2015 Challenge

Hi Phil & all fellow 2015 marchers - my name is Cliff, 57 and a compulsive gambler. Mine is the same story as many others on this site and which you can find dotted around the 2014 challenge and other posts! I was gamble free for 5 years then had a massive relapse when I semi retired and found boredom and opportunity!

After joining the 2014 challange I am 220 days GF come this Sat PM/ Sun morning [i think:)] - i have not gambled since 6th June 2014!

I would be glad to march with Phil and hope that weekly posts, shared strength and posts will assist those already well established and those new to the hard world of being an abstaining compulsive gambler.

Looking forward to the next years march - fitter and fatter than when I started the 2014 one back in June.

Be vigilent all, do not allow complacency to enter your lives and always rem,eber the triangle!

And a Happy New GF Year to all.

Kind regards, Cliff

Hi everyone,

I would also like to commit to the 2015 challenge and look forward to the challenges we all face under the barrage of this gambling industry.

I never remember it being so in your face as it currently is and I really worry for the next generations of gamblers.

After 18 years of gambling Ive had enough!

So im Mark 36 from West Yorkshire. Addicted to FOBT's since they first came on the scene.

This year I amazing stayed away from 1 may till a few days ago - taught me a lesson as still couldnt stay in control once id started. Ending up putting another 750 onto my total debts which are roughly now 7,500.

Want to be debt free by time Olympics start in 2016. Thants my target but will only be possible if I make the right choice every day - 'today I will NOT gamble'

Hi my name is mark and im only on day 1!

I would bet on almost anything, dogs, horses and slots, i would like to commit to the 2015 challenge, and make my partner proud of me not upset with me xxxxxxxx

Day 5 checking in. Feeling very positive today.

We dont need a new year to reflect on the positive things in life. Well done Mark on your day 1 and your big step of joining the challenge.

Hello All

I am relatively new to this site as I only gave up gambling on Boxing Day, but already I have found it a massive help in providing a place to go for help and distraction away from my online slot addiction. I am on day 4 and it is the very first time I have attempted to quit gambling altogether. I also like going to the bingo (mainly to play slots) but this of course is now not an option. It is the first time in my life that I have realised I CANNOT manage my own gambling and I cannot gamble in moderation. Looking back at 2014 I am now over £11k in debt just from this year alone - taking out several credit cards and always increasing my overdraft to live having spent all available money I can get my hands on countless times. Thankfully I have always managed to cope with rent and bills etc but I've thought nothing of cutting back on everything else such as shopping, treats with the kids, buying clothes etc to fund my selfish habit.

Well that was 2014 - the worst financial disaster and time wasted and it must not ever be repeated. 2015 will be the year of living comfortably, saving up money to pay off my forthcoming family holiday and also provide us with enough Euro's to have a good time (hol is July). As we speak I have left myself and family short for the next couple of weeks and from the 12th January I will look forward to having a reasonable level of money to spend on a weekly basis so that we can do more things together and not have to worry any more about missing out on stuff I should be able to afford to buy the kids. Ashamedly I have also spent all the kids money too and it is heart breaking when they ask how much they have in the bank from Birthdays and Christmases over the years. I have to tell they how much they should have, but that money simply isn't there :(.

However, I know to the exact £ how much they should have in their bank accounts and I want to save this money up for them this year so that I can put it all back in their accounts and by next Christmas I will present them both with their bank books showing the money that belongs to them. That's my goal and I fully intend to reach that goal and leave the selfish me in 2014.

I look forward to sharing my journey to recovery with you all and reading about your lives and this is me joining the 2015 challenge with gusto!

Clare

Just a very quick post to ask can all members please double check that they posted how many days since they last gambled on their opening post. And if you forgot can you please post how many days you are on. For those new to the challenge, every Sunday when I do the update I will list all the members days and also highlight our achievements, so it's important to know how many days we are all on. Thanks.

Phil

Checking in for the first time. 10 days gamble free.

Spent the last few days with family and this is the first day on my own whilst partner is away. Step change have been in contact with me today regarding my debt management program. Will be a long road (2 yrs +) but feeling positive as have the support networks around me and no access to cash. Main thing is I am not gambling or lying.

I wish everyone a happy new year and gamble free week.

Andy

Hi all,

My name is Steve and I have come to the harsh realisation that I am not capable of giving up gambling on my own. My weakness is the FOBT’s that have now appeared in betting shops by their thousands up and down the country.

I’ve been gambling on and off for over 20 years, firstly becoming addicted in the arcades in holiday camps and in my local town as a teenager. I then spent a few years in Australia / New Zealand just after the millennium and blew all my savings and money I was earning on their version of the FOBT’s which they call ‘Pokies’ that are in every pub out there.

