Worried how much I'll be given to live on

[goulda]

melanie are there any up todate guidelines available as expenses have risen sharply in the last twelve months

[MelanieGiles]

I understand that they are currently being reviewed, but Andy and I are due to meet with CCCS hopefully at the end of the month so we may get some more information to report back at that stage.

[luluj]

My husband and I have about £150 a week to use for food, petrol and other ad hoc expenditure - we have two cars and both work a disance from town so petrol is always a need!
We always go out for a drink at the weekends - whether this be a quick pint and home, or like this weekend we treated ourselves to a carvery and two drinks - cahnge from £25 ! You have to still have a life whilst in an IVA you cannot close the door for five years!

How do we do it ? Well each week I withdraw our £150 in cash, go off to Tesco or Asdado the shopping, get the petrol in bothcars, and then what ever is left we use to socialise - some weeks this is nothing other weeks we get to go out twice!

This year we are having two long weekends camping totalling £80 for both, and a week in Padstow with friends - how can we afford it ? Well using the contignency fund that we have saved over the months we have managed the camping trips. The Padstow fund has been done by holding a car boot sale ! Think outside the box and you can still enjoy life!

[MelanieGiles]

What a sensible way to dealing with your debt Lulu - going to show that when you really do want to do something you can put your mind to almost anything. And I bet those holidays in Padstow are far more memorable than some others you have had in the past - and you managed to get rid of a lot of junk as well!

[Adam Davies]

Hi
Lulu's quote "We always go out for a drink at the weekends - whether this be a quick pint and home, or like this weekend we treated ourselves to a carvery and two drinks - cahnge from £25 ! You have to still have a life whilst in an IVA you cannot close the door for five years!" is so important.Youmust give yourself small treats every so often,weekly if you can.
The Toby Carvery at £5 each is a bargain,or a small chinese takeaway.
Yes it's hard to save but if you do scrimp and scrape then the treat is so much better
Regards

[Soulgrowth]

Hi

I completely agree with Andy ... even a Kebab from the local shop at £3.60 is a real once a week important treatfor me ... as is the rather nice gentlemen who serve them in the shop.[:)]

It's important to look after yourself [:)]

Debbie

[luluj]

Thanks all - life in an IVA is what you make of it! If you sit back and watch every penny for the five years you will never do anything - I am looking forward to our camping weekends and the week with friends in Padstow - I have great satisfaction knwoing that when we return it has all been paid for and nothing going to come through the door to haunt us!
Life before the IVA was always a credit holiday to Cypus and a big spend up on stuff really didn't need....this last yer has proved to me and my husband how silly we had been but also has shown that the future is looking brighter and brighter - remain positive and focused and you will get throug it

9 down 51 to go!