Hi Julie,
I can still remember how I felt then – absolutely helpless. I had started a business with a partner and jointly we borrowed £38,000. Four months in, he and his wife bought a pub and I was on my own. Unfortunately the business required his skills as well as mine. The insurance company commenced bankruptcy proceedings – he was quite willing to go bankrupt – I offered to repay the whole loan (including his half) over 5 years – they refused to discuss it. Representing myself, I could not afford a lawyer, I stood up against their Silk through seven hearings, consoling myself that they were spending more than the debt on the legal proceedings.
Finally, October 22nd 1995 it happened – BANKRUPT – and for three years then. Oh the shame, announced in the Gloucester Citizen, but guess what – no-one important to me read it, except me! However, it cost me a business, a marriage, contact with my Son, and a home.
Whilst I paid a heavy price for it, and it laid me low for a time, it NEVER cost me my self respect. Soon I started to think. I had not cheated, lied or stolen, all I had done was make a bad business decision. From that day on I started to rebuild my life. I met a lady, we married, suddenly I had three step children and seven grandchildren. From her I heard a new message “yes you can, let’s work at this together”.
Discharged from bankruptcy in October 1998 after paying not a penny to my creditor – a promise I made to my business partner who was then dying of cancer, we started to rebuild. We started a business and built it up together. It now funds the sort of lifestyle I never dreamed I would ever have. By 2003 we were able to by a house for £195k with no mortgage. Today we have five buy-to-let properties and are buying a sixth together with a lock of nine flats.
….. and guess what, as you see I am not ashamed to talk about when it all went wrong.
Believe in your self j d, talk to others on here, gain strength from them, do what you have to do and FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF, you’ve done nothing wrong, you’re not seeking to avoid your responsibilities, you are just asking for some help. All you have to do is just to hold your head up and keep placing one foot in front of the other – that way you can’t help but move forward.
– and through it all remember, after all it’s only money!”
I won’t wish you luck, you don’t need it, you will make your own luck, remember that in life, as in aeronautics
ATTITUDE, NOT APTITUDE, DETERMINES ALTITUDE
John Tegg
Accident and Sickness cover that pays for up to 60 months for Clients within IVA's.
Tel: 0845 673 9999
e-mail:
quotemeplease@asu4iva.co.uk
www.asu4iva.co.uk