My options are one of two i think ?

I need to give you some background information first, and then I’ll tell you about the letter!

I’ve done well since February I’ve gone from a road bike to a fully prepped overlander in the form of a Yamaha TT600RE, also I’ve just about got all the stuff I need to hit the road. I’m wasn’t planning on leaving on my BIG adventure until 2011, enough time for clearing debts and saving the funds for six months on the road.

I’m in regular work at the moment and I’m crashing back at home with the parents because I had a move went wrong and I needed a bed. Living back at home is cool because I can pay big lumps of the credit cards that I used when prepping the bike.

Looking back now I wouldn’t spend half the cash I did, I put a lot of mods on that bike and if you ask me now how I’d do it next time, this would be my ideal setup:

By the lowest mile Yamaha TT600RE you can find.
Big Tank
Hand Guards
Bash Plate
Use throw over soft bags and spend the money on the trip.

The Letter

It’s from the CSA (child support agency) and it says…

Amount to be paid
Your employer should take amounts as follows.
£212.22 payable WEEKLY from 16/09/08

Now, I only get £205 in my wages each week so it’s deemed only fair that I can keep £90.50 - all amounts after this are taken and the 90.50 unpaid is rolled over, which keeps getting bigger and bigger…

I quit my job today, if they think I’m working for £18 a day, they can FK off that’s £18 per day less some bills leaving 0.05 pence. I’d be working 8/10 days for a chocolate bar!!

My options are?

Sign my bike over to a life long friend, who would also stash all my quality bike items which is just about all I have. Then, bankrupt myself and they’ll probably still want the cash. No access to cash or cards after this option is taken, no trip.

Or

Draw money from the cards needed to fund a six month trip, buy greenbacks and euros and hit the road. Having said that if I could come up with 2k and turn that into dollars I’d have about $4K (almost) add that to the $2K I already have that’s about $6K without touching the cards. While I’m on the road use internet banking to shove money around, cards to pay cards, and with nothing going in, at some point, all the cards will be stopped and, upon return, I’ll have a big mess and a bankruptcy to deal with, BUT I’ve had my trip.


If I stay I’ll probably still bankrupt myself, still have to pay and never get a chance for years to go on a trip, 90.50 a week doesn’t do much. So, that’s just about it until my child is 16, and then they’ll probably still want the cash.

If I do disappear for 6 months, question is, which way? East is getting cold this time of year. Trans Africa maybe? Down and Back! I’d like to ride the bike home in a defiant gesture!

A lot does happen in 7 days and in the next se7en, I need a plan.

Shaun

PS ::: Before anybody starts on the subject, I love my girl very much, I see her one week a year and try to help anyway I can. her mother left me after sleeping with the chap next door.. thanks, got a bike soon after

Hi mate,
Feel for you cause i got screwed over by a bird who had my kid, used the girl as a weapon against me. I was paying her in cash but she still got the csa involved.
However, they are a useless bunch of w£$kers, and i basically made myself untracable.. ie. not on electoral role, and heard no more about it. Shame because i had a work permit for Oz and stayed here to do the right thing by my new born daughter, but hey ho.
Anyway, I dont know what you do for a living, but if you can go self employed, they cant take the money straight out of your wages. Because by the sounds of it you are paye, they got you over the preverbial barrel.
Just a thought anyhow, good luck!!

Hi Guys.

Thanks for the input, I quit my job and I’m off. I’ve put a lump on a credit card and I’m going to morocco for 3 months, leave on November 5th till February 7th, or until the money runs out! I’ve got a couple weeks work in Portugal on the way down on some eco-farm, in return, free bed and 3 meals a day. Will press on down to morocco from Portugal on November 24th

Shaun

If you only see your Kid once a Year MOVE TO SPAIN......... its cheaper, the CSA cant touch you, and you can work cash in hand on the costas for 50-70 euros a day.....
food n booze n fags cheap
gas is 1.09 euros a litre

Hi, I am on your side on this but-----Be very careful to cover your tracks: Your ex knows you like bikes. CSA interview her to find you. They scour bike interest areas and Hey Presto-HUBB. OK so your ID is enigmatic but I'd be careful to not give out any idea of what you're likely to do and where to go! I know it is quite legal in UK to take any name one wishes as long as it's not to avoid the law. I don't know if that includes the DVLA. A few years ago a friend of mine changed his name to his mother's maden name and changed ALL his documents: Passport, NI records, driver's licence etc.
Another thought is it would be good to leave a false trail. He sold the bike, turned to drink, took up with an Icelandic chick, left the country. They now have a direction of enquiry to follow. Keeps them happy.
I'll put my thinking cap on for you, Linzi.

