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

[kazzafunk]

Thanx for that Jan - will look that up tomorrow. Makes it much easier to budget then. Did you say you do your pre payment thing monthly too? I always used to pay annually.

[kallis3]

You mean the prescriptions? Yes, it's interest free and much easier to budget. That's over ten months as well.

[plasticdaft]

Move to scotland,free prescriptions for all. Rubbish weather mind!!

[kazzafunk]

Nah - I like Cornwall too much - it feels free with a pre payment cert for me anyway - 7 items a month, so it only takes 2 months and I'm into freebies!! I think I may turn most things into monthly from now on. Got electric and oil on monthly - no nasty months then! Jan - thanks for introducing me to surveys, doing well on them and I love it when they send you things to try!!!

[kallis3]

I love the surveys and I do enjoy trying stuff out - it's brilliant when it's free!!

[Jo.58]

Hi Jan
Would you send me the link for the surveys pls x x

[Hippo]

Uhmm life is what you make of it Money buys material things or travelling to places If you had a million pounds right now will it make you happier ? if you dont have a million pounds right now will it make you sadder
I am out my Iva soon has it been fun ? not at all The Iva stops me from doing what I want and is controlling my life just the same as if I was saving up for something its the same difference.
As long as you pay each month what you are sposed to do thats it whats left can do a lot for some and not much for others.

I really dont care as I have been doing this for over 4 years so Its like being in jail everything is on hold I am at the far end of living with it and had enough Even in this last stage I have the feelings of checking my mobile do my Iva company need some information Have I done something wrong Checking for the post not as bad as at the start but those feelings are there in the back of my mind Maybe its because it will all end next year I have the excitement and planning what I will do but I still am under the same cloud. In some ways its wrecked my life the last few years I have lost out on so many things or opportunities. Its not going to change my life when I finish it just make me more careful of what I do with money. I was just relieved to be able to resolve things no matter what I had to do. I just set my mind to shut out everything for the 5 year road ahead. For me it was easy to be able to do that for others it can be a whole lot tougher. Horses for courses or its not about the journey ( sounds like the X factor ) its about the destination.

[Shining]

I'm not sure a million pound right now would make me happier as I'm in an ok place now but it would make things easier. If I didn't have a million pound right now?? would never make me sadder as I've never had it in the first place!

I'm sorry your IVA hasn't been fun, we obviously look on the IVA very differently as I see it as a 60 month repayment and at the end I'm debt free, I would have been paying my debts with accrued interest for a lot longer than 60 months that is a fact. My IP has been more than fair to me with allowances and when I've had my troubles (which I've had a few) she has helped in the best way she can, we've worked together to find a solution. She doesn't dictate to me, we have a good professional working relationship. I don't consider at all it's like jail. I see it as a lifeline. I forget about the IVA company unless it's review time I must admit. The one thing I can 100% say is it's not wrecked my life, I did that myself when I kept spending despite having a reduced income after hubby got made redundant (initial start of our problems).

Lost out on anything? I don't think I have, I've had to change how I view a few invites out but don't feel I've lost out as such luckily. I've changed how I see birthdays and Christmas too.

It will have certainly changed my life when I finish as instead of 50,000 debt I will have no debt and a revised way of looking at money and debt.

We're all different and think different as I say but if I was so unahppy with my IVA I would seriously consider another option, 5 years of wasted life to me at my age is not an option x

[kallis3]

A million pounds would make me very happy - I could pay off all of my debts, fund my daughters wedding, help the stepkids out and basically do as I wanted.

I'm not sadder because I don't have it though.

Whilst I would rather not have it, I don't find it a bind at all and my life has been much better for it. My IP company have been fine so far, no issues at all with them.

I've not lost out on anything, I still have quality family life, I can do things although not on such a grand scale as before.

I agree with your last paragraph totally Lesley - at my time of life there is no way I would spend five miserable years.

[plasticdaft]

Five years is a long time to put life on hold so dont use the iva as an excuse!!!

As for the million pounds well as much as I'd love it, it would change who I am and I wouldnt want that!!

