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Bankrupt Bankrupt

'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Trying to copy the extravagant lifestyles of A-list celebrities left Aimi Robinson in so much debt, she was forced to declare herself bankrupt twice -- the first time when she was just 21.

But despite this, she still can’t stop spending beyond her means. And Aimi isn’t alone -- last week, shocking research revealed a surge in bankruptcies among young women.

In 2008, 55 per cent of bankrupts under 24 were female, as they succumbed to the temptation of spending sprees in a bid to imitate the lives of celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Paris Hilton.

“I know people think I’m crazy, but I can’t help myself. It’s an addiction,” claims Aimi, 34, who lives in Cooden, East Sussex, with her 35-year-old builder boyfriend Marc Veness.

“I can’t go without new clothes, Botox, or nail and hair extensions. I’ve got low self-esteem and shopping boosts my confidence. I love the glitz of the celeb lifestyle -- it gives me a buzz to feel like Posh. But my bankruptcies mean I can’t buy a house, which really upsets me.”

Aimi’s descent into debt started when she split with the father of her son, Harry, now 13, in June 1997. “I had a part-time job as a beauty therapist, but was on the minimum wage,” explains Aimi. “I didn’t want to move back home, so I used credit cards to pay the bills and rent on my two-bed flat. I was so depressed and lonely after the split, I’d go clothes shopping every day to cheer myself up.”

In just two years Aimi ran up £20k of debt. “I buried my head in the sand, which I realise was stupid,” she says. By June 1999, she could no longer afford the repayments on her cards.

She says: “I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau and they advised me to borrow £350 from my parents to pay to declare myself bankrupt. They hadn’t had a clue about my situation and were upset when they found out. But they agreed to pay it for me.

“I didn’t feel ashamed, just relieved. I couldn’t believe I didn’t have to pay back anything. But I didn’t realise it meant I wouldn’t be able to get credit cards, loans, a mortgage or even a contract mobile phone. My family thought I’d been silly, but felt sorry for me too.”

Then, in October 1999, Aimi started working as a lapdancer.

She says: “Some nights I’d earn £20k from rich men. I was socialising with celebs like Simon Cowell. It was the kind of lifestyle I’d dreamed about.”

Aimi could afford to be extravagant while she was earning thousands a night.
She says: “In my spare time I went to premieres with footballers and never wore the same dress twice. When I was 24, I bought a brand-new MX5 for £20,000 in cash.”

But in 2003, Aimi slid into debt again when her lapdancing bookings started drying up. “By 2004, I was earning a fraction of what I had been -- about £4,000 a month. It sounds like a lot, but it soon ran out when I kept buying expensive cars, exotic holidays, £800 Dior handbags and £500 Jimmy Choo shoes. I did worry, but convinced myself work would pick up again.”

Aimi also spent thousands on plastic surgery. “I spent £10k on breast implants, going from a 34A to a 34DD, £1,000 on hair extensions every month, and had my teeth whitened regularly. I also had £1,000 worth of Botox injections and £2,000 worth of lip injections every 12 weeks.

“I’d got totally caught up in that lifestyle,” she admits. “Like Paris Hilton, I once spent £1,000 on a whole Louis Vuitton wardrobe for my dog that included trainers, a baseball cap and a pink tutu. And I always made sure my son had the latest PlayStation or Nintendo game.”

By then, five years had passed since Aimi’s first bankruptcy, so she was offered credit again. Soon, she was juggling 30 credit cards and store cards.

Shockingly, she says: “I didn’t think twice about the fact I’d already been bankrupt. The banks constantly sent me new cards. I just thought I’d get lucky and make a load of money again.”

By June 2006, Aimi had run up £85k of debt and once again declared herself bankrupt. “It was so humiliating going through my finances with the bank, and my family told me I needed to get counselling,” she says.

Aimi is now blacklisted -- she can no longer have a credit card and won’t be able to get a mortgage or bank loan. But, unbelievably, she confesses she hasn’t tamed her desire to spend. “I can’t get credit, but I know if I was allowed credit cards again, the same thing would happen,” she admits.

Since going bankrupt, she’s not had a full-time job. She says: “I dance part-time, which earns me some money, but I’m still obsessed with looking good. I get my nails and hair done every month, and have Botox every six months at a cost of £600.

