Is there another way to have private areas?

[leannet]

Without having to make usergroups or use passwords.

On my forum my members have their own sub-forum called their journal, they can use it to post personal things about their life etc they are the MOD of their journal and they set the password and can give it out to whoever they like.
It's very frustrating to members to have to keep putting in passwords to all the journals.

I thought of usergroups but I would have to set up a usergroup for each journal and then have to add and remove people if the journal owner wanted me to.

Any suggestions for an easier way?