2015 Challenge

Thank you Clare for all your hard work

good day today. Why? because after losing money on the evil fobt machines i paid off all my debts. Think it flipped a switch. I HAVE NO DEBT AT ALL. I AM IN THE BLACK. AND ITS PAYDAY THIS WEEK. I currently have a very low amount in my account and i feel like a weight has been lifted. I need to stop thinking about being a millionaire and be more content with the money i do earn. I go out and do stuff so why do i need to play machines. I feel ready to start again from the begining. Tomorrow is day 1 AGAIN, but this time i am going to do it. I can sense it. I will post once a week to check in.

No problem wrote:

good day today. Why? because after losing money on the evil fobt machines i paid off all my debts. Think it flipped a switch. I HAVE NO DEBT AT ALL. I AM IN THE BLACK. AND ITS PAYDAY THIS WEEK. I currently have a very low amount in my account and i feel like a weight has been lifted. I need to stop thinking about being a millionaire and be more content with the money i do earn. I go out and do stuff so why do i need to play machines. I feel ready to start again from the begining. Tomorrow is day 1 AGAIN, but this time i am going to do it. I can sense it. I will post once a week to check in.

Best wishes and hope you can do it. Feels good to get debts paid off and you're absolutely right. We can be happy with the amount of money we earn. We don't need to risk our hard earned cash to get more. Learning to live within our means and not try to gamble to create more wealth is the key. Who ever heard of anyone topping up their income through gambling anyway ??

boxingdaysmay15

Hi friends

Thanks for the update Claire - I feel quite inspired looking at those numbers....

Congratulations to all who in treble figured (also those in double figures)

personally I feel very strong at the moment and gambling is not really part of my thoughts and I generally find its getting easier day by day - NEVER get complacent tho - ALWAYS be on your guard

Glass dad in

I didn't check in but I have made it to three whole days today!! Am away this weekend but I will try to check in if I have Internet access.

I have now told my husband and he's agreed to support me in stopping gambling. We are going to make my account into a joint account so he has full access and will scrutinise the statements. He is also going to have my credit cards so that removes a major part of the triangle.

Checking in on day 127, I have been contemplating recently to stop counting individual days and just keep going, the competitive person in me wants to keep counting but the non gambling person that I now am is getting to the stage where I'm not sure if I need to.

Today is a good day, today is a gamble free day.

Thanks Claire, I think you are doing a great job here. Being wounded yourself it takes a lot of heart to encourage others who are wounded too. Truly admirable and a big salute!

Time4honesty wrote: I didn't check in but I have made it to three whole days today!! Am away this weekend but I will try to check in if I have Internet access. I have now told my husband and he's agreed to support me in stopping gambling. We are going to make my account into a joint account so he has full access and will scrutinise the statements. He is also going to have my credit cards so that removes a major part of the triangle.

Soooo pleased you've taken these steps. Really sounds like you're moving in the right direction and you're taking it seriously and you've certainly lived up to your new username. The honesty you've shown will help cement a healthier, wealthier future for yourself and your family. Looking forward to following your journey to recovery.

boxingdaysmay15 (Clare)

WillDo79 wrote:

Thanks Claire, I think you are doing a great job here. Being wounded yourself it takes a lot of heart to encourage others who are wounded too. Truly admirable and a big salute!

Thanks 🙂 I'm just happy to help keep this forum running if it helps inspire just one person to recovery and making the right choices, it's worth the time it takes.

Clare

Checking in on day 117..

Have been in London since Saturday to visit my girlfriend, in this time ive been shopping twice and spent a load on myself and have had a meal out and been to watch Arsenal v Liverpool which was a great game but not the result i wanted. All this would not have happened if i was gambling still. Its been a great weekend/start of the week. Im just so thankful for my girlfriend and family and this site plus the people on here to help me get to this point. I have been thinking how much i would have spent if i was gambling them 117 days and it would have been easy £2000/2500, its such alot of money and i truely grateful that i have woken up and kicking this addition.

boxingdaysmay15 wrote:

[quote=No problem]

good day today. Why? because after losing money on the evil fobt machines i paid off all my debts. Think it flipped a switch. I HAVE NO DEBT AT ALL. I AM IN THE BLACK. AND ITS PAYDAY THIS WEEK. I currently have a very low amount in my account and i feel like a weight has been lifted. I need to stop thinking about being a millionaire and be more content with the money i do earn. I go out and do stuff so why do i need to play machines. I feel ready to start again from the begining. Tomorrow is day 1 AGAIN, but this time i am going to do it. I can sense it. I will post once a week to check in.

Best wishes and hope you can do it. Feels good to get debts paid off and you're absolutely right. We can be happy with the amount of money we earn. We don't need to risk our hard earned cash to get more. Learning to live within our means and not try to gamble to create more wealth is the key. Who ever heard of anyone topping up their income through gambling anyway ??

boxingdaysmay15

If you watched 'Brtain at the bookies' a lot of people believe they can top up their income through gambling

Lucky them is all i say!!

Day 1 checking in. Thanks for replies folks.

Check in day 135

Checking in for the week on Day 510..thanks so much for keeping up my days count while I've been away for a couple of weeks.

510 days of recovery in every aspect of my life - emotionally, financially, spiritually and career wise. Gambling had brought me to my knees with the dreaded FOBT's...I hated them but couldn't stay away from them. Every spare moment (and time that shouldn't have been spare) was consumed by them, or getting money to put into them. I was lying, manipulative, deceitful and had become a nasty person. Cutting a long story short, my mum died in February last year and I promised her I'd get help on her deathbed. Instead I had a 6 week gambling binge that stopped by confessing to my wife and attending my first GA meeting on April 3rd 2014, quite franky the best thing I have ever done.

I truly believe that GA has turned my life around, I am now living a great life (except for some legacy debts that should be clear in about a year) and have the "dream world" I was striving that my system was going to get me. I've attended weekly GA sessions, kept barriers in place and moreover been completely honest with all those that matter in my life.

In my eyes, placing one bet will lead me down the route of self-destruction and unravel the work done so far - so I remain vigilant, on guard and avoid complaceny as a much as possible.

I fill my time with positive experiences - have rejoined a gym, plan great holidays, commit to work and spend quality time with family and friends.

But most importantly of all - I take one day at a time gambling wise. Didn't bet yesterday, and plan not to bet today.

Have a great week everyone.

Garyl1976,

Congratulations on getting over the 500 gamble free day mark and what a excellent post you have just made. I can relate to all of your story of how you got in the situation you was in and where you are now. As you said, things do eventually get back to normality, but as long as you take it a day at a time, gambling will become a distant memory.

Well done again on your recovery and keep up your positive attitude.

Mike