In an hour and a half i will hit 1000 days gambling free!!!!!!!
I have had numerous diaries on here but i thought id start a new one today to mark a fresh chapter in my story:::::
Here's my story posted in the success stories part of the forum:
I started this journey back in 2015..... I was sure that gambling online was taking all my money after food and bills plus a bit more..... I was increasing my stakes online and it was getting to the point where I was gambling over my days wage on each poker tournament I was playing...... Gamstop wasn't around so on here I had a low point so said I'd stop so I excluded from my online poker site had a couple of weeks free from it...... Then thoughts of I'll just have another go so I joined a new site and started again untill the inevitable low point exclude and start again vicuous cycle...... Then I thought right online is bad I'll play in pubs for small stakes...... This went ok for a year and then I started with the fruit machines for excitement...... I've come to the conclusion that no matter the stakes high or low I am one of these people who can't gamble.....I obsess about my interests be it football, work, coffee, gym, poker, fruit machines, computer games..... Whatever it is Im doing I do it to the max...... With this in mind if I'm gambling it's all that's in my mind...... Very unhealthy.
Well the good news was that gamstop came along finally enabling me to exclude from all online, sense to exclude from my local UK casinos and Moses to exclude from my local bookies...... I reluctantly at a very low point with help of my parents signed up to all of them...... Now this doesn't include pubs so I as a new avenue to continue I still played in pubs for a number of years but in 2018 I was stressed at work due to my manager and no doubt the gambling most days of pub poker (see the obsessiveness, I was playing Mondays Tuesdays Thursdays and some weekends) and I don't know whether this was because of the gambling but I was on performance management with the manager writing all my mistakes down and scrutinizing everything I was doing each day and writing it up and emailing it to me. Well this was going on I went to the social club one day in august and put all my money in one machine untill I could no longer get any out of the machine 300 pounds.... Then I had to borrow off a friend for the first time ever.... Then I finally broke down to my parents and they paid me some money to pay friend back. However I was going on holiday to isle of white the next weekend after a festival...... So I went to festival and as I have skitsophrenia all the stress took over me that holiday and I had voices didn't sleep had a terrible holiday then had a really bad skitsophrenia episode and was signed off work for six weeks.
This was august 2018.... I decided that I wanted to be more healthy so I decided no more alcohol or gambling........ I had six weeks off work then had a meeting at work and thankfully they kept me on as a porter working less hours under a position with less stress..... Adjustments.....
I went from that day in august untill my birthday in may without gambling then I thought a birthday treat to gamble in pub...... So I did and then the obsessiveness took over and i was going every night again then as soon as I started on the fruit machines and I thought no this is not good so start of December 2019 I gave up for good.....
No drugs, no alcohol, no ciggerettes, no gambling, healthy lifestyle no stress, work hard but not too much and save as much as I can to own my own property.
So I lived with my folks to save but bought a flat and rented it out to pay the mortgage so I could live there in the future. I saved and saved and saved one year I spent under five hundred after bills the entire year..... Then in 2022 I managed to pay back the mortgage and now I just owe my parents some money and don't owe the Banks anything ......
So once I'd paid back the mortgage I was able to move in. So with skitsophrenia it's very daunting living on own. I thought It would be tough but I've been here three months now and it's actually fine.
So now I'm concentrating on living independently, living a healthy life and paying back the thousands I owe my parents .......
But money wise I've controlled all my vices I've not done drugs since 2008, I've not smoked ciggerettes since 2016 I've not drunk since 2018 and I've not gambled since Dec 2019 so I can afford to live comfortably and save for retirement in my flat....
I have to say that if u are obsessed with gambling as much as I was it does seem impossible to stop but once u have u can like me become obsessed with other avenues in life become obsessed with money still just obsessed with the saving of it......become obsessed with they health gym, sleep well, work hard, enjoy football, enjoy games, enjoy nature, enjoy family and friends ...... There's so much to enjoy and look back but don't stare......start a spreadsheet look at ur spending and obsess over what u can achieve......I'm not there yet I'll be there when I'm comfortable in retirement but untill then I'm going to strive to be my best .......let's do this......