Hi, one further thought. Make a MONSTER effort to avoid being stressed. I know that's a lot to ask but stress kills. Get a book on the symptoms, work out some de stress tactics ( not a pint of !), make a plan and do not think hate thoughts about your ex. Apparently it's best to think red roses thoughts about someone you really want to stick pins into. TRY and make the process for you the best. I can only illustrate it so. Two people break a leg each. Six months later one has recovered and forgotten about the little problem. The other has sat around tearing himself up, hating the health system and the things he can't do. He's now an unpleasant person to know and suffers headaches, ground down teeth and a stiff neck. Try and make the best of it. Lastly, sit down and ask yourself, ( Is this situation life threatening? If the answer is No, then it's not too bad. )
First thing is CCC, be cool, calm and collected as you think it all through.
Many of us are with you, Linzi.

LOL, you're giving the CSA far too much credit for basic intelligence.

I know a lass whose 18yo son lives with his dad (it's complicated). Her 16yo lives with her yet she can't get any money out of her ex as he's been (slightly) clever about it. Why they do this, so money is paid backwards and forwards is beyond me, hence my comment of keeping these useless w***ers in a job.

Anyway, the CSA were stinging her for maintenance as the 18yo was supposed to be in full time education. WRONG! He was in Africa (Zimbabwe was mentioned) with the TA on training exercises and hadn't attended college for a year. They got it wrong, big time yet still told her she had to pay up even when told where he was. They clearly don't have access to information held by HMRC, NI, etc, etc. She had to go a do all the "dectective work" for the CSA and it's only recently that it's been brought to court, basically 'cos they couldn't be arsed to do anything more than send letters out to him. She gets no extra benefits to make up the deficit, so the comment made about the tax payer (and I am one btw) picking up the tab is inaccurate, not to mention intentionally offensive.

Don't tell your ex what you're doing just disappear. For 12 weeks, the CSA won't even realise you've been gone. Don't tell them or your ex and you can get on with planning the next trip when you get back.

Happy Days!

.....I did have a thought of going to Morroco for Xmas, get away from the shite weather and bullshite that goes with Xmas. ( I hate Xmas )
Good luck with it, be careful if you're going alone.
And dont let people here wind you up... they have no clue of your situation so they shouldn't judge!!

Dear Craig76, maybe you're right. I am lucky not to have any need to deal with them but I sometimes wish I could live with an untraceable address. I am paying road tax for a car which the DVLA say, "..is on our files as registered in your name." Well they could amend their incorrect file, but no. I don't know what to say about it. I was stressed and didn't notice that I recieved no letter from the DVLA agreeing the car as broken and scrapped.
Of course I need to realize I am a bit of scum as the magistrates obviously believe as they said prison if I don't pay! What would you do? Prison on principle or pay or.....eh hm. Linzi.

Thats a right pisser! I'm about to sell some Mini parts on eBay, including a bodyshell and I won't be including the V5 or chassis tags for this very reason. You need to reapply for a V5. If they say you still have it, they can't really refuse to issue a duplicate V5 if you tell them you've lost it. Then notify them again (recorded delivery) that it's been scrapped.

I'm also lucky that I've only had dealings with the CSA as part of a job and my opinion of them then wasn't good. I've been out of that for a couple of years now but obviously, I get to hear tales from friends about their situations. All they seem to do is cause disruption between people who were originally on speaking terms and at the end of the day, there's a kid in the middle of it all.

When I was working with the CPU, if you gave me, maybe an afternoon, if there was shit to find on someone, I'd find it. We had access to Police records, housing, NSPCC, GP and hospital records, schools, HMRC with a little persuasion, etc, etc. Anything we couldn't get, the Police could so believe me, there is no such thing as an untraceable person or address in the UK.

I'm 99% sure the CSA can't legally access other statutory records without a court order. If anyone can come up with a reason why a young adult is on the payroll with the TA and therefore paying NI contributions, yet the CSA seem to think they're unemployed and in full time education, I'd be glad to hear it.

Yep, you get off on your jollies and escape your responsibility. Don't you worry. the rest of us mugs will pick up the tab.

Sure there are loads of people ripping off the state and others avoiding their responsibilities but: Isn't there some responsibility for a female partner to remain loyal? Linzi.

Poor bloke sees his kid once a year. Nothing 'jolly' about that.

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

My now X had a kid [which I helped finance for 7 years] the father paid nothing even when he was working, a similiar situation with 2 of my friends developed and Im sure in both cases filing for bankruptcy was what stopped the problems with the CSA.

I would also like to point out that in both cases the woman did not want the money as they had moved on in their lives and us mugs[well apart from me, can u refinance a kid?] didnt pay anything more than they would have got in benefits anyway.

The CSA have their head well up their bums relationships do break down and not every guys some lunatic running around spreading his seed, IF the mother doesnt need the money or want the money they should at least respect those wishes.

I can really sympathise with you as I have been in a similar situation. Being screwed over by a girl and being stuck in a world of debt with only more debt being the way out..

Well, every situation is different and I have only one piece of advice..

DONT GET YOURSELF INTO MORE SHIT AND DEBT FOR THE SAKE OF A TRIP.

Sadly for most of us, we all have to come home and being in a worse financial situation afterwards than before you go is a major depressing situation to sit in..

Find a way to save the cash up before you go. Even if they are pound notes in a shoebox !!

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.