2014 Challenge

Hi mr b and everyone in the challenge, I am still clean after 54 days 🙂

Have had a tough week as I imagine a lot of others have due to the Cheltenham festival.

Mr B, would really like to be back in the group and will make sure I check in every week.

Stay strong everyone!

Adam (54 days clean) x

Welcome back Adam

Another great post this week Mr B, glad to see your nephew has good taste, hope he enjoyed the game.

Well done everybody who managed to get through this week.

Take Care everyone x

Gd morning,- been on this site for a couple of years,had long periods of abstaining but have failed on many occasions.

I would like to join the challenge,give myself some focus this time,looks like its working for many on this thread.

I Need to and want to rid this horrible addiction from my life.

Day 2 gamble free today,more determined than ever.

Great post Mr B and it's an inspiration. Day 12 for me and I'm looking forward to getting over the 2 week mark and then I'm away on the 29Mar for 2 weeks in the USA, but I will make sure I login for the updates and to check in.

Something like this is really going to drive me on and keep gambling free from my life.

Hope everyone will have a good week. And congratulations on all the horse racing fans last week that didn't fall back into it, horse racing wasn't a big thing for me, but I'm sure that must have been tough - well done!

Onwards and upwards everyone. Happy Monday!

Jonathan

got the day 4 train rolling chooo choooo

Excellent update Mr b. It's getting harder to type on this kindle so it might be a while before I can post again.this is my 5th attempt to send this message! If I don't post this week you can see why.

Congrats for tomorrow Mr b 100 days and I am so proud to have you as my fellow soldier. I will hopefully be able to afford a new laptop in the near future but right now it's not a priority.

Well done to everyone who has a milestone this week and sorry for not being able to post on your diaries but I'll make up for it when I can x

Linda

Congratulations to Scambling on 100 days. Good start to the week and loads more big numbers to celebrate as the week goes by!

Hi all congrats to everyone on gamble free days. Thanks mr b for the challenge mr motivator. Welcome to all new soldiers . Hitthefan checking in for this week day 44 and 50 on Sunday .

Thanks Bornagain 🙂

3 figures feels great !

Well done to all those who hit milestones this week, and to those who dont, just remember.... Everyday is a step closer to one.

Apologies for going missing for a couple of weeks, i've been on annual leave and had a brilliant care free week of horse racing with no thoughts for gambling.

173 days clean for me.

Have a good week all,

Evening all, big update from myself now iv hit 50 days of no gambling and 70+ days from not gambling online. I need a chance to put thoughts down rather than keep them inside.

Firstly my finances are starting to look better if not totally out of trouble due to 15k of debt slowly paying back but I'm living comfortably on what I have left at the end of the month.

Now I have more money in my bank I often think of putting a big safe bet on just to win a bit of money so I can treat myself, sort of a reward for staying clean so long, but then I have also been closely following high profile games that I would bet on and seeing unlikely results (like Chelsea v Villa this weekend) has made me realise it would be too risky and then I'd be back where I started.

Anyway I have also been keeping a draw of pieces of paper I flip over each day and on each paper there is a figure written on in multiples of £20. After so many days i wrote on what i could buy with the money I have saved (total over £1.5k now). These simple things as well as keeping a spreadsheet of savings and spend has kept me occupied and im actually excited by the prospect of saving money for the important things in life.

Thanks for reading I will conclude by saying the thoughts of gambling don't always go but I have my eyes open to the world around and what I can do now I am no longer a gambler wasting my money. For the new guys, welcome to this challenge. You have come to the right place and heres to a better future. Rst - 51 days of freedom.

Aargh! Late check in from me...have moved house and just got internet in. Checking in clean for 2014 and wishing everyone strength. Will try to catch up on the forum, but covered in paint and having a new start in a new home. Xx

Sorry, no maybe, Friday night out? I'm not sure what you mean? In confused lol x

Wow - what a start to a week!!! The best we've ever had!! I love early check ins - they keep my blood pressure down!!

Some quick welcome backs........leedsv, Lou (lec101) and AdamP - you guys have made a Scotsman smile on a Monday........do you realise how much of an achievement that is?? Lol!! Brilliant to see your posts and hear your news.......happy new house Lou (that is awesome to hear - if a post can sound happy.....then that's it!!), glad you had a great hol leeds and Adam, I'm just made up that you've decided to stick with us for the long haul!!!

Scambling - congratulations on the 100 days.......you are now the 7th member of the club and not the 6th as mentioned last night (Leeds refills that slot!!). It's just a brilliant feeling to have another soldier earn those stripes!! Superb going mate and a lot of us are following close on your heels!!

Welcome to the team Robby B - I hope that the group and the challenge gives you that extra "conscience" to keep going at the points where you've struggled in the past - every day is a school day.......while I don't think any of us will ever graduate from this journey, hopefully it's one that will give us he learnings and motivation to stay clean.

For everyone........I've projected some numbers tonight.......if, and it's a big ask with so many new members and tough individual weeks.........but if we can get good retention numbers this week then with the return of some missing soldiers we are going to achieve 2 massive massive milestones this week......

Over 5 years clean as a group.........nearly 6!!!!

Over £200,000 collectively saved.......with the last Sunday in March taking us potentially through the £250k mark!!!

I'm Mr Brightside and I have been clean for 99 days........my fella soldier the Big Philla always says he loves clean days that end in a 0.......it's a really special day when they end in 2x0's!

This is a hugely tough week for me and one filled with reflective moments that I will no doubt struggle with elements of. Won't go into the details but may be a bit quieter than usual as I deal with things and on top of those try to cover my boss for the week. It never rains.

I can guarantee my family and all of you that I will not gamble - it's too precious to me to let go of.......just like my family.........and my team.

Stay strong soldiers - we are winning this, day by day and together.

Mr Brightside

Thanks Julie 😉 L517 xx