Tomorrow as a celebration im going to go to my favourite team spurs stadium and do the sky dare walk up on the top of the stadium rafters and get my photo next to the cockrell hopefully..... Now this is a huge milestone and im going to celebrate in style.... hopefully ill have a nice meal too
Hi Adam, well done on 1000 days. Great inspiration to everyone what you have coped with ?
Awesome stuff - well done mate
Thankyou bladesman and mike.......
Went to london yesturday to the spurs stadium done the dare walk..... it was such a great way to celebrate.... now im on 4 figures i need to work out what's next...... what should i aim for....... what should i try and stop.....what should i start etc.....
Ill have a think.......
need to tighten my belt, with upcoming energy costs thru winter and the amount ive spent over the past month signs are pointing for me to tighten my belt this month.
Plan of action:
Try to make my £60 left on sainsburys card last as long as possible.
No coffees in coffee shops this month.
No expenditure on flat this month.
Ive done some budgeting and i was going to try and pay off 4500 of what i owe on flat..... however ive worked out i can only pay off 2600 this year.... i have however spent 2500 on things for flat this year and im pretty much finished buying things for it......
Ive worked out next year i should if im living very frugile lifestyle pay off 5k....... and be debt free in 8 years if i do this each year...... i think it will be very benficial to either work more hours or a different role to get me up 4k a year after tax or get a flat mate to help to pay the bills.......will have to have i think.....
I really shouldnt think about money soo much but i think its good to plan and try to be as sensbile as possible.... one thing at a time..... get used to living alone then think about more hours or flat mate...
All the best Adam
massive well done on 1000 days,
Shows it can be done with some will power and supportive people.
I am now on day 32 myself and hopefully one day will be able to do the same as you and say I have reached a 100 days although right not my aim is 33 days.
Regards
Hi Terry, thanks for popping by......
In a bid to earn some more money for winter and to progress at work ive today applied for a full time Radiology Administrator position....... lets see if i can get it.....
All the best Adam
Will i ever stop thinking about money??????? I think ive gone from being obsessed about not losing money to becoming obsessed with saving money...... i'm buying the cheapest things in the supermarket, im not buying my coffees in coffee shops anymore, i need to find a better, healthier balance, i think its my ocd in all honesty.....
i am however doing well......i know that....... but need to relax the reigns a bit......
Ill carry on with my super tight month of trying to spend nothing apart from supermarket shopping....but once this months over ill treat myself on weekends to something special each week be it a coffee or a meal out with friends.
My flat is looking and feeling awesome i cant quite believe how well its gone thru the first few months in the flat since december........ its cracking.
night adam
Horray,
Horray i say,
All going okay,
How i hear you say,
Well i've not been on chat for weeks as i've been super busy living my new life, a new life completely free still of all vices (even coffee).... well coffee shop coffee to save money..... I've bought some caramel liquid syrup from sainsburys and although its still not as nice as the coffee shops its pretty good and savs the 3.95 for each cup i buy.
so what i been up to.......
Well first bit of news is i applied for a new job at work as radiology admin.... well an update i told my bosses boss and he wasnt sure it was for me..... so i spoke to Matron who i get on really well with and she said that she really cared for me and wouldnt want to see me go down the wrong route, she said that sitting at a desk all day wasnt for me she thought i was better used walking around the whole hospital talking to people and being out and about, also she said that she thought it could be stressful and although she gets stressed she gets paid a lot to be stressed and i really dont need to or shouldnt want to be.... So i spoke to my mum and she aggreed to withdraw my application... so i sent an email to the manager keri who was hiring for it appolugising that i wouldnt be at the interview the next day (yes good timing i thought to speak with matron).....then keri sent me an email back saying she had an idea.... the next day i saw her and she said how would you like to train in reception duties and do extra hours working for her and see how it goes.... like id start by showing new patients up to their rooms and showing them how everything works etc.... so i thought that be great so she spoke to my managers manager and he ok'd it. so i should get some extra hours to help with finances along with keeping my role stress free..... horray
So what else i been doing.... I have been trying to save my money..... so i got my parents to shop for me at iceland no. 1 i got 4 large pizzas for a total of £5 8 sausage rolls for £4, 4 pot noodles for £2.80, some crisps for a pound...... and then as they bought on a tuesday they got 10% off plus the clubcard discount of another 5% off so i got it all for £11.80 BARGAIN so then i ate sausage rolls for days in a row mmmmmmmmmm then had dinner at my parents twice this week....... also just spent £5 on canteen food in the last two weeks..... and as i said no coffee shop coffees.... so all in all it looks like this month ill earn 1000 and pay off 500 from debt and towards electircity bills in winter.
