2014 Challenge

Checking in Day 50, hurrah, I may not feel any better about it all but at least I am not making it worse! Good luck all!

Morning guys,

Congratulations to LAF for 50 days!! Superb - it will feel better....change that name to 'savingafortuneanditsgoingtofeelmuchbettersoon'. Not particularly catchy, but you get what I mean! Well done soldier!

Strange - I get the whole feeling foolish being here.....but how much more foolish would you feel if you weren't here and still gambling? As long as you don't gamble then the debts have a chance of being paid. You're doing great........keep it up!

Under 12 hours for check in and we're looking OK this week.......although missing a few soldiers........fingers crossed for late check ins!

Have a nice Sunday folks,

Mr Brightside

Morning all,

Checking in on this fine sunny morning from Devon on 70 days bet free. Lots of spare time on my hands at the moment in between jobs so I am keeping myself active by getting on by bike most days on Dartmoor (weather permitting)

Financially things are slowly improving and it's a nice feeling to know my wife can go to the shops and not be told by the cashier 'sorry, you card has been refused'

which was a regular occurrence when I gambled away our money.

I know that I am still in the very early stages of recovery from this terrible addiction but I am very determined to not go back to my previous way of life.

Stay strong everybody and continue to believe in yourselves as for non gamblers don't understand how hard it can be to simply just give up.

Have a good Sunday and a bet free week.

Mike

Congrats Mike!!!

Really feels like a milestone today and the feeling of pride is growing!!

I've just noticed that "Scambling" in the recovery diaries is 70 days today as well - I've just posted to him and invited him over here!!

All the best mate and here's to next week check in on 77 days!!

Mr B

Well done lostafortune. Rst18 checking in on day 22. Moving into new houseshare tomorrow so plenty to keep my mind occupied.

Thanks Mr B for the reply. I have just worked out my days and I have added to many days from when I finished. My total for today is 66 days as my last bet was Thu 12th Dec2013. You would think from all the years of thinking of numbers from gambling I could work out how many days I have been bet free.

I Didn't want to have to incorrect total in the 2014 challenge.

Mike

Day 67 quick check in, at my work just now, been having problems getting on the site. Well done everyone.

Cheers Mr B and Rst18- the problem I have is realising a fortune was lost, and it aint coming back. Maybe in some time (next lifetime:))that troubling feeling will lessen and I can consider changing the name to something more positive...All the best....

Glad that you're still with us BBS - wondered if CC had got the better of you!! Lol!! Still L500? 437 for me now and iPhone, iPad and daughter going out the window if I don't get by is soon!!

LAF - it's gone, done, past, uninfluenceable, behind, kaput, shed, shot, blown, boshed, s*i* away.......all you can do is influence on a day to day basis. Therefore, every day you don't gamble it's one for the good guys and less money for the deep deep pockets of the industry. We're all "savingafortune", look forward, not backward.......doesn't matter how brilliant you are, you can't do nothing about yesterday. Stay strong fellow soldier!

RST - it would have been 50 this coming week huh? Bloomin' dogs!!! Hat off to you mate for sticking in, being honest and staying strong - don't think I could have done what you did and stayed off it. At least that's you at a milestone from the real money/head/emotional horror - cap doffed for no online mate - we'll still celebrate it!!

Under 7 hours for check in folks......

Mr Brightside

hey all

checking in day 68. tough week but got through without gambling.

x Linda

Checking in, another week free to add to the total x

I am still gamble free. 21 DAYS without a bet. its been tough to be honest but i know i will not play a roulette machine again, i cant be sure of other bets but for now i want to stay away from all gambling, i reckon i have saved 3-400 quid so far.

i will add this. im not part of the challenge anymore, but just wanted to say that i am gamble free. and hadnt fallen off the wagon. cheers.

probably wont get back on here now till tomorrow coz having a few family issues (dad is a recovering alcoholic who only drinks once a year for 3 days). right now in the middle of the 3 days and i am worried and stressed but even though he was wrecked last night he told me he was proud of me because I was 67 days (yesterday) gamble free. this spurred me on big time and know that no matter what good times or bad I cant ever go back there. Will be glad to see tomorrow and heading to weymouth for a couple of days just to get out of this town for a while. Looking forward to the break even though with 2 young kiddies its probably gonna be more hassle than its worth lol xxxxx

so proud of my fellow challengers x

Linda

Evening everyone and welcome to this week’s update!

I think I’m pretty safe to say that’s it been a bit of a strange week - the forum has gone a bit bonkers in terms of its stability………and of course I’m talking about the website itself! However, while at one stage this week I was staring at the screen in disbelief and dismay, I am now punching the air with delight as we have turned in another group record for total days free of gambling! Well done everyone, another dent in the pockets of the gambling industry, but more importantly, another week where we can look at ourselves and each other with a growing sense of pride, teamwork and thanks.