Paul

[SilverLinings]

This is an interesting read... if I won the lottery... yes I could pay all my debts off but where would it leave me... Im not sure - my fear is that it would ruin my life and more importantly my boys. What would I strive to attain...? that is my questions. We live on a budget month to month myboys have learned to plan, ask in advance for things they need and offer me the last 20p out of their wallet to help with funds. What a fantastic quality that is. Will it help them when they go out into the world... I hope so. Other kids I see have no idea about money, and have everything they want without question. The most common question I get from my boys is... can we have a nice cosy evening... that is just beautiful. Would they ask that if I had a million... I doubt it.

My boss said to me the other day... you have taught your boys one of the most valuable lessons in life... about money.

If my IVA is accepted it will give me a gateway to see the future... I know it won't always be easy... but it will stop me buying the unnecessary and instead focus on the importance... like playing monopoly with the boys, or walking the dogs or just talking. By the time my IVA is finished if it gets accepted the boys will be ready for flying the nest... and the cosy nights all gone... so im going to embrace this challenge and make the most of it.

A million... sure it would be great... but what about tomorrow?

[kallis3]

It would change my life, but not who I am.

My daughter knows of our problems and she has no idea about money at all. She wasn't spoiled that much when she was younger and she doesn't mind not having much now but when she gets any money it burns a hole in her pocket and it has to be spent - usually on rubbish.

Her fiance is currently helping trying to sort her finances out for her - I doubt she will learn though.

Never going to win it though - can't remember the last time we won a tenner!!!

[Hippo]

The question was about can you have fun in your IVA

That depends on what you want to do with your life and where you want to go My IVA was a massive relief and I am thankful I went ahead and I knew what I was letting myself in for
If I had been able to pay my debts it would have been the same as the IVA for 5 years plus interest and still living my life in the same way as I have now

I was not able to pay them back so my life then and since has not changed in any way For myself yes I have coped as my life before IVA was pretty similar to as it is now

The only difference is I am not able to save money and be free of a monthly payment All that ends next year so in my case its ground my life to a halt However such is the economy I would have most likely ended up in the same situation as I am now
I can cope and deal with it because I am mentally strong and determined and nothing will stop me completing my IVA no matter what I have to do or go without so be it I made the ptoblem I will sort it.
Everybody is different and age does come in that If you are in your early twenties and single you can adjust If you are married and have kids thats going to hit home more If you are an older person nearing retirement then you are under a different pressure of you cant save for your retirement or you have a nice pension to fall back on

So yes DAFF up there My life is on hold as I need a small chunk of cash to do what I want to do as I am in the IVA I cant save that no matter how hard I try

As an Example if you wanted to visit your family in lets say the USA and the flights and everything you need to so is £3000 then you can not do so Hence your life is on hold thats my point

Or if you wanted to start up a pop group you need £3000 to do so As you see the IVA does stop you as you cant raise the money or save as you are paying your disposable income
If you werent in the IVA then you would save or get a bank loan so as I say it does control you and stop you doing as you want!!!

[kallis3]

My life isn't on hold and thankfully I will be able to retire in a couple of years or so on a very good pension.

I've never been a saver but since I had a terramundi jar bought for me as a Christmas present last year I have put in any spare cash at the end of the week and hopefully there will be at least a couple of hundred pounds in there when I smash it open. Quite looking forward to that.

Thankfully, due to family, we have managed to go to Egypt two years ago and are off on holiday again next week.

I don't mind it stopping me from spending - I just realise that the trip to visit my friends in New York will have to wait until I have the cash. My life isn't on hold, I get on with it and am quite happy!

[Foggy]

To an extent that's true Hippo. However, pre - iva and already in debt there is no way I could have raised 3 grand to get a kidney transplant, let alone go to the States!

Once you are actually insolvent you have far less freedom than you do when entering an IVA ( that's my experience anyway). OK I have to save up for treats, but I have the freedom to actually enjoy an afternoon at the cinema or a two for a tenner meal.