Divorce Supermarket

Phew - shall stop panicking now .

I haven't got through the last few years to leave the door open for him to cause problems down the line

Good for you ina - hope all goes well

I fully understand that the concept of "discounted divorces" is not to everyone's taste and is definitely somewhat unromantic.

However from a pragmatic point of view it makes sense for a good many reasons:

1) In a recession many people simply cannot afford the £800 to £1500 that it costs for a straightforward divorce by a traditional lawyer.

2) The government has been clamping down dramatically on the legal aid budget which has meant that many law firms have stopped doing legal aid work. That has left a vacuum with a huge number of people cut off from legal aid but still needing affordable legal services.

3) Rather than funding a lawyer's second home in Hawaii, the modest income from divorce services advertised on Wikivorce goes towards the development of a raft of free support and information.

Ever since we started in 2007 Wikivorce has spent more on providing services than we have received in income.

Without the income from these services we would not have been able to:
- run the main Wikivorce website
- host the chatrooms
- subsidise meet-ups and events
- facilitate the UK's largest free divorce forum allowing members to ask 15,594 questions during the year and receive 80,263 answers

In 2009 we worked hard to add lots more free support and info such:
- Wikizine: added Aug 2009
- mediation section: added Dec 2009
- child maintenance section: added Jan 2010

New developments in the pipeline for first half of 2010 include:
- Mckenzie friends info
- Relationship support
- Local divorce support groups
- Better Domestic violence/abuse support

Last but not least the modest income from divorce services, advertising and the legal helpline ensures that we can keep Wikivorce free to all members.

I never had a problem with the Divorce Supermarket idea, if I had known I could do it myself back when my divorce started, I would have done so.

My problem was with the big 'Sale' tag at the top of the list and the very commercial list of things to purchase.

I know it is not very romantic, I know it is useful, I just figure some part of me feels that it makes divorce look simple and fun!! It does not really convey the seriousness of divorce.

Sorry I'm babbling....

Kimmi,

I do understand your point and in fact not only did we listen to your view - we made some changes based on it - namely we dropped the big SALE tag.

As to whether it leads people to think that divorce is too "simple and easy" - I think that anyone who spends an hour or two in the Wikivorce forum will see that it isn't.

Divorce is definitely not an easy option - but we would like it help to make it less traumatic and less expensive.

Ian

I think it is a cracking service i just wish it was around when i needed it as i might be a bit richer now if it had.
On a lighter note...Just noticed the Relationship Audit, down from £7.97 to £7.17 ...bargain.... Meet me down the pub, buy me a pint and i will do it for free...well a pint anyway;)