anxieties

[marie_68]

thanks for the inspiring post Tina, I am really grateful that IVA sorted my messy financial situation and I am thankful to Melanie Gilles being my IP who is very considerate enough to gave a solutions in every ups and downs during the period of IVA...I could hug and kiss her and say a big thank you...she really a million help tp me..I always recommend to my friends who are also in a messy financial situation...it wont be long now..I WILL BE COMPLETING MY IVA....

[Jeano99]

I'm so excited for our meal out on Friday. But what's even better is that we've not had any credit for almost a year.
It feels great. Almost feel in control. ALMOST


How was your Spanish style chicken bake debt tired.??
I've discovered a quick & cheap way of making pizzas. Had them 2 nights running.

[MelanieGiles]

I did not realise that you are a client of mine marie - and now you have me guessing to see if I can identify you! Please do drop me a line, as you must be close to completing now and it is always nice to know who is who. I am personally glad that we have made this journey together, and that you are a pip away from the finishing post now - what a great achievement!

[Pennyless]

I must admit that at the outset of my IVA and for at least my first couple of years I did feel ashamed of my financial status and subsequently, not only because I couldn't afford it, I started to shy away from events...even family gatherings, however, as time has passed I no longer feel ashamed and would echo Tina's post........stand amongst your friends sometime, admire there new cars, furniture and possessions then think about how they can afford it......I know some of my friends are paying for new cars etc and are on just as bad a budget as I am in an IVA......yes they have a new car to show for their debt and credit cards to fall back on but the big differance is I have learned the hard lesson of how to live within my means....I dont doubt that at sometime some of my friends may have to learn the same lesson.......especially as they hit the max mark on their credit cards/loans.

Only a few months ago my Company actually went into a CVA and I admitted to my boss that I was also in an IVA.

Since I have started opening up about my IVA status to friends and family I have never came across anyone (except my Wifes parents who incidently thought it warranted my Wife to divorce me.....luckily she hasnt), who has looked down on me, infact quite the opposite, after all I know (fingers crossed) that at least I can look forward to a day in the future when I will finally be debt free.....they on the other hand will still be looking to find their next credit card/loan repayment and no doubt in many cases continuing to rob Peter to pay Paul.

As Melanie says we should all be proud that we have realised are financial mistakes and have taken steps to put things right.....I dont doubt that as the Govts austerity measures bite ever deeper there will be more and more following in our footsteps, so be proud that your trying to do the right thing and not ashamed of yourself.

I must admit that I am now contented that I still have a roof over my families head, have no debt companies chasing me, have food on the table, can still walk my dogs and only spend what I can afford.....I just wish I'd been this contented many years ago instead of chasing the trappings of modern life, some of which clearly I couldn't actually afford without debt.

Good luck everyone.

[kittyface]

I've got a couple of friends who always seemed to be doing well after getting themselves out of debt, both well paid jobs, nice house, new cars etc. They knew about the IVA and while they never said anything bad, I always got the feeling that my female friend felt a bit superior about the whole thing. Now I've finished my IVA, and recently discovered that they're very badly in debt still, missing car and house payments here and there, and this has been going on for the entire time I was paying back what I'd borrowed. They've had thousands (and I mean, thousands - at last count, around £35k) in repaid bank charges and PPI, they've sold a house at more then 60% more than they paid for it and they're still on a 100% mortgage which they've remortgaged this year to free up yet more equity to pay off some of the debts that they've run up since. My habits have completely changed due to the IVA, and I'm responsible with money now and I don't want a lot of the things I used to want. I prefer the simple things in life and a good night's sleep. I used to be so jealous of my friends, having what they had, and wishing I could have a windfall like that because I KNEW it would change things so much for me, but I never really knew what was going on, and to be honest, they've never admitted that they have a problem so 7 years later, nothing has changed for them. Christmas, I got a phone call from her begging me to go for a drink where she told me how she couldn't afford the kid's Christmas pressies (they earn way over £60k a year between them) without borrowing money from her parents. I know who's better off now, and I think it's because of the discipline I've had to go through.

Just goes to show, you never know what's going on on the other side of the fence.

[Foggy]

Yes .. this is one of the upsides of an IVA --- intense behavioural therapy ! We come out the other end far more budget savvy that those who have had a quick fix of a remortage etc ---THEY just sail back into the same sticky stuff, whereas we watch where we are going and appreciate what we have in the end.

And, without all the juggling and stress, life is FAR simpler too !

[Loads a Debt]

Today see's my 12 payment into my IVA and I've managed to pay a little extra above what was asked due to some overtime and a christmas bonus.

I have not smoked in over 2 months. I came to the realisation that I either stopped smoking or went bancrupt in the next 5 years, as I had sold almost everything of value i had to pay for the £200 per month habit.

I do feel I have achieved a great deal from the hell that was 12 months ago and if it wasn't for an IVA i dread to think where I would be.

So although being in an IVA does have it's own anxiety, it's a valuable anxiety that keeps my bamk balance positive month by month and I'll take that over the anxiety of drawing cash on a credit card only to go straight into the bank and deposit into my current account to pay the that same credit card bill on time!

By the way, the Spanish Style Chicken Bake was delicious.