“My boyfriend pays for some things. I persuaded him to rent a penthouse, even though we can’t afford it. I couldn’t bear to live in a semi –- I’d feel so average.

“I do recognise that I was living in a fantasy world. Meeting Marc last October was a big reality check. He was horrified by my history and has helped me see sense. I now shop on the high street.

Marc says: “I find the amount Aimi spends ridiculous. I prefer it when she looks more natural. But I love her, so I want her to be happy and would never row with her about money.”

By Hannah Barr

Readers CommentsReaders Comments

Posted by L.J

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Ahhh my heart bleeds for Aimi, its ironic that after all that money spent she still looks like mutton dressed as lamb. LMAO
By the way surely saying shes 34 is a type error shouldn't it be 43 or does shopping really age you!

Posted 23/06/2009 12:19:58

Posted by TimidTulip

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

I'd love to see how she'd cope on MY wages. Silly woman, she's mucking up the rest of her life. Still, she can do what she wants I suppose, as long as she doesn't start taking state handouts of my tax money.

Posted 23/06/2009 13:46:05

Posted by onlinebabe

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

i can sympathise with aimi as we women love to shop till we drop its just that she lost her common sence with it and is now paying the price

shopping is addictive as its retail therapy and you feel good from it - she could hardly look like a tramp when she is mingling with the rich it was the lifestyle she accustomed herself to

but the fact is until your earning a decent wage that can fund your lifestyle then you are not fit to stand in the shoes your wearing

Posted 23/06/2009 15:41:22

Posted by traci

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

it's so easy to get into debt these day's with the price's of everything so high, but you have a addiction that you need help with to make you stop, most girls like nice car's, clothes, and everything else but you can't get yourself into debt over material thing's it's just not worth it, you have to give yourself a budget every month stick to it and enjoy it, i wish you well thou.

Posted 23/06/2009 18:29:14

Posted by Tax_Reducin_Crusader

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

"I cant live without Botox, hair and nail extensions"

Get a fucking life? if the only problems you got is how your hair and nails look then jesus christ get out a bit more!

I know people who can barely afford to eat let alone have bags of new clothes every week.

Stupid airhead woman, she gives women a bad name!

Posted 29/06/2009 11:00:49

Posted by EllieMayRay

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

This woman needs to stop spending money on her hair and nails etc and spend it on therapy instead,fast. Look in the mirror dear,for all your hair extensions and Botox you still look at least ten years older than you are!

Posted 29/06/2009 12:50:24

Posted by bobo99

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

"I couldn’t bear to live in a semi –- I’d feel so average"

YOU ARE BELOW AVERAGE. IN LOOKS AND INTELLIGENCE. I CAN'T BELIEVE MEN PAY TO SEE U IN YOUR KNICKERS. YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE JOKE.

The fact that we the taxpayers have paid to bale you out of £100,000 in debt is shocking. You should be sent to prison or given community service to repay your debt. Getting credit is not a human right, many people go through life without it so why is that your only punishment?!

Grrrr feeling sick at this story. What an absolute skank.

Posted 29/06/2009 15:14:12

Posted by Claire Warriner

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Pity all that money spent, two VERY large life lessons and still she looks atrocious!!! And her outlook is ridiculous too, poor boyfriend he must be a moron to put up with such a shallow skank!!

Posted 30/06/2009 19:02:46

Posted by jess-3x

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

OMG how pathetic!!! i like to splash out on clothes when i can afford it not just when i feel like i get some bleeding self control love!!!!!

and as for your comment about feeling so average about living in a semi do your family and friends all live in oooh penthouses i bet not you need to get a rreality check and i agree with the above you look 43 not 34. i would be ashamed if you was anything to do with me lap dancing for money you have a son have you no dignity.

get a life you stupid skank

Posted 01/07/2009 09:43:20

Posted by magazineaddict

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

if ur gonna go bankrupt for spending all ur money on clothes/shoes and hair extentions at least do it properly, them clothes r rank and so is ur hair!

Posted 01/07/2009 20:26:26

Posted by sarahdevorah

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Was she on Snog Marry Avoid??

Posted 02/07/2009 14:21:16

Posted by terrie

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

She was one snog marry avoid but she has a child and she spends her money on her and not him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DISGUSTING

Posted 03/07/2009 11:41:49

Posted by Greta

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

She looks cheap, even though she's spent a lot on this make-up and clothing. C'mon, poor woman, she needs to go to shopaholics rehab. Banks should learn from this poor thing - don't give out credit cards to ANYONE, give it to someone who knows how to spend money on proper things.

