Hi if you are on an IVA, can you still live and enjoy yourself ?

[kallis3]

Devon or Cornwall would do it for me - have to say that I'm not a big fan of Wales.

I do my surveys and that really helps with presents. The kids know they're not getting as much as they did pre IVA and are happy with that.

[orange]

sun hoildays are brill and shop at tesco and get the points towards away days ,watch out for travel lodge offer too .it is tough in an iva but you can survive

[Hippo]

People cant seem to read these posts correctly I DID NOT ask the question go to the 1st page and re read the question ! only my feeling about being in an IVA So yes ok you can go for a walk on a beach go to the cinema and play monopoly you can do that with a million pounds in the bank The Question was asked can you have fun in an IVA and my asnwer was yes but not as you would want The question didnt say is it any different to being in debt Just can you have fun What your idea of fun is to somebody else is not the same as for me As you keep rambling on about pets and Kids how would you feel if you couldnt see them for 5 years because your IVA is stopping you from saving up to travel to go to see them Or your passion is Photography and you want a top camera thats £2000 etc etc If you think your IVA is all fun and lifes great because you are not paying interest then thats your opinion I have had nothing pretty much all my life I just pointed out that the IVA puts a hold on your life or people would not be so happy when they were free
Or as you seem to be having a great and happy time you can pay mine at the same time : ) Also putting a countdown clock is what people do in jail marking time out to freedom so As my post said Its like < being in Jail
The IVA is about paying money back that you borrowed and now you are doing the best way that you can thats all
In my case its taking me to the limit. I Was told to go Bankrupt and would have been free years ago But I wanted to do it this way
As far as I am concerned I am paying back what I would have done monthly less interest so its to my advantage I dont whinge about it I dont throw a wobbler and sulk I just got on with it If you think a walk in the autumn leaves will make all that a wonderful thing sorry it wont or a glass of wine no thank you I am going without money for 5 years so in my case I can not do what I want = Not Happy
I am just toughing it out to get back to where I want to be

[Skippy]

Hippo you sound very bitter. As far as I'm concerned good on the people who are happy with their IVAs. My IPA finished last year but I never felt that my life was on hold, just that my life was different.

And there's nothing wrong with people having a ticker, it's good watching the months count down!

[kallis3]

Sorry that you feel that way.

I am more than happy with things. I cannot see your see your point about kids and pets - that is never going to happen with anyone.

The vast majority of us are doing our best and do manage to have a life and enjoy it.

I like my countdown clock and I do not consider myself anywhere near being in jail - I have my freedom to walk about and live my life.

[Foggy]

Quote :"As far as I am concerned I am paying back what I would have done monthly less interest so its to my advantage I dont whinge about it I dont throw a wobbler and sulk I just got on with it If you think a walk in the autumn leaves will make all that a wonderful thing sorry it wont or a glass of wine no thank you I am going without money for 5 years so in my case I dont whinge about it I dont throw a wobbler and sulk I just got on with it If you think a walk in the autumn leaves will make all that a wonderful thing sorry it wont
I am just toughing it out to get back to where I want to be "

Repeat:"I dont whinge about it I dont throw a wobbler and sulk I just got on with it If you think a walk in the autumn leaves will make all that a wonderful thing sorry it wont "

Sounds like a whinge and a wobbler to me.

Hippo --- this is a forum where people chat -- chats are organic things, they go off on tangents, sometimes a bore, sometimes a laugh. We are supportimg each other, not bringing each other down. So, yes, we will talk about walks on beaches, kids and pets.

So ... you can't buy yout £2000 camera ! I can't buy my £7000 Grinall Scorpion either, but I just live with it.

What's the matter, Hippo, your posts are usually so upbeat and helpful. What has rocked your boat? Can we help ?

[Hippo]

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No the Hippo is pointing out that an IVA is not a barrel of laughs which is what the question person asked the Jail part how many prison films have you seen where they scratch the days on the wall thats my whatever

No you dont have freedom unless you have a lot of spare money You are tied down to your home

I cant get a car to get a better job because I dont have money to save or could get credit So the IVA has a control on me = lack of freedom Is that too much for you take on board What happened before the IVA is irrelevant the question is about being in the IVA

My life was not on hold just very different = ON HOLD !!!!!!!!

