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Just thought I would check in and see how everyone is doing and give a little up date.
So I have just passed 50 day’s being gamble free, absolutely incredible considering I was someone that would gamble pretty much every day.
Sadly the debts are still taking its toll on me.
Me and the girlfriend have decided to move in together so that means selling my property. The problem here is that my parents believe I’ll make ￡1000’s when I sell up and I’ll be in good position to buy a house.
My credit rating is absolutely terrible and almost all money I make selling up will have to go on debt (still won’t be enough to clear it all)
So I’m pretty much going to be in a situation where my parents will believe I have quite a bit of cash but the reality is extremely different. Not sure what to say to them, if they were to findout the debt I’m in due to gambling it would absolutely destroy them.
I feel I do have a chance to start again but it’s going to be tough. I will have to be determined to clear the rest of my debts after selling up and get money in the bank. It will feel so deceitful if I do this without my parents having any knowledge of the financial mess that I’m in or the reasons behind it.Hey Geordie, I’m all good thanks? How’s life treating you?
I haven’t had any urges to gamble at all recently and I have made it from one wage to the next without wasting one penny which is something I haven’t done since I started gambling. It feels as though I’m leaving it further and further behind as each day passes.
Still a long way to go before I’m completely sorted out but I think I’m finally on the right track.Good Afternoon everyone,
I had my last gamble exactly 4 week’s ago today.
Right now I’m thinking back to exactly what happened that day, it’s something I always want to remember as I believe it will play a vital part in me hopefully never returning to this horrible addiction.
I was in a local independent bookmakers playing the fobt’s and I remember instantly regretting my decision to play as I knew that I wasn’t leaving until I either had a win or all the money back that I had wasted that day.
As usual I was losing money then getting a small win which would take me just under the amount that I wanted. Overall that day I believe I lost ￡400. At one point I could have walked away with ￡380 but as most of you know this wasn’t enough, i needed the full ￡400 back. So for the sake of ￡20 I carried on and preceded to lose all my money in no time at all.
The realisation of what I had done hit me the second the balance hit zero.
Leaving the bookmakers I remember feeling completely numb,I knew that the money wasted was actually money that I needed for a trip coming up next month to head to Ireland and see Aerosmith, my friend had already booked it,I just needed to give him the money.
That day just like many other day’s after gambling I vowed never to go back.
That one moment of madness set me back roughly 3 month’s.
I was introduced to gambling roughly 10 year’s ago, it has ruined my life.
Since I started gambling I have always had time’s where I have said “never again” only to return to it a few day’s later. I have never went a full 4 week’s without before and I have to tell you all that it feels pretty damn good to be away from it.
In the last 4 week’s I have made a point of finding solutions to deal with my debts.I know that although time’s might be tough right now this is something I’m going to get through.
I have made a point of spending more time with family and friends. My parents have even commented on me appearing more upbeat and happy in life and that to me is what it’s all about. I feel I might have neglected important people in my life because of the way gambling has made me feel and most of the time I just wanted to isolate myself away from everyone. Now I genuinely can’t wait to see everyone and absolutely love to see my nephews whenever I can.That, my friends, is what is important here. Take a look at how you feel when gambling, how do you react around your loved ones after you have lost?
I’m thankful that I have finally taken a step back and that I finally know what is important in life.
I remember wanting to take my own life because of gambling, I remember having conversations with my friend after losing money about how if we walked infront of a train all our problems would be over in a second. I thank God that neither of us never took that step. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
To anybody struggling right now please believe me when I say that things do get better when you stop and take a step back.
So to all who have commented or read this journal so far,I would like to say thank you. Im hoping that my story can maybe give other’s motivation to stop.
One day at a time is all I can do so just for today my friends, I will not gamble.
Take careCraig
Hi there, she doesn’t know about the gambling at all.Not sure how she would react knowing the real reason I struggle.
Anytime that we have been out together I haven’t gambled, for some reason I’ve never wanted to gamble when I’m with her, it’s something I couldn’t do.I’ve just read through your thread and I’ve got to say that what you are doing is an inspiration. I had my last gamble 3 weeks ago now and I’ve found this site to be such a great source of information. Hearing from people who are dealing with the same demons that I am has been very helpful.
Like yourself it’s going to take me year’s to get out of the mess that I created while gambling but I’ll deal with it.
Anyways just thought I would post a message to say congrats on going 22 week’s without gambling. Keep it going my friend.
All the bestThanks for the advice Vera and Geordie, I definitely have alot to think about. I really don’t want to be making any mistakes.
It’s good to get someone else’s perspective on thing’s.
I’ve stayed in my property for over 10 year’s now, it’s in a town centre. Back then I was going out all the time and didn’t mind how noisy it was outside but now I can’t stand it ( I must be getting old) I would love to be somewhere a little quieter.
I was just reading on one of the forum’s about a guy who managed to stop gambling for over 10 year’s only to go back to it one night and lose a fortune. I couldn’t imagine how he must have felt.
It goes to show that this is something we’re most likely going to be fighting against forever. Just gotta take it one day at a time and try to enjoy the thing’s that really matter in life.
Again, thank you both for the advice, it is very much appreciated ??Hi everyone, it’s been close to 1 week since I last posted on here so thought I better update.
I have called Stepchange and was advised of the best ways to go about clearing this debt. They recommended a Debt Management Plan which would freeze all interest on the debts I’m paying but would remain on my credit file for 6 year’s.
