I&E

[Jamie247]

Hi people

Wondering if anyone can help. I've had to move back in with my parents, due to house costing to much and my ex wanting 400 for the two children which I've agreed on

But before I speak to Iva company wondering if this sounds ok

Board -include gas water and Eletric 400
Child mateince 400
Car insurance and petrol 170
Gym 9.99
Smoking 60
Food-ie lunches 150-200 I have a gluten intolerance so easier to buy own food
Clothes 30
Haircut 11
Mobile 49

Comes to 1349 my monthly wage is 1550

I currently pay 224 a month obviously I can't afford that?

[luluj]

I'm not an expert of this but it seems reasonable. My only niggling doubt would be the rent to your parents at £400 per month - they may question that. Let us know how you get on

[relieved33]

I don't think we had £30 a month for three of us for clothes! Don't think we had £49 for mobiles for two of us and I am always amazed creditors allow for smoking! Obviously they do so not your fault but I struggled to get birthday presents and Christmas presents and school trips which I believe are much more necessary than cigarettes! I chose to have children, yes but smoking is a choice too. No right answer and I have no intention in getting involved in a debate, just expressing my opinion on the allowances, not those that claim them!

[Jamie247]

Well if you check the guideline one single
Person can have up to 57 on phones

[lifenoteasy]

You will need to get any board agreed in writing with your parents.

[relieved33]

Jamie247, as stated, I am not disputing what the guidelines say, I am expressing our expenditure and my opinion.

[watzki]

Me and the wife have £25 for both of us so thats £300 a year to cloth two people but if we smoked we could have about £5000 a year for cigs.maybe I should have lied at the beginning and said we both smoked.

[kallis3]

Some people in the past were encouraged to lie and say they smoked!!

[relieved33]

I was never encouraged to lie and certainly wouldn't have. I believe in karma. We had allowances for our child above the guidelines as we needed it, extra petrol due to work relocation as we needed it. We were allowed to take payment breaks, make reduced payments and had our payment reduced by 15% to cover car lease when our car died. I have always believed that honesty is the best policy and feel proud that we are completed and paid back what we could.

[kallis3]

I wasn't, but I know it happened from past posts on here.

We were always honest about our expenditure and I was proud to have paid back what I could.

[Jamie247]

Don't see the point in lieing I started a few years ago when money matters hurt, and was drinking loads to forget about it I only have 2 years left then I can be debt free and start saving

[Foggy]

On those figures your D.I. is £201, so not a million miles away from your payment.

Guideline figures are merely that -- a guideline, not an absolute right. If the creditors feel an amount is unreasonable, whether within the guidelines or not, they will simply not agree to it.

All you can do is put forward what you actually spend, or anticipate to spend and be prepared to back it up.

Can't see them agreeing to pay for gym membership -- but you haven't got anything for prescriptions (worth about the same). Haircuts --- it has been a long time since I had one ( shave my dome) but £11 a month seems high -- do you get it cut every 4 weeks ?

The comments in the above posts might seem harsh at times -- but when an opinion is asked for we often have to look at things in the same way as a creditor would think.

[Lisa Thomas]

At the end of the day you might have to trim down your expenses by £24 to avoid breaching/failing your IVA. There seems to be room for movement so personally I would be prepared to keep up with your payments.