It was a relief to come back as I knew that these Pokies weren’t in the UK, then a couple of years later the FOBT was introduced & eversince they have been a fatal attraction that has cost me a five figure sum each year, leaving me in debt and a sense of self-loathing.

I have had periods of no gambling over the past few years, the longest was about 6 months & this was because my wife found the debit card stubs from the bookies and promised I would give up. I felt great for these 6 months but eventually fell off the wagon thinking I could just have the odd gamble every now and then! As we all know this is b*llocks and have now got to the point where I’m chasing losses again, balance transferring on credit cards and feeling generally really sh*tty about myself.

I had a terrible day yesterday, I went to visit my parents, they took my kids out for the afternoon and I ended up in the local bookies playing on the same machine all afternoon. This machine was relentless, I was playing £2 a spin and it just kept taking,taking,taking, to the point where I just could not walk away. I was in there just over 4 hours and am utterly ashamed to say I spend £1,950 & have felt sick ever since.

I need to change, from today I am going to stop, I need to fulfil this challenge, not just for 2015 but forever before it ruins my life completely.

Thanks

I wish you all well with this challenge.

sorry phil

pretty sure didn't put my day count in

up to 291 days today i think

should be same amount of days as my buddy Ringerbell

Hi Phil ,

Checking in - Day 200

Suzy

Hi Steve,

Well done to facing up to things and taking the positive steps of acknowledging you want to stop gambling and better you life.

These forums coupled with attending GA sessions have been really positive for me, albeit over a short space of time. I like you spent time in Australia / NZ and among other things was using the pokie machines all the time. Again like you I've quit for 6 months then broken, but determined this is it and no more gambling going forward.

Need to draw a line under those losses as they can't be recovered. The way to make things better is not gambling and taking control of your life, rather than gambling controlling you.

i wish you all the best and if you ever want to chat just holla.

Stay positive as life will only get better without the gambling.

Andy

ICanDoThis2015 wrote:

Hi all,

My name is Steve and I have come to the harsh realisation that I am not capable of giving up gambling on my own. My weakness is the FOBT’s that have now appeared in betting shops by their thousands up and down the country.

I’ve been gambling on and off for over 20 years, firstly becoming addicted in the arcades in holiday camps and in my local town as a teenager. I then spent a few years in Australia / New Zealand just after the millennium and blew all my savings and money I was earning on their version of the FOBT’s which they call ‘Pokies’ that are in every pub out there.

It was a relief to come back as I knew that these Pokies weren’t in the UK, then a couple of years later the FOBT was introduced & eversince they have been a fatal attraction that has cost me a five figure sum each year, leaving me in debt and a sense of self-loathing.

I have had periods of no gambling over the past few years, the longest was about 6 months & this was because my wife found the debit card stubs from the bookies and promised I would give up. I felt great for these 6 months but eventually fell off the wagon thinking I could just have the odd gamble every now and then! As we all know this is b*llocks and have now got to the point where I’m chasing losses again, balance transferring on credit cards and feeling generally really sh*tty about myself.

I had a terrible day yesterday, I went to visit my parents, they took my kids out for the afternoon and I ended up in the local bookies playing on the same machine all afternoon. This machine was relentless, I was playing £2 a spin and it just kept taking,taking,taking, to the point where I just could not walk away. I was in there just over 4 hours and am utterly ashamed to say I spend £1,950 & have felt sick ever since.

I need to change, from today I am going to stop, I need to fulfil this challenge, not just for 2015 but forever before it ruins my life completely.

Thanks

I wish you all well with this challenge.

ABSTAIN COMPLETELY, MAINTAIN COMPLETELY (DAY TWO OF GETTING A LIFE BACK)

Hi Phil count me in day 26

When I look back at the distruction that gambling has left behind in my life, I shudder. Although at the time I was blind and oblivious to the pain and hurt I was causing others , I lived in my own gambling world, and nothing else mattered.

Horses and sports betting being my vices,I have not been in a high street bookmakers for over 6 years now,but online WOW it's so easy to play with just numbers that only equates to £s when you had the losses up.

I had my own business,of which gambling had a massive impact on it becoming insolvent although I never admitted it.

I can't begin to understand the emotional stress caused to my loved ones.

More of my story as year moves on Dino x.

Hi Phil. Just a quick update to m y last post - today is day 6 for me as I last gambled on xmas eve.

Good morning and welcome to even more new members! Its also good to see a rapport building up between members. We are here to support each other and this is more than just somewhere we post once a week. I'm really excited about doing the first update this Sunday, there have been some brilliant introductions and its excellent to see so many people making a change to their lives and claiming 2015 as their year. Congratulations to everyone who has signed up, I'm proud to be part of this group.