I have a mortgage and have been looking at selling up for a while, if I go on a dmp then I won’t get another mortgage any time soon.
I have realised that selling up would clear off 5 out of the 8 debts that I have which sounds incredible.
My girlfriend has asked me to move in with her aswel so I am definitely seeing a glimmer of hope. It all depends on how quickly I can sell up.
The last few days I have been looking at how much interest I have paid on my debts over the year’s, I was absolutely gobsmacked. These banks, credit card companies etc have taken ridiculous amounts of money in interest. My eye’s are open wider than ever.
My urges to gamble are getting less and less, I do think at time’s of how good it would be to get a nice win as it would really help out but instead of gambling,today I done my 1st car boot sale and made enough that will carry me through the next few weeks.
I was asked if I fancied a bet on the racing on Saturday, without hesitation I declined. Gambling is not an option.
Tomorrow marks 3 weeks since my last gamble and although time’s are still pretty tough I can honestly say that my motivation and confidence is at an all time high.
To anybody reading this that might be feeling down and beat by gambling trust me when I say that the longer away from it the better the mindset.
There is only one person that can turn your life around and that’s you.
No matter how bad it is right now believe me when I tell you, I’m going to make itToday has been 2 weeks since my last gamble. I feel a little bit more in control of thing’s and pretty sure that in time thing’s will only get better.
Yesterday my friend who has the same issue and stopped the same day I did called to say he had gambled all of his money away.Devasted for him as he has told me it all could have been prevented. Talking to him after he had lost everything made me realise just how bad a grip this has on people. One mistake of placing one ￡2 bet on a horse ended up costing him hundreds in the machine’s. It shows me that cg’s can’t bet on anything because we won’t stop until everything is gone.
Today I did not gamble and although I am still struggling financially my mindset is getting stronger.
I hope that anybody reading this has had a fantastic gamble free day.
All the best
CraigJust thought I would check in.
Been keeping myself busy recently so haven’t had much time to update.
Yesterday I was in Glasgow which is absolutely packed with bookmaker’s and where I have lost an absolute fortune in the past. Me and my friend would plan a day out in Glasgow and usually our plans would change as soon as we arrived.We would go to bookies, arcades and sometimes casinos where we would pretty much always lose everything we had.
Yesterday yet again I am pleased to say that even with the temptation on every corner, I did not gamble.
So today is day 12 and my focus is on finding an extra part time job so that I can earn some extra cash and start paying more onto my debts.
The focus and determination is there, time to try and reclaim my lifeHey Geordie, thanks very much for your comments. I’m pleased to say that yesterday I did not gamble, can’t remember the last time I had a payday where no money was gambled.
I headed out with a couple of friends to the pub for a few drinks, one of them started to play the fruit machines and I must admit for a second I felt tempted aswel however that feeling passed.
I would call yesterday a success.Thanks for the advice Kingster, I’ll get intouch with all creditors and Stepchange today. No point in sitting around doing nothing. Fingers crossed for some positive news. Thanks again
Well today is payday, I just received my best wage ever, however the last 2 day’s have sucked.
In 2 day’s I’ve had 3 bill increases and a pipe has burst in our garden. As it stands, I don’t have the cash to make it this month.
I was feeling good about being away from the gambling (Day7 today) but life just keeps knocking me back down.Im in some serious financial troubles.Although selling my property would clear some of the debt owed it wouldn’t clear all of it and I wouldn’t be able to get another mortgage with my current credit rating.
I’m going to have to seriously think of getting a second job.
I genuinely can’t believe the mess I am in because of gambling. I pray that in time thing’s improve but this right now isn’t a life,it’s a miserable existenceThank you to all that have posted, it means alot and certainly does give me alot to think about.
I have self excluded from all bookmakers in my area (actually done this month’s ago)
However one independent bookmaker told me not to worry about self exclusion as I just need to time to cool off then go back whenever I like. That was said after I had signed the documents for exclusion. I couldn’t believe what I had heard.Clearly these people couldn’t care about the well being of customers and are only thinking of the money. This independent bookmakers is where I have been gambling recently.
The next few months I have a few thing’s coming up,I’m travelling to Ireland to see my favourite band Aerosmith in June,this was booked months ago and already I know I’m going to struggle financially. It should be an event to look forward to,however maybe by the time it rolls around I’ll be a little more upbeat.
I have decided to keep a small amount of cash with me at all time and leave the bank card in the house so I don’t do anything stupid. All of my expenses must be planned in advance. I also think that alcohol can have a serious effect on me where my mindset will completely change for the worse, so that’s something that needs to go aswel.
Thenewjt, I would absolutely love to make it past 2-4 paychecks without gambling, I can’t remember the last time I made it through 1 paycheck.
Hope you all have an awesome daySo it’s day 4,I’m not thinking of gambling but more of how much I’ve thrown away. Off work for 2 week’s and it’s going to be very quiet time’s from now on.
Now I’m starting to realise what I should have been doing with my money.
Missing out on life because of this. Feel like crap todayDay 2 and It’s grand national day.I haven’t placed a bet so feeling a little better about thing’s. So angry at myself for losing so much money over the year’s, I know I can’t ever allow myself to gamble again. I think some day’s the thought’s are going to enter my head to do it but luckily that hasn’t happened today.
The test will come when the wages go in next week, but I’m feeling confident for a change.