Posted 03/07/2009 17:54:18

Posted by x megan louise x

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

haha what a loser :p
go to primark (Y)
<3 x

Posted 06/07/2009 11:50:44

Posted by Sammie

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

money couldn't obviously buy her any class though!!

Posted 06/07/2009 13:40:36

Posted by sly

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

it makes my blood boil when i read about people like her and instead of being embarassed and try to change, she goes and does it again. The laws should change, if they have no assets they should not be allowed to declare themselves bankrupt and should be made to pay back every penny, that would teach them not to spend.Yes it may seem harsh but when i was 13 my father went bankrupt losing his business and family home leaving us two weeks to move out but thankfully it has made my brothers and sister to work even harder and make a success out of our lives

Posted 09/07/2009 11:47:00

Posted by sdfsdf

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

What shocks me most about this silly woman are her pathetic comments...
"I wasn't ashamed..."
“I didn’t think twice about the fact I’d already been bankrupt. The banks constantly sent me new cards. I just thought I’d get lucky and make a load of money again.”
“My boyfriend pays for some things. I persuaded him to rent a penthouse, even though we can’t afford it. I couldn’t bear to live in a semi –- I’d feel so average."
AVERAGE?!? - I'd say she's definately way below average in almost every sense of the word - she's certainly above average in terms of her crass stupidity...
Stupid, brainless bitch & equally gormless boyfriend - what a pair to bring up a poor child!!!
PS. WTF's going on with her hair? LMAO

Posted 15/07/2009 11:56:41

Posted by milkybuttons

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

I was close to going bankrupt but instead of taking the easy way out I decided to pay my way out of it. I'd spent the money, I should pay for it. You need to get a grip of yourself. I'm amazed your boyfriend hasn't kicked you out! I would've done it long ago!! Though he sounds like a total pushover! Sorry honey - Posh has millions, you don't! Get a real job!!x

Posted 01/08/2009 09:30:47

Posted by hanlou

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

She is a stupid bitch!!
I live in a semi and actually think she is more 'average' for having to rent at 34 years old, when she could have used her brain to get on the property ladder and provide a secure home for her son
What is the point of credit cards anyway? They only create more debt! Pay for things you can actually afford with a debit card. If you can't afford it, don't put it on a credit card, as it only adds interest! If you can't afford the original payment, how can you afford the additional interest?
My husband ran up 15,000 worth of debt on cards, personal loans and car finance before I met him and now he can barely afford to contribute to our food shopping. Debt is such a strain on our lives and we only got married this year! I work really hard - often 10 hour days, 7 days a week for months at a time and still can't afford a holiday because of husband's debt. It ruins peoples lives!!!
Aimi, what makes you think you're so special that you can work as a cheap and nasty lapdancer, run up loads of debt, get bailed out (TWICE) and still buy designer clothes and have your hair and nails done?!
Don't get me wrong, I love shopping, but there comes a point (maybe having gone bankrupt?!!!) when you have to take a step back and stop if you can no longer afford it.
Stupid bitch.

Posted 18/08/2009 13:36:06

Posted by Angela Norrie

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Just goes to show that no amount of money can buy taste!! Nice shoes!!! lol

Posted 04/09/2009 10:19:38

Posted by dan850

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

Aimi clearly has problems from her past that endless spending temporarily prevents her from thinking about (Denial). People might think it's a load of old mumbo jumbo but the bible does warn of folks being greedy and worshiping false gods eg( d&g,fcuk, posh spice, paris hilton and so on). I'm not telling everyone to get there prayer mats out but our lives don't have to be so materialistic.

Posted 13/01/2010 09:06:40

Posted by Scarlett Jennings

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

She was 'socialising with celebs like Simon Cowell'? If you asked them, I'm sure they wouldn't say they were 'socialising' with the lapdancer. I'd be embarrassed to even know a lapdancer.

This woman is depressing- she needs to start acting (and dressing) her age.

Posted 14/01/2010 20:48:00

Posted by kell*bell*

RE: 'I went bankrupt twice by 29'

And its thanks to women like this that we are in a recession! So she gets to live the amazing life style and the rest of us are paying for it!

Posted 01/02/2012 13:27:06



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