www.iva.co.uk

I have to say this time last year, we were falling on our knees financially, my business was struggling and then the snow crippled my usual best month of the year, each month the bills were due I couldn't sleep because I couldn't work out how to pay them. Yes I still spent money I didn't need to, I didn't budget, to be honest I didn't know how to, how shameful huh?

I remember my main present from my mum not arriving for me for Christmas day and I was so sad as I didn't have a present to open on Christmas day! I look back on that and don't even recognise myself now ha ha

This Christmas I will sleep fine cos I can pay my bills. I still won't have a present to open Christmas day as mum has bought me some shoes I wanted so I have them already and me and OH don't buy presents, we don't 'need' anything and why waste the money. Instead we will wake up Christmas day and just enjoy me, OH and mum being together after her health scare this year.

I suppose what I'm saying is that finally at the age of 45 I've realised what is important in life and it's not stuff you can buy, yes sadly it's taken me that long, but hey I got there!

I'm not a saint, I still want stuff, I just realise I don't need stuff! It's a good situation to be in, it's not easy but it's good

Much better place to be Fiona.

Paul

Agree. I shall be glad when the first quarter of next year has gone, so many stressful things going on at the moment.

I know what you mean Fi, Im skint but this will be the best xmas we will have had for years, i actually had £3 in my pocket for a month and did not spend any of it, Not like me.

What a nice post.
I keep telling all my family not to buy us Christmas presents or only something simple and inexpensive. A bottle of wine would be geat! I know they cannot affort it and it frightens me that they are using credit cards to buy presents.I don't have to worry about my finances now but I do worry my about my family's spending.

I seem to buy more at Christmas than I ever did pre IVA. Can't wait for my first Christmas after it is completed if I was to save my monthly payments from the date of my last payment to Christmas, i would have a whopping £3500 to spend.

So true Ivaniva, I just said to OH people are getting into debt to buy presents that aren't wanted a lot of the time. We used to do that for years. Now we buy for my mum, OH's mum is no longer with us. We have a couple of close relatives we buy a token gift for. We also have an agreement between all our friends, no presents, we've all been skint on different years, so we just said no we'll spend the money on a drink together!!

Wow Dan that would be a heck of a Christmas, mind you I'd rather go on holiday [:D]

I aggree littlefi. I'm looking forward to a good holiday.

Great post Fiona and so true. Glad your mum is spending christmas with you afterall that IS your best pressie after that scare you had a couple of months ago x

What a great thread - its good to take stock of where you are now compared to how things were. So pleased Fiona that you will have your loved ones around you - what better Christmas pressie than that. I remember one Christmas thinking it might be my last with Mum and it was heartbreaking but thankfully everything came back clear and she is still winning her fight. I think we can all learn to value life and people more, and money and things less. Its hard for those still spending more than they need though to break the habit. There would have been a time when you all would never have thought you could have such a good Christmas costing so much less!

Very true Tina and so glad your mum is ok.

I agree valuing people more and money less is a great lesson to learn and I now wish I could explain it to all those caught in the trap the sad case is everyone has to learn it themselves in their own time

Fantastic post Littlefi, and I shall be glad to get started and count done the months as we go!

I agree that christmas has got very expensive as it is, and I come from a large family, but explaining to them to not buy a lot seems to get ignored, and knowing how much these things cost makes it worse !!!! i kind of want to shout - 'Don't use credit', but they'd ignore me anyway !

Its funny isn’t how many people who post realised into their IVA period how naff they were at budgeting etc

I look back now, with 5 months to go of my IVA, just tipping over the ripe age of 30, wondering why i never learnt those skills of how to budget, why i found it ok to get the things i wanted without thinking their would be some financial consequences at the end?

I can say right now, with hand on heart, i will never allow myself to be in the position i was in 5 years ago, i will never have the belief that you can 'buy your way out of debt' and i will never ever say "its only this once!" when i see something i cant afford!

And i suppose that’s what most people get out of the IVA, apart from sorting out their financial situation is a big fat lesson on money, its management and how not to spend it!

Arty Farty
)O(

font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>Originally posted by artemischild

Its funny isn’t how many people who post realised into their IVA period how naff they were at budgeting etc

I look back now, with 5 months to go of my IVA, just tipping over the ripe age of 30, wondering why i never learnt those skills of how to budget, why i found it ok to get the things i wanted without thinking their would be some financial consequences at the end?

I can say right now, with hand on heart, i will never allow myself to be in the position i was in 5 years ago, i will never have the belief that you can 'buy your way out of debt' and i will never ever say "its only this once!" when i see something i cant afford!

And i suppose that’s what most people get out of the IVA, apart from sorting out their financial situation is a big fat lesson on money, its management and how not to spend it!

Arty Farty
)O(

These days, Arty, you get presented with a credit card at 18 (or a debit card at 16) and never get the "feel" for real money or value. [:(]