it's nearly Christmas

[johnt]

[:0] so how's everone getting on with Christmas comming up.

My wife and I had £70,000 in debt , and now have an IVA accepted in August this year.

It's not been easy especialy with a six year old and very high hopes that santa will be happy he's been a good boy.

Since the IVA, this is the first year we actually have some money to spend on the little lad, that hasn't come from a credit card.

Hope your all hanging in there... Merry Christmas and good luck for the New Year [8D]

[CoverItAll]

Well done johnt

I hope you and your family have a very Happy Christmas

John Tegg
www.protectiva.co.uk
0800 180 0099

We will make all your IVA payments for you if Accident or Sickness stops you paying them yourself.

[tinytori]

hi joint ur story and feelings the same as mine. my iva started july this yr and i have 2 kids so excited about xmas but we are getting there.

enjoy hun xx

[cat 1]

Hello Joint. Same here. My first IVA payment has only just gone through so wehaven't really been able to 'save' for xmas. But, despite this I'm doing fine for the kids.It's a lovely feeling BUYINGthe gift for real and making a minus from my account when I get home. I used not to have to bother because I should never have got it in the first place and as long as I had the credit well ?
Hope you have a happy christmas.I'm looking forward to ours. Possibly even more to January when it's a long salary month anyway and then all the bills start to arrive [:D]

[emma_t]

cat1 you are so right it feels so good to be spending your own money and I have found as I am on a budget I am putting so much more thought and effort into getting people nice gifts they will appreciate rather than rushing through shops like a bul in a china shop grabbing anything that I thought they may like.....and no worry of the long long neverending credit card statements in January.
Glad your iva is going well johnt is is encouraging for us newbies to hear
Emma x

[marsha1]

Hi, I went to Au Naturelle 2day,I think this store is in most towns now, they have some fab bargains for xmas pressies. This will be my first credit free xmas in years, its so much more real.

[aguise]

Its lovely isn't it. We spent most of yesterday wrapping presents, that we have bought. How wonderful to feel there will be no bills for them after xmas.
Well done johnt I hope all continues well for you. I am just through the first year and ok as well.

Ang

Please visit my blog at http://aguise.blogs.iva.co.uk/

[Lula]

I agree with all the posts - i started my shopping in Oct...to spread the cost and i feel so much happier knowing its real money thats bought them not credit!

lulablog.blogs.iva.co.uk

[ray_a]

Hopefully next Christmas will be a little easier with the new savings schemes starting in January so this could be the last tough Christmas!

[johnt]

all your posts are very encouraging... and I think there's a lesson here for us all.

Knowing the gifts you've got for others are bought and payed for is fantastic. In our failing economy, getting credit is just old fashioned dept. I'm trying to encourage my friends at work not to use credit cards.

I just wish I'd understood this as well as I do now five years ago.

Great to here that some of us at least can have a guilt free and verry merry 'stress' free Christmas!

[Martin2011]

Hi Johnt,

Heading into our 3rd Christmas since setting out on this journey, and it does get easier. Haven't tried the post office saving scheme yet, but plan to next year, along with buying 1 or two pressies every month which has worked well this year.... our two kids won't be disapointed for sure. For family, I managed to acquire a few decent baskets at the end of the summer and we've had great fun making up hampers for brothers & sisters etc..... You'd be amazed at how much stuff you can get to make up a hamper without it costing too much and you're able to get items you know people like...

Have a great one and enjoy that feeling of knowing it's all paid for....no big bills in January, now that's what I call a Christmas present!!

Martin

[johnt]

sounds like a good idea. Saving the year round is a good approach.

I'm almost onto month five, four strokes and a strike through[8D]

[johnz]

Hi all [:D]

The basket hamper idea can apply to everything. When my sister had her baby, I collected bits and bobs for the entire 9 months beforehand. Basically whenever I went shopping a little bit extra went into the trolley. Baby wipes here, nappys there, bibs, growbags (sorry babygrows[:D]), things like that. Then when the sales where on, and I knew she was having a girl I bought little clothes (got a gorgeous dress from Debenhams reduced to £5 from £45!!) And if you're clothes shopping for little people, BHS has the best range of clothes that are really, really cheap!! Don't see the point of spending a fortune on clothes they're going to grow out of in 10 minutes[:D][:D]

I'm guessing for adult hampers, you can guy an extra bottle of wine, some moisturiser, chocolates, things like that.

So it is a really good way of spreading the cost and ending up with a fantastic present.[:D]

Johnz

[aguise]

I do a hamper for my older boys so I know they have all the goodies for christmas. I just buy a lot of the basics and you would be amazed how big a box of food you can get for not that much. I sometimes do fruit hampers as thank you to friends for helping me out, lifts to work and things like that.

Ang

Please visit my blog at http://aguise.blogs.iva.co.uk/

[Shining]

What a great idea, I'm going to start as in the New year to buy some bits for a baby hamper as my daughter is having her 2nd baby in February and I won't have much money to buy anything for her but can get some wipes, talc etc, and I have a lovely basket going spare from something I received last year. Thanks for this idea!