2nd review, need to have a rant

[oscarsmum1]

hello, I've just received my paperwork for year 2, no change from last year with what I need to send back, 3 pay slips, p60, 3 month's bank statements and a copy of any bills or receipts for things which have increased (that amounts to everything I pay out for each month more or less!!) so im looking at approx 30+ sheets of paper to send back in, according to the covering letter, the enclosed envelope....alas, yet again there aint an enclosed envelope, my company do this everytime. Now I don't object to buying the odd stamp when I send my overtime in every month, but last year it cost me nearly £6 last year due to the forgotten enclosed envelope, add postage to the cost of the printer ink cartridges I've just had to buy for £18, it doesn't leave much left out of my weekly food budget of £40 to feed me, 2 cats and 2 dogs, I've had to use my food budget as the rest of my money is going on my car service! Now the point of that little moan is, when I'm completing my I & E later this evening, cos seriously, what would I rather be doing on a fri night!!!, can I add a little 'stationary budget' of say £2 a month so I'm ready for next year's review? this may sound very mean and stingy but every penny counts and they won't increase some categories for me, like pets, I'm given £30 a month to feed and look after 4 pets, the pet insurance alone is £52, annual booster injection is £41 each etc...., so I have to use my own food allowance of £200 on them! Maybe I am being petty but I'm a bit fed up of money and all its evil doing at the moment and Im sick of eating tinned tomatoes on toast!!

[oscarsmum1]

sorry, missed off the reason I bought printer ink... so I can take copies of all the paperwork they have asked me for, I'm okay at work sneaking a copy of my wage slip but not sure I would get away with an hour's worth of copying!!

[Radish]

My IVA have stopped putting SAE with the annual review (Debt free direct) to save on their expences. Not sure what the annual turnover of a IP is but they do employ a lot of staff so might not be as much as we think. Pity you have to fork out though when your on a tight budget. I work in an office so can get most of my photopying and ink for free (well at my employers expence lol)

[Pandy]

I scan mine and email it in, doesn't cost anything then

[oscarsmum1]

I can't afford a scanner nor can I use the photocopier at work for such as large amount, the odd wage slip I can get away and don't really fancy standing in my local cornershop with all my paperwork using the 15p a go copier, can't ask family or friends cos this is my sordid secret!! when I joined up for my iva they sent me 3 sae's with the offer of further if required, they too must be cutting back as well.....hey we've all got a budget, but don't my £1000's of fees I'm paying cover me for this sort of thing?? ah wellI will shut up and put up, in the grand scheme of things this is the least of my worries!!! thanks

[Fletch2204]

Hi Oscarsmum, just what you need when every penny counts..... send an email to your IP setting out your case..... if nothing else it might force them into giving you a SAE in future.... Good luck, Fletch

[Shining]

If you have scanning facilities ask if they'll accept this?

[UpToMyNeckInIt]

Hi OscarsMum.

My advice is for you to download a copy of the 'stepchange budget guidelines 2012' (google it to get a link to the document), and use it as just that - a guide. But make sure you submit as much as you can (the guidelines even allow for luxuries such as hairdressing, sky TV, kids pocket money, hobbies/interests, meals at work etc. Keep that IVA payment as low as possible. This way if you have unexpected 'essential' expenditure one month, you can cut back on a 'luxury' item, and hopefully the process won't be quite so painful.

It's review time, so now is the time to do it. Good luck.

[Pandy]

Hi Oscarsmum,
Have a look on freecycle or in the Trade it you will be able to pick up a scanner really cheap, and it will save you the postage so it will help pay for itself

[Bradders]

font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by UpToMyNeckInIt

Hi OscarsMum.

My advice is for you to download a copy of the 'stepchange budget guidelines 2012' (google it to get a link to the document), and use it as just that - a guide. But make sure you submit as much as you can (the guidelines even allow for luxuries such as hairdressing, sky TV, kids pocket money, hobbies/interests, meals at work etc. Keep that IVA payment as low as possible. This way if you have unexpected 'essential' expenditure one month, you can cut back on a 'luxury' item, and hopefully the process won't be quite so painful.

It's review time, so now is the time to do it. Good luck.

This is good advice. If you are regularly having the food you describe as a main meal then in all probability your IVA is not set up right. You need to go through this review with a fine tooth comb and fight for the allowances that you should have and back up the things you need to send on with receipts.

This is an IVA, not a prison sentence and you are allowed a standard of living.

[MerlinL14]

oscarsmum, If you want a scanner I have a Trust scanner that is sitting in the cupboard gathering dust. It works and I have the original driver disc as well. My Son bought me a 3 in 1 printer for my birthday this year when he found out my old printer had bit the dust.
I have no idea how to contact you off forum to get your address and send it you though! Can one of the Mods or Admin help here please?

[MelanieGiles]

You should be getting £213 for housekeeping for a single person, and £34 for the pets. It is not much more, but from what you say every little helps. Make sure your expenditure is correctly recorded, and ask for the payments to be reduced if you are struggling.

IPs don't pay the costs of postage personally, the IVA funds themselves cover this. So if you have incurred postage costs, because your IP is not providing you with an SAE as they say they have, then I would deduct the cost from your next monthly contribution and send them the balance.

Which firm are you with as a matter of interest?

[admin]

Hi folks.
Due to our concern for your safety we have added a safe way for members to get in contact with each other ...
At the bottom of your profile page there is a section for frugal friends.
If both of you add each others names you will have the facility to send emails to each other. [:)]

[grasshopper]

Call them and tell them you do not have the funds available to post them the information. Ask them to forward you a couple of pre-paid envelopes to enable you to get the information to them.

[lem]

I noticed this aswell as we are just going through our second review, when we were in the proposal stage our company provided us with sae's but not now, I don't know whether it was an oversight or whether that's just how it is will all companies now, I didn't send mine recorded though as it would have just cost me a fortune. I don't know if they have received it all either as I've had no acknowledgement, I am presuming they have otherwise surely they would have contacted me?