I still cant really believe it, but around 30 mins ago I made the final payment into my IVA after 5 long and very tough years. I promised that I would post as soon as I was done so here I am. I decided to call up and make the final payment by debit card to be certain that it was in and.. well... that's it, all over bar the shouting.
When I embarked on this journey I was over £100k in the hole and was holding what seemed to be an impossibly large shovel with which to dig myself even deeper. I was being chased day and night and was also struggling to prevent my business going under so stress levels were completely off the scale. One day I just said NO MORE! I listed all my debts faced up to the extent of the problem and tackled it head on. When I finally took the plunge and opted for an IVA it seemed that the end would never come, and there have been some incredibly hard times along the way. Some months unexpected expenses meant that the food budget or budget for kids clothes etc... was stretched to breaking point but somehow we got though it and today I feel as if I have emerged from the rainstorm and can once again start to feel the warm sun on my face.
For those of you who are starting out or are part way through, the only advice I can give is to stick with it even when the going gets tough, which it invariably will on occasion, the end does indeed come eventually and its a great feeling to know that you genuinely did the best that you could. I could just as easily opted for bankruptcy and wiped the slate clean, but I felt that I wanted to do the right thing and in my case, having thoroughly researched all the options that was an IVA.
I did my IVA through DFD and I can honestly say that throughout the entire process they have been absolutely fantastic, very supportive and all correspondence was received in good time, annual reviews were handled efficiently and all in all its run very smoothly. I can't thank the guys & girls at DFD enough for all their help and support, it really has been invaluable.
On a practical note They informed me today that all the claims are in from all the creditors and everything seems to be in order so I am assuming that this makes the closure process quicker or easier as they don't have to chase anyone. Is that correct , does anyone have any experience of this?
I will end this rambling post with two final thoughts.
Firstly, this forum is absolutely fantastic, I have read with interest various posts over the last few years but only registered recently, but I wanted to say well done to all it has been for me (and continues to be for others) a great source of advice and help, particularly when things have been tough, well done to all and I will stick around to help others as much as I can.
Secondly, I was expecting to feel elation and excitement when I finally made that last payment, however, I don't, Instead I feel very philosophical about the whole experience we have been through, and find that I am asking searching questions of myself and re-assessing my values. Loved ones and friends are what is important, not the latest games console or exotic holiday and it is these things that I treasure most, and its fair to say that my IVA journey has completely transformed my thinking and indeed my life. We will no doubt crack open a bottle of cheap fizz tonight to celebrate, and I will probably shed a tear or two out of sheer relief and emotion, but also (and more importantly) because I am thinking of all of you who are in the same place that I found myself in 5 years ago today. It seems terribly unfair but help is out there.
Good luck and my best wishes to you all
IVA finished June 2011
"If you listen to people who tell you what's impossible, they're usually the ones who failed" Paul Stanley
