I started my IVA in April this year after getting into trouble with money and largely due to a spell of gambling, I was doing so so well and managed to have myself a nice contingency pot from my allowances and saving my first months wages without having to pay any creditors. However I have hit another all time low by gambling away most of my contingency fund and threatening my IVA, I have told the IVA firm as I didn't want to hide it but I am so scared of the breach of my IVA and it failing, I simply can't afford for it to fail or become bankrupt as I will lose my qualification and my job if I lose that. I have not once during the term of my IVA even wanted to gamble but hit an emotional wall following the break down of my relationship with my partner, it's no excuse but it is only since he left that I have gambled and potentially breached my IVA due to a complete emotional breakdown at losing him. I feel absolutely desperate and so angry at myself. I have taken the steps again to address the gambling but I simply do not know what to do if my IVA fails. I have hit rock bottom and feel worse than I did when I decided I needed the IVA. I just have to wait and see what my IP says now,.
I don't suppose anyone else has ever been as foolish to provide any experience of this situation so I guess it's just a case of me using the forum to talk rather than asking advice.
Hi, no I wouldn't dream of taking on extra debt it is only my contingency funds I have used, I am lucky that I stopped before I gambled everything away so have a small amount left. I knew by taking out extra debt I would fail my IVA and due to the reasons for my debt I should have realised that by gambling at all, even with my own money I would be putting the IVA at risk. I am so desperate for this not to fail. Feel like I've lost so much recently with break down of my relationship, losing my contingency funds and now potentially failing my IVA, I wish I had more control over my emotions and could get on with things instead of making them worse by my actions!! (my own fault so not looking for sympathy as I put myself here!)
Never expected to be in this situation, I had learnt from my mistakes and made all the right steps in putting them right to then lose my head!
Hi Lisa -- you have managed to put the brakes on the gambling before the situation has affected your IVA, so you should be OK.
I know how hard the breakdown of a relationship can hit you -- but you have survived thus far. By all means use the forum to have a vent, moan or moral support --- it's what we are here for.
I am sure it will be OK -- but try to look at the positives ... council tax will be lower, water bills will be lower, fuel bills will be lower ... and on and on. I am not being flippant (been there, still have the tee-shirt).
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
Problem is Foggy that it might still affect my IVA and my IP could fail it, that is my biggest fear and I am just waiting to hear back from them.
I'm lucky in that my household bills won't change very much as my partner had other commitments so wasn't here very much anyway.
I just hope beyond all hope that the IP is happy to accept that this is a one-off blip, the way I feel now (which is worse than when I even entered the IVA process) I never want to feel again so I would never be so stupid again I am positive! (Although I guess the IP could say she I said that in the beginning!)
Lisa, I am sorry to hear of this. It must have taken some amount of real courage to put your post on this forum. As Foggy alluded to, it seems you have nipped this episode in the bud before it impacted on your IVA. You must take strength from that. The fact that you created a contingency pot says that yes, you can do it again. As long as your IVA hasn't been damaged thus far is ok. Your IP doesn't need to know of your lapse. But be assured Lisa, if you ever need to talk,
please use this forum.
None of us are perfect, and if you like, we were all 'addicted to spending other peoples money'.
Just be strong, Mick.
Completed IVA - August 2012 pheeeeeeeeeew
Only my opinion - Nothing More Nothing Less
I have already informed my IP as I wanted to be up front about it, perhaps naively I thought I could just tell them what I had done without it affecting my IVA as it was my own money but although I always agree honesty is the best policy I do wonder if maybe I shouldn't have said anything and put my own mistakes right by myself and just saved harder to rebuild my contingency.
However I got into this mess with gambling and have done all I can to put it right and I don't want to hide anything from my IP as I believed hiding things from the IP was worse than what I had actually done. Although it is my own money I gambled I can appreciate they perhaps it's a lack of trust that could lead them to fail the IVA.
If you haven't taken on any more debt due to the gambling but just depleted your savings, then I can't see that you have breached your IVA. As you appear to be on top of your gambling habit now, you just need to get back into the IVA mentality, ensure your payments are made on time as they should be, and start building up your savings again. Good luck and stay strong.
