bids, each earning the company 50p. For those of you reaching for a calculator – that’s £500 for the company. (Well I did say their idea was “intelligent” didn’t I?)

Now that’s what I call e-Commerce with an Eeeeeee!

I’m sure they will be in the news in the not too distant future…

Some bagged bargains on completed auctions