finally done it!

[stoney]

Hello everyone, I've finally plucked up courage and contacted Melanie via her website tonight to try and put and end to the debt misery. Worried sick about it but we have to do something about it all as really dont want another year in this situation. Really want to sort it out once and for all and to repay as much as we can to our creditors and put an end to the never ending plastic misery we have had for what seems like an eternity. Just hope it works out as it will be such a relief. Feel much better already just for filling in the boxes! Hope everyone is ok and thanks for reading. Just had to share this with someone. x

[mike.s]

Well done stoney!!!
You have taken a huge step and things will definately get better from now on. I really do know how hard it is to make that first step, speaking to someone absolutely terrified me, but I felt so much better when I did. You are in great hands with Melanie and her excellent team, and there will be a solutuion there for you. Let us know how you get on, this is an excellent forum and everyone here will be there for you whenever you need help and support.
Best wishes and good luck!
Mike

[MelanieGiles]

Hi Stoney

We will deal with your enquiry first thing on Monday morning, and outline all of the options available for you, once we know more about your current circumstances.

Mike is right in satuing the first step is usually the hardest, and once you share your problems with people experienced to help it can be like a burden removed.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

[stoney]

Thanks mike & melanie

I'm having a bit of a cry as I type but feel i've bottled this up for too long and am feeling a bit up and down at the moment. Hubbie is at work til 11pm,works as an RAC Patrol doing lots of 12hr shifts and making up for lost time in earnings. Just me and 12yr old son for company, daughter at her friends. Oh well, may open a bottle of wine, dont drink very often, and have a hot bath and watch celebrity jungle thingy programme. Hope i got all the sums right melanie, picture doesnt seem as horrendous as the figure i quoted at the beginning of the enquiry form. Just looking at the credit card statements is depressing, how could we have got in such a mess? Just hoped that things would get better as time went on but they didnt. The good news was that michael got his good job but was a bit too late, the damage was done. At least his job is the most secure thing he could have got, final salary pension and regular pay rises, so luck in that respect. Hope your day on the market was good mike? Read some of your most recent posts and you are right about memories & photos etc. They are so special and no-one can take that away from you. Have a lovely evening everyone. x

[MelanieGiles]

Stoney

Don't worry any more about this tonight. Instead look forward to watching Janice and Lynne slug it out in the bushtucker trial!

We will assess your situation early next week and see what options you both have.

Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.

To have me propose an IVA for you, please visit:
http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp

See customer feedback at:
http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp

[stoney]

Will do Melanie, they are so comical! At least I didnt run up the debt having plastic surgery like Janice! That would be so bad. Said I wasnt going to watch this series but somehow got hooked and reeled in. Thank you for your kind reply, esp on a saturday night!

[emma_t]

Hi stoney

Please don't beat yourself up too much, it takes a lot of courage to sit down, add everything up and confront the problem. Well done for doing that.
I had my iva approved a couple of weeks ago and just wanted to add to mikes post that you are in such safe hands will Melanie and her team, you will recieve honest and professional advice and solutions from all the team. I started out with another company but changed to Melanie after I became a bit worried about advice I was recieving and I have ended up with an iva and a company that I feel comfortable with for the next 5 years.
It is not an easy road but I wish you luck with everything.
Don't get to drunk tonight!!!!
and don't have the bath after the bottle of wine (could be a bit dangerous...LOL)
Emma [:)]

[stoney]

Thanks Emma,

So glad I found this forum and pleased for you and your success. I have every confidence in Melanie and her team after reading posts on here. We both know it wont be an easy road but then neither is living off credit and worrying about the bills every month! The bath is coming first b4 the wine, down want to drown my sorrows literally!!! Better get a move on or will still be sat here and jungle thingy will have started. Have a lovely evening x

[Mrs Plec]

Congratulatins on taking your first step. Me & my partner have also taken this step & are also with Melanie after talking to another company. You are not the only one who has been crying and stressing out over this as we has on a few occasions cried about how much debt we are in. but he has had a few more sessions than me. He keeps saying i am not stressed coz i don't show it as much as he does but i am stressing about it just as much as he is. We have just recently cancelled all DD's & he has just this wk been hasseled by one of our creditors which hasn't helpped much on the stress levels.

I keep telling him it will get sorted its just a matter of time now that Mel has our case, so a big thank-you to Mel & team!!

Sam

Look to the future not in the past!!

[stoney]

Thanks Mrs Plec, nice to know we are not on our own. Not lookin forward to the phone calls etc but we'll just have to deal with it. Doesnt help when you read how often these companies ring people and the stress it must cause. Just have to remember they are only doing their job and not to rise to the temptation of being sarcastic etc back. Feeling down today and a lot of a failure in the financial side of things. Never mind, none of us are perfect! Good luck with your iva and keep in touch.

[chris.g]

Hiya Stoney, well done! Like you, we tried to plod on with the problems we were having paying all the creditors, robbing Peter to pay Paul until we could do it no longer. It was a huge shock to realise our only option was bankruptcy but also a relief. An end to the struggle we have had for the last few years and a new start. I'm sure Melanie will advise you of all the options you have and guide you in the right direction. Again, well done, you've took the first step and that's always the hardest

Learning as I go along and getting wiser all the time!!!

[aguise]

The main thing is that you are doing something about it, dont feel a failure be proud that you are facing the problem and I am sure you will sort it out and feel so much better. It is such a hard time when setting up an iva, with the creditor calls and the waiting, but you will get there, just accept that the calls will happen and as you say they are just doing a job,
All the best to both of you, if you feel down you will always get support from the forum.

Ang

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

[lily]

Hi Stoney

Just wanted to say, youre not a failure, credit is such a slippery slope, its so easy to feel that things will get better and keep plodding on but not as easy to face it and do something about it like you have/are. Just remember that it takes a lot of guts to do and youre already on the road to getting free. I cant say its an easy road or a stress free journey, you will have bad days. Its normal to cry when youre so stressed out and worried, you smile when youre happy dont you?? Every tear will release some stress hormones and they are better out than in. You will get plenty of virtual hugs on here. Just remember youre not alone, you need to be kind to yourself right now, whats done is done. There is an answer to every problem, hang in there for now.

Love and hugs

lily

[Ally]

well done stoney for taking the first step
my husband and i are a few months into our iva and i remember well the tears and worry [:)] Just keep your head up and thinks will work out for you
wel done for making the hardest move [:)]

a jenkins

[stoney]

Thanks everyone for your support. I feel like part of a family! Just been to Asda and the christmas buzz is well alive. We got a few chocolate goodies but felt a bit mean when son asks at the electrical kiosk all by himself how much a PS3 is. Already has a PS2 and I told him that all the games he has wont necessarily play on PS3 unless you have the expensive one with lots of memory. Anyway, he was told by the assistant that the price was £340. At one time would have thought to myself he doesnt have much else all year, stick on the card and pay later. Felt good and bad to say that we cant afford it. He settled for a bar of asda's own chocolate at 52p instead. Said "it doesnt matter mum, i'll play on my friends when I go to his house". Not a bad thing to say no once in a while. Meanwhile, saw the wine at 3 for £10 and bought some. Got home and daughter opened the boot of the car, parked on a slope and out rolls a bottle and smashes, Wine on tarmac smells very strange! Not such a bargain after all. Never mind, could have cost a lot more. Thanks everyone, on with tea now. x