I wish it were that straightforward esgt1967 but it appears I am in breach even using my own funds and so the IP could still fail my IVA. It all boils down to trust I guess and if the IP has concerns about me making my payments or doing this again in the future (I can honestly swear on my life I wouldn't!!) then I Guess they wouldnt want to run my IVA.
I have addressed my issues and have excluded myself from using or opening accounts with ALL gambling providers however that might be too little too late now (I had initially done this until I came across another site! What a fool!)
I really don't understand why you have been so honest with your IP in these circumstances, people may disagree with me but sometimes you just keep things to yourself - it's not like you've worked lots of overtime and earned lots of undeclared extra funds and not given 50% of that to your IP etc.
It worries me though when people address gambling issues by excluding themselves from all gambling providers. Gambling isn't just online, no-one can stop you actually walking into a bookmakers or an amusement arcade or such lie, and I always question whether an internet block is more a temporary hurdle than a way of permanently addressing the problem, and indeed precise what the problem is - 'gambling' as such isn't a problem, otherwise anyone who does the lottery has a problem.
Please don't think I'm judging because I'm not, part of the reason I entered my IVA was because of sports betting and I still bet sometimes. I wouldn't ever swear on my life that I wouldn't ever gamble again, and I have to admit that I struggle to genuinely believe anyone who makes such a declaration. Ultimately it isn't about whether you ever gamble again or not, it's about controlling your gambling and learning from your past mistakes, both in terms of the implications upon your financial situation and also in terms of how and when you gamble.
Gambling takes lots of different forms, I for example have zero interest in any card games, no interest in casino's, bingo, the lottery etc., but am very interested in sport and that's the only thing I've ever gambled on - but only online - I never go near a bookmakers or such like and don't understand why anyone would want to do so.
All I bet now though is using a statistical system that took me a considerable time to finalise based on historical results/trends, it completely takes away much of the 'fun' from betting but it also requires discipline to adhere to it, and through the application of that system I no longer chase nor gamble money I can't afford to lose etc. Essentially I now control (through a rigid application of my system) how and when I gamble, rather than my gambling controlling my actions.
Ultimately the main reason so few people are successful gamblers is that they don't follow any kind of long-term system and get sucked into chasing etc., and also because they perceive success as being winning mega bucks instead of making unspectacular but steady long-term returns.
So I do think you need to be realistic with yourself, don't make promises you might struggle to keep (e.g. never gambling again) as if you do break that promise you could spiral out of control, but think about how you can achieve that level of control to ensure that gambling doesn't ever control your life in the same way it has done for many of us before we entered an IVA.
Part of me does now wish I had said nothing but I've always been honest about things, whether it's too late or not I don't like secrets.
Regarding my gambling I appreciate what you are saying but the steps it have taken regarding excluding myself from gambling sites are those that I feel I need to take to address my gambling. I understand gambling takes many forms and I myself only appear to have had an issue with online slot machines, I don't go into bookies shops and would never use the slot machines in there (or to the amount I did before I entered the IVA) it was only ever online which is why I have taken steps to exclude myself from that side of gambling. I do still do the lottery and have a bet on the grand national, I do actually feel fully in control of all other gambling and know where my problem lied with slots and although it can't be used as an excuse, I hit a particularly low and lonely time recently.
However the fear and feeling I have now is worse that that feeling of lonliness and I can recognise that and associate it with not wanting to gamble again and get back on track as I was before! I was very happy and in control in my IVA until this recent "blip", now it looks like my IVA could fail as a result and that is more devastating to me!
PJG Recovery have a free online advice channel at www.debtadvicetv.com. If you are ready to ask us for specific advice or help, then get in touch at www.pjgrecovery.com/contact-us.asp . I look forward to speaking to you.
Thanks Kelly, it is your team I am with so just waiting to hear back regarding the consequences as I didn't speak with the IP directly.
I am so scared of worst case scenario. I also hate the fact that the firm will be so disappointed with me, I so wish I could go back and not have done it!
PJG Recovery have a free online advice channel at www.debtadvicetv.com. If you are ready to ask us for specific advice or help, then get in touch at www.pjgrecovery.com/contact-us.asp . I look forward to speaking to you.
Thank you Kelly, I have spoken with Tina who was going to speak with IP when she could so am waiting to hear back from her.
Hoping for the best, fearing the worst!
