www.iva.co.uk

I don't think so, I seem to have an 'emergency' every month. My brakes are grinding, I was advised they needed doing earlier in the year, not something I should have really put off but when you're on such a tight budget, finding a spare £250 isn't easy is it? Fortunately Bank of Mum is going to help out, can't risk an accident, scary noises happening.

Me and my OH have just started an IVA and we too have found it difficult to build up a contingency fund. There always seems to be something - even if it isn't an emergency, kids shoes dropping to bits or their coat doesn't fit any more etc. These costs all included in our I&E but where does the money go? Any tips would also be gratefully accepted!

Since being in an IVA we seem to have had many things to call on the emergency fund. New washing machine, then the dishwasher gave up, then we had all of the vets bills for Smeg. Still next year is a new year and hopefully we will be able to start an emergency fund.(14 days and we are half way through our IVA)

We tried over the whole 5 years but always needed to spend what we had on something or other usually car repairs or dog wormers etc. also! hang in there. Hugs
Oscar
x

Our "savings" as at now are £19.18! My car broke down on Monday and we've had to reduce our monthly payment this month to cover it. Fortunately we're with cleardebt who have been amazingly supportive over the last two and a bit years. My tips would be

Join valued opinions if you have a spare half hour and a PC. I am off Christmas shopping tonight at our local boots who have an advantage card evening. It's 3 for 2 and spend £50 and get £12 in points to spend too. I'm buying neices and nephews and friends children (7) £15 gifts. I have £60 in vouchers from valued opinions that will cover all these gifts as I have £4 on my advantage card now.

Prioritise saving for food. I have a couple of emergency Tesco giftcards that I had from valued opinions too just in case we ever get to the end of the month with no money for bread and milk etc and one that we purchased one month when we'd saved hard during the month.

Walk and save. I have £25 in morrisons stamps as I park on there and walk into town and as the parking is free, I call in at the end and get a couple of stamps which would be the same price as parking in town - exercise and saving!

Keep a spreadsheet for a couple of months to see where the money goes.

Hope all goes well!

good tips! I'm pretty good with budgeting, keep my spreadsheet updates all the time and have clawed money back a lot, it's just the 'emergencies' that aren't helping right now. There has just been something every month!

My valued Lou.ions vouchers are saved for Christmas food shopping. My other surveys fund my Christmas present shopping usually by giving the vouchers out so it costs me virtually nothing.

Thankfully don't have to worry about parking as hubby has a blue badge so we park for free.

Littlefi - started at about the same time as you, we have little contingency left now. BUT, I think the thing to remember is these things would have gone wrong if we were not in an IVA and we would have used the overdraft or cards wouldn't we? Then getting into worse debt.
I too have spent a lot of time doing surveys - since May I have earned £120 from various sites. I have put one £20 voucher in the cupboard for emergencies.
November is a good month as hubby gets a bit of a bonus that will be less than 10% of his earnings so it comes to us. We have planned a list of cupboard food that we are going to stock up on so if we have a tight month we can use this and food in the freezer so that would help a little.
Still selling on ebay! That has helped me to buy some clothes for winter!
The hardest part for me is when my chromic pains become acute I used to buy things to cheer myself up (books, jigsaws etc). I am in acute stage most of the time now and I am struggling with how to deal with that. So far I have managed by going to charity shops to buy books and jigsaws but it's a real struggle not to get onto the internet and buy!
I would like to thank you as when you had the awful experience of having no fuel to go and see your mum I discussed this with my parents. They have now given me their account details to keep in our safe in case I need to get up there urgently and have no fuel in the car. When I go up in Dec they have said they would like to fill the car right up for me and then I keep it filled with the normal amount I put in each month just to keep their minds at rest. Sad at my age but it solves the problem if it arises. So thank you - it bothered me so much when I read your post as at that time I had 1/4 tank which would have been enough for the rest of the month unless needed.

So sorry to hear you're struggling with the pain, it's hard isn't it when you can't 'cheer yourself up' with something. I guess in an IVA what you have to learn is alternatives, like Charity shopping and let's face it, it's not the end of the world is it? That part I actually enjoy!

no worries on the fuel experience front, it was very scary I have to say, and now I'm named on Mum's card and have that at all times if needed for an emergency only. Thankfully we have good friends when she went into hospital, but if we hadn't - I didn't have the card at the time - I don't know what we would have done, there would have been no way to get there. It's nice to have an emergency fall back, but only emergencies!

How is your mum now Fiona?

[:X] i know you feel my car just failed its mot £350-00 to put it right, just when i manage to build some money up i end up back at square one.

We are nearly one year in and had to have two payment brakes.

One for the car (two new tie rods) and one just this month for the tumble dryer which stopped heating up (either new dryer unit or new dryer).

We always use our contingency fund for unforeseen stuff (like school shoes which no longer fit or new coats).

Review forms just arrived!

Footiemad, well she's on the mend in some ways but may need another op on the hip that was replaced so that's a bit of a setback, but considering they didn't even think she would make it, another op is a small thing. Fingers crossed they get it sorted soon and she can get on with her life!

Glad your mum is doing ok fi. Hopefully she won't need this other op.

Thats good Fiona - lets hope that she makes a speedy recovery now. Must have been a really stressful time for you x