Hi new to this forum. Looking at posts about allowed expenses, find responses seem woolly.

[ben10]

Sorry, I respect all.

I above most respect my beliefs and opinions.

If I disagree with something I will say so. A 14 year old needs more than £6 per month for school trips and activities........

I want to look at the guidelines to increase other areas of my current spending budget, if possible, so that my son (and other kids) can continue there activities.

[dunkynuts]

I'll second that Slekclarke. The advice on this forum is invaluable and given by people who have been there and done that on every Debt scenario

[kazzafunk]

Ben - I think the tag 'advisor may be misleading. It's a term acredited once you have answered so many posts. We don't have to answer anything - just give our opinions on things and try to help where we can. We are a forum with both professional insolvency people and people like me who have been there and got the t-shirt.

I am actually surfing the net trying to locate the latest figures - they are not widely available for a reason though Ben - everyone would put down the exact amount for each element. It's always recommended that 'you' put down what you spend each month and then discuss anything over the limits with your insolvency practitioner.

And they do listen - our fuel cost was high as we live in a remote area with no public transport, our oil cost was high because of my ill health. Creditors accepted both these figures.

[Foggy]

Hi Ben.

If you go onto the beatmydebt website there are links to a very good living expenses guide, which coincidentally mirror the CCCS (StepChange) guidelines.

These are guidelines only, some expenses you will not claim or will under claim, according to your own circumstances. Others you will claim more than the guideline, but WILL have to justify the expense, initially to the IP, as he is the one who will then have to convince the creditors, who have the final say.

What Kazza was trying to say, I think, is that, in her experience (and we all have THAT experience!) the allowances were / are quite generous compared to what we had to live on whilst up to our eyeballs in debt. I must say, I agree! I have more cash than ever. Never any left over, but everything IS budgeted for.

If you wish to maintain your current lifestyle, the only way to do it is to keep on as you are, for as long as it lasts. To sort out a debt problem WILL require some sacrifice. However, the choice boils down to 5 years of austerity and come out debt free, or go bust! Sorry to sound like Cameron, but there it is!

If the IP you are speaking to at the moment isn't helpful --- and, yes, some are more helpful than others, whilst staying within the framework they have to work to ---- pop over to www.iva.com and have a word with a couple more to see how the land lies and who you feel happy working with.

In the meantime feel free to ask any questions and we will do our best to help -- but please remember, we are giving our time freely and trying to support you and others in the same boat --- please do not snap at helping hands. None of us got you were you are, we are only trying to help you out.

[dunkynuts]

Well said Foggy!

[UpToMyNeckInIt]

Frustrating.

Looks like the powers that be have taken the 2012 and 2011 guides off the net.

[ben10]

As my first post explained.....

I want to see what is the current acceptable spending for a family in all areas, as I believe my current allowance has been reduced to unmanageable levels.

I explained that all previous posts quickly dissolved into chit chat, about everything but the question being asked..

Please don't bother responding if you think KAZZA is right or not in £6 per month being generous or not for a teenagers school and activities..

Simply help me with what I want or get lost..

I haven't get long to sort this out, and the chit chat will come after, I just want HELP in what I ask for.........

[Adam Davies]

Hi

Ben10, there is no problem with disagreeing over points made but you must put your point of view over in a non confrontational way to remain welcome on this forum.

We are all here to help and advise

Regards

[Foggy]

OK Ben --- you have had an answer as best as we can provide it ---- try beatmydebt.

End of.

[admin]

We will not tolerate any disrespect.

That someone who gives so generously a vast amount of time and empathy is subject to such disrespect is simply inexcusable.

Unless a full and sincere apology is posted, this thread will be deleted and the offending poster locked out.

[ben10]

ok Thanks I was hoping for the actual real I am. Might just see if a genuine real person pops up on here, not just someone wanting to plug a firm........

Glad we are all united £6 is far to much per month...lol

[kazzafunk]

Who is plugging a firm Ben? You need to realise that the figures are not published for a reason (that I stated earlier), if you are not happy with the person you have been working with to write an IVA proposal you can speak to others.

As Foggy says some IP's are more sympathetic. The website Foggy referred you to is a list of companies and feedback by their clients so it is easy to find companies that you feel may help you.

[Slekclarke]

How rude we are all genuine real people trying to sort our lives out. I gave no firm to plug. You are a very rude person....

[abbiesmum2003]

Hi Ben...which firm are you in discussion with? I first spoke with paypal who didnt even mention these allowances so i didnt quote for school trips, pocket money, hairdressers, clothes because we didnt have that expenditure. The IP we have gone with has informed us those allowances are there and has budgetted for them.
I too was a bit shocked that just a few pounds is available for school trips when every letter that comes home is a pound here a poubd there...it mounts up. However given that we are asking for a large proportion of debt to be written off I felt the sllowances are reasonable and like foggy we now have more money than we have ever had. Yes we have to budget. we have to say no to the children (we have 3) and yes christmas/birthdays will not be as generous but thats what has got us into trouble.
If you are going to do a successful iva you are going to have to alter your way of living im afraid its a culture shock to know there isnt the overdraft/credit card safety net but its a huge weight of the shoulders too.
I think your tone on your posts in completely unnecessary. I understand you might be feeling frustrated but the people on here are fantastic and very supportive snd do not deserve to be spoken too like you have been.
This forum is a marvellous source of knowledge support and advice. Please do not abuse it or the people trying to help. I will try snd find the guidelines as im sure i saved them somewhere. I will try and post a link if i can fathom out how.

[Foggy]

Another way to fathom out the guidelines is to visit the authors website, www.stepchange.org and run through their expenses calculator. It doesn't offer the figure, but will give useful prompts when you exceed them, from which you will get useful clues.