More than happy with things = You are over the moon to be in an IVA ? let me know your IP I will ask them to extend it for 10 years more so you will be even more happier : )

What you are saying and doing is Getting through !!!!!!! not having fun If being stuck at home all day stroking your dog is fun good luck if drinking a glass of wine is fun good luck to you

people were more happier in world war 2 in the blitz etc does that equate to fun

What the question pertained to was can you still have fun ie enjoy yourself in a party luxury holiday way not a walk on a freezing cold windy beach
quote The distinction between enjoyment and fun is difficult to articulate but real

Hippo is wasting his valuable apple munching time
Read the original question and answer that i Need a hippo picture for my avatar now and maybe some apples at the side that count down to me finishing the IVA now thats FUN !!!!

[Skippy]

As I said before I'm not in an IVA but money is still tight for me and I can't do what I want to do but I'm happy. I enjoy a walk by the river or on the beach or sitting at home stroking the cat. You may think that's sad but some of us are happy with our lot in life. I may not have the house I want, I may not be able to afford foreign holidays but I've got the most important things in life - my health and my family and friends.

[kallis3]

Well said Skippy and I totally agree.

[ginger3232]

Sorry to say Hippo - if you relate happiness in life to money - i am afraid it wont be to long after you IVA that you hit problems again.

Yes money can give to the material goods you want - BUT it wont buy you a lot of things in life.

Most of us on here during the IVA - realised that during the IVA our priorities in life change and simple things like partners/love/home /pets/health - that i am afraid it seems is something you have yet to experience. So unless you have tried it DONT KNOCK IT !!!

[lem]

well you know what? I didn't have any freedom before the IVA, I was maxxed out to the limit on all my cards and every other avenue of credit was drying up apart from payday loans which I would never be prepared to take out.

Now I'm in an IVA, today I went to town in my brand new Fiesta, a car I can afford as I am in an IVA, before my IVA I couldn't have afforded this car as every spare penny was going on debts, even pennies that weren't spare, but going for an IVA meant I had more money in my pocket (as my allowances are more generous than what we allowed ourselves before to meet our committments) and a new car was factored in.

So getting back to today, I met with a friend from work to do some xmas shopping, I could afford to shop anywhere I wanted as I was paying with cash I have managed to save from my allowances, she could only shop at debenhams with her store card as she is maxed out on everything else and is totally skint, overdrawn til payday, who has more freedom then?

Granted I would love to be able to take my kids back to florida next year but I can't afford it, however, I will be able to afford it in 5 years time, if I wasn't in my IVA now, I still wouldn't be able to afford to take my kids and there would be no chance in 5 yrs either as we would still be paying debts off!!! and probably getting nowhere.

Our IVA has definitely given us more freedom that what we had before without a shadow of a doubt, when I look at my friends who are heavily in debt as we were this time last year, they are so restricted in what they can do compared to us.

What you have to remember is that even if you weren't in an IVA would you really be able to just go out and spend £2k on a camera? there is no way I would, besides, if that's how you really feel Hippo then you have learned nothing about taking the IVA route and reining in your spending to learning to live within your means, the only way an IVA restricts you in my opinion is by removing your access to credit, I don't ever want credit again, I never want to feel the despair I felt this time last year, apart from my mortgage, I never want to give a penny of my hard earned cash to a creditor again and would much rather forego the flash camera, latest phone etc etc, material things mean nothing, they really do

[kallis3]

Nice to see some positive posts on this thread.

[kazzafunk]

Well all I can say is, if you let the IVA get to you then it will ruin your life. I was stressed this month as all bills were due, but step back and think - how overdrawn was I every month before (over £1000 each month), am I overdrawn now? - NO! Can I still have a laugh - Yes, do I still buy a book in Tescos when doing my shopping - Yes, have I had to stop doing things because of the IVA? - cut back on cigs, chocolate, ridiculous weekly magazines and cakes - so all in all I am in a much better place.

Yes I am not happy that if something goes wrong eith the hubbies van we have no card to use - I'll ask for a payment break, when someone is going abroad do I wish I was going - yes but my health stops me not the IVA. We have done more to the garden this summer than ever before (as I have stopped going out clothes shopping on a saturday to make me feel better - which they didn't!!), we go for walks through the farmers fields to pick blackberries and we have a laugh coz we are not so stressed.

I can go to the Post Box now and answer the phone without worrying - bliss!!!

Don't see this as a rant - it's all positive!![:D][:D]

[Skippy]

You're right lem, material things don't really mean anything. My aunt was very comfortably off and could buy anything she wanted except the most important thing - her health. She was diagnosed with cancer in May and died in July and all the money in the world couldn't help her. I've learned over the years to be thankful for what I have, not waste time worrying about what I don't have.

[kallis3]

I know how you suffered Skip with your aunt and her illness and you are right - health is the most important thing for us. My hubby has terrible health problems but we muddle through.