So, for those of you who get bored with my ramblings - here’s the headlines - retention rate this week was 90% with 2 of the team not making check in. There are 22 active members for w/c 17th February and as at today our average number of days stopped is 65 days. We’ve celebrated a number of milestones with each other with a good number to come this week. Our collective days stopped as a group rose by an impressive 12% and on Tuesday 18th February, if no-one gambles between now and then, our group will hit a major milestone of being collectively stopped for a total of 4 years!

We’ve had a new member join us this week - welcome to “Stop”…..first week here and you’re getting a mention on the milestones list below - well done and welcome to the team!

Onto the Milestones Celebrated this week then…….

Delboy79 - The Daddy of the group celebrated 6 months free of gambling this week - the new benchmark has been set and we doff our caps to the man we’ll all want to continue following.

Redeemed and Leedsv - I missed you last week redeemed, but catching it tonight…….these guys have both gone through the 20 week barrier on the recovery journey - incredible going guys!!

Mr Brightside - I suppose I need to mention myself otherwise certainly unnamed individuals would give me into trouble….you know who you are Julie, Linda…….lol! I’ve entered the realms of double digit weeks this week - 10 weeks today!

Lostafortune and Stop - Congratulations to you guys hitting the big 5-0 today - superb stuff.

Amanda G - where are you girl? You would have been 50 days today with a check in?

So the Milestone Dates for the Diary this week…..

Monday 17th - lec101 will hit 70 days and Ashamed will reach the big 5-0!

Tuesday 18th - Babybluesky and Linda will both move into double digit weeks, 10 weeks girls! Redeemed will move onto 150 days gamble free! A big day for you all individually, but also as mentioned we’ll be 4 years gamble free as a team on Tuesday!

Wednesday 19th - I’m not going to let this go by……one of the team is recorded in at 25 days on Wednesday, but his loyalty to a friend saw him go to a dog meeting on 25 days. A limited amount was spent and he had the honesty to share with the group, take his reduction in days and start again. However on Wednesday, RST will be 50 days clean of his Achilles heel, online gambling. Well done mate - despite not recording in at 50 (that will come!), we recognise you on your journey!

Thursday 20th - Happy Days (Mike) will break into double digit weeks - 70 days fella (and thanks for the days update mate!)

Saturday 21st - Leedsv bursts the 150 days on the march to the next significant milestone - not sure you are still with us fella? I got confused at your update this week! I hope so……no need to be posting all the time mate - just be here when you want or need to be….but would be good to see you still wanting to be part of the group.

OK, here’s my nominations for the Heroes of the Week…….

Firstly, while it was a milestone, Delboy (Derek), to be the first one of us to break 6 months and to be the guy holding the light at the front of the team for us to see where we are going, you are the first of our Heroes of this Week. I don’t think there will be anyone in the team that would disagree that you are an absolute star and a great supporter of personal diaries too. I’d love to get that beer arranged mate, first round on me.

The second Hero of the Week, again, one that I think no-one will disagree with is for Linda (Hardtimes). If any of us needed reminded as to how hard life can be and how to respond with resilience, strength, bravery and courage it’s in your behaviours and actions in the last week or so. After all of that, to resist gambling is simply remarkable. We recognise you Mrs and pray you get good news after the tragedy the family has suffered. You have role modelled how we should be when life gets us down.

Onto the Roll of Honour for this week then………….

Our active soldiers and team mates for this week are as follows:-

Name Days

The_Rock 77

Hardtimes 68

lec101 69

babybluesky 68

bornagain 61

Happy Days 66

AdamPrice 25

2012theyear 85

ashamed 49

lostafortune 50

No Maybe 116

Mr Brightside 70

rst18 22

Delboy79 188

NoProblem 21

Strange 24

Redeemed 148

leedsv 144

Chalky 13

Batman 3

Hitthefan 15

Stop 50

Amanda G & garthcrooks - you are our missing soldiers this week…………..get the fingers out folks!

So, drum roll………total days free of gambling is……….a best ever for the team for the third week in a row……..

1432 Days = £143,200 in our pockets………………..£0 in the bookies!!!

So that’s the update for this week everyone - last Sunday in February next week and if AmandaG rejoins, plus everyone else checks in…….(we’ve never had 100% retention in a week!), then we will break through the £150,000 mark of savings!

Have a great week everyone, stay clean for 14, be good to yourself and our challenge is to do one abnormally good deed for someone this week……..and tell the group about it!

Mr Brightside

POST UPDATE NOTE: As I was uploading, I have noticed a few posts that came in before the site went down.

No_Problem - I’m completely confused as to why you are not part of the challenge yet you’re still posting days and checking in? Are you in or are you out? Please let me know.

Linda - really hope you are OK, such a tough week or so. Hope you get some space and some fresh air and that things work out on all fronts. Take care and know we’re here if you need us. Mr Bx