Then also ive been to gym twice this week once to the actual gym on the monday then today i played table tennis with mum (she won 3 - 1)
Then also i've been busy with entertaining i've had three friends over in two weeks.... first on friday to chill and get a pizza..... then on a saturday to play xbox and watch footy..... then on a weekday to play xbox and chat and listen to music..... loving entertaining cheaper than going out....
Then i've been socialising on xbox too ive got three friends on xbox that ive been playing mostly formula 1 with sooooooo much fun and very sociable..... Today i also got an external hardrive 2 tbs for the xbox that im picking up tomo from argos 72.99 that im getting as a xmas pressie from mum and dad.... it means i can download soo many games and have them at the touch of a button.
Flat wise...... dad we done some gardening over couple of weeks and its looking good.....
we
we also put curtains up in lounge with a nice tie back, mum put them together and they look great.....
Also put some pictures up in lounge and bedroom.....
Also got some photos of nephews and niece up now....
also i made a i am gru lego that i put up in lounge.... love it....
also watched the limitless series really good...
also got my double bed down here now.....
So really without really trying to hard, or being too hard on myself, ive really hit a great productive moment in life where things are shaping up.... really loving it.... i think you get out of life what u put in.... if you try ur best anything is possible.... with a bit of luck......
So whats the plan.... i think my next milestone with gambling day is 3 years next..... which is lets work it out 365 x 3 ummmm 1095 i think (which should be start of december as thats the day i stopped back in 2019 or 18)
So thats the plan to aim for in days.....
Then my mum says a little bit of everything is good.... so as you can see ive been doing all sorts but i used to focus on one thing at a time and do it too the max like poker, gym, work, netflix, etc...... but now ill focus on one,two or three things each day and rotate thru the week so i dont get bored and am productive, entertained, healthy, and sociable.....
So :
Entertain
Xbox
Food
Gym
Disney plus
Dvds
Parents
Work
Bt Sport
Sky Sports at folks
Sleep
Ill focus on three-four each day
Monday to friday Work, Sleep, Food, and one other
Staurday to Sunday Sleep, Food, and two others
Then try to spend money on things that really matter, things that improve my life in some way.....
Presents for others or things for flat or myself......
Flat needs....my own hoover so i do need to borrow one each time.....
Bins for kitchen.....
Mirror for lounge i think.....
More pictures up......
So thats the update..... quite a lot happening.... rocking and rolling with life..
All the best adam
Hi Adam,
Firstly a massive congrats on 1000 days, that's awesome. Secondly really positive posts I think your going to work it out and seems like your planning and sorting everything and finding the best way to live your best life.
Good luck on the journey, enjoy and well done again. I'm really pleased for you.
Thank you David..... Update..... Not been on my diary much but this months budgeting is going great I've been for a curry, bought two coffees plus food and total spent is 55 pounds for food for the month..... Still got a week left but I'm thinking it'll be fine.....
All the best adam
Yes..... Budgeting going great...... I'm thinking I'll hibernate for the rest of the year to save as much as I can...... I can invite friends over mine to socialize but I won't go out for meals out or to pubs as it's way too expensive..... I can enjoy life without this...... Watch the footy that's on, play Xbox, invite family over and enjoy the rest of the year just on a budget...... I'm thinking if I aim to spend four hundred on food and any presents for family then I should be able to save lots towards my debt...... All the best Adam xx
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