2015 Challenge

Hi all

Thanks to Phil for the update- I still really look forward to it

Money affects us all in different ways and how we cope with or without it. Having been a regular member at my local GA group I sit on the fence with opinions regarding wether we should look after our own cash. GA say that as a recovering addict we should get others to look after it for us. I am in total agreement with this, but personally I think that's it's down to the individual and how good,strong and how they handle themselves with it.

Obviously if you can't get at your money this makes a gamble or relapse much less likely.

There are lots of angles with this and it's divided us at GA.

I look after my own monies, I have a certain amount put into a "spending money" account weekly and I seem to manage very well.

My wife has my credit card but when I need it I ask for it

I also have now a small pot of savings towards my jollies

I DONT have any urges nor do I wish to revert back to the craphole that I was before.

I'm beginning to get back on track and with the help from GA I know that my life will keep getting better.

Again I know that we are all individuals and how we manage is down to ourselves.

how do you soldiers cope??

Good luck to all fighters marching and hitting goals and personal targets this week.

Glads dad

Given that I'm a compulsive gambler money is a difficult topic.

For many its the source of fuel that captions their gambling either in a positive or negative light but its so much more than that for others.

How do I handle money? With great care. I hand over a lot of the responsibility of my money but I do have access which is checked on a regular basis. It keeps me honest.

Checking in for the week thanks Phil

Keep going troops march on together

Checking in on 13 weeks. About money i am less stressed now when dealing with money now. I have adopted the attitude if something has got to be paid for then thats fine i will deal with it. I have learned that money is not what drives me but is a an accessory that i use to function. At the end of the day it doesnt matter how much money i have or dot have i will always get by and as long as i have my health and the love of my family then i will be fine. It has took me many years to finally work this out. When i look back at my gambling i was never after the big win that would change my life it was always to try and pay for something i could afford anyway but would grudge paying for out of my own money. A good example for me is razors. I used to grudge paying 12 quid for 4 razors so would go to bookies and try and win the 12 quid and a little more. 9 times out of 10 i would walk out of bookies 200 plus down and then go and buy the poxy razors anyway. Now my mindset is i need razors so will go and buy them and thats it and its only 12 quid. As we have said everyones different and if we can learn anything off each other then its all the better.

Checking in for the week on day 60 gamble free.

As to the subject of money. I have control of my money up to a certain point. When I pay my wages into the bank plus the child benefit and tax credit, once the food shopping, weekly savings amount and utilities have left the account, I look to see what else needs to be paid for. Left over money goes into the savings account my husband controls for me. I can have the money from it whenever I want but I do have to tell him what it is for. This helps me to control my money. I also have a diary where I keep a running total of my account.

Early check in - day 96. Friday marks the big 100 which is probably the longest ive gone gamble free since 1996 when I hit 18 and started.

Ive never had savings, always been in debt, getting easy credit for years and just blowing it gambling, currently got 7 grand debts to clear. A few years ago I had around treble that.

Anyway, hope to be debt free by the start of the 2016 Olympics - thats a goal ive set myself.

Back to money - as every gambler knows its crazy how our brains work - refusing to pay yogurts, crisps, biscuits etc when they go 'off offer' as we think we're gettin ripped off yet can blow hundreds of pounds a day and getting nothing in return. I think its a catch 22 situation being a problem gambler. We want to stop as its not substainable doing what we do yet being sucessful and not gambling only gives us more funds to make us think we can have a little flutter just as a treat. Right now im focused on paying off my debts but often wonder how im gonna feel when there all paid off. I just hope that by then I'll have no interest whatsoever in gambling

Hi all checking in on 336 days,.

Great update Phil, and I must admit I am still quite stressed about money, I check my bank balance every morning to see what has gone out, I can work it out to the penny. I panic if I think I have not got enough to last which is stupid because I have, and I worry if I have spare money in my account, I still don't like spare cash in my account, I move it elsewhere can't trust myself with too much spare money lt talks to me lol. in a wrong way.

Well done all soldiers, let's March through another good week and keep winning.

Suzanne xx

Good evening to all,

Checking in day 102....ohhh boy, that feels good. It wasn't easy, but this milestone it's a huge one for me. Been very busy, but I promise on Wednesday to talk more about these 102 days GF. Keep it up and stay away from giving money for other pockets

Thanks for the update Phil. Greatly appreciated and a help to many.

Like you I constantly worry about money. I check all of my accounts daily and work out how much I will have after bills.. I do it daily.. Even though I've worked it out on payday. I'm obsessed with it yet I used to happily throw £400 away in an hours gambling session. I think I have always known the value of money, I think the gambling just masked and fogged my mind to hide it. After a session I would instantly be on my accounts recalculating and seeing what I had to miss out on that month. I always look for the best bargains and deals.. I don't get how gambling can make you lose sight of the value of money so much..

Thanks for all the feedback, I'm glad I'm not alone in the way I value money. The razor comment is interesting, it annoys me when I have to buy a pack of four blades for a tenner, but the old me wouldnt think twice about putting 200 on a dog. Shows the crazy world we lived in as gamblers.

I agree with mrdaniel1 and other comments about how gambling distorts the value of money and how problem gambling twisted my usual logical sense into somehow validating my twisted thought processes about money - crazy and weird effects!

Only a couple of months ago I stood and lost £900 in a fobt in under a flippin hour then went away and looked for best deals and bogof deals in supermarket???!!!???

Looking at my banking later wondering where I could cut corners and accepting I'd need to add another month to my debt repayment plan (a plan that never before happened due to the previously mentioned twisted thought distortions of gambling).

I used to convince myself sometimes I could win enough to clear my debt or even buy a car! But of course those things never happened - because some effect takes hold of me and I cannot stop once I start so now I just never start and this way I win by not losing and being happy that my life ship is afloat and sailing on calmer seas, without my gambling actions/problem scuppering my own self - every time!

I regard money now as an asset to me and I don't want to throw away assets because; why would I? Why would anyone? It's a stupid thing to do. Money is a good thing and I can use it to make my life better and the lives of the closest to me better and that is REAL VALUE because smiles on their faces make my heart light and my outlook sunny.

Gambling is like drinking concrete it makes me heavy, slow and started to harden me inside and drinking concrete is not something I'd advise as good sense and the same goes for involvement in the gambling industry especially when my involvement is to be financially bled dry with all the misery that comes with it.

I keep the triangle in place! I have personally removed my access to money 🙂 I do not trust myself yet and I maybe never will, but having my money safeguarded with barriers is something I can live with 🙂 gambling is not something I can live with so it's gone.

Do I have a healthy appreciation of money? No, not yet!

I was gambling for 26 years and I've been stopped for 42 days so it's going to take some time, but a keyword I have learned is 'patience' I have to remind myself constantly at the moment of it as I still get strong urges but with patience and tools from here those urges pass.

The value of money? I don't think about money now, I think about people I care about including me and I leave the money alone, it can look after itself just fine and at the moment it does a better job than I can lol.

It's only money no longer is acceptable to me, I'm fairly casual about money but it's not only money anymore its more important than that as it creates options, comforts and good experiences but not so important as smiles.

Fully lightening myself up and away from the heavy weighted cloak of gambling insanity. 🙂

Chipping away 'with patience'. TickFollowsTock. Best wishes.

Checking in on day 122. I agree that having money can be stressful but for me nowhere near as stressful as having none and bills to pay.
I am not yet at the point of having spare money it is all divied out for bills and food at the moment
Can't wait to have a bit extra for, of all things a new bra lol
Cheryl xx

Hello folks,

I'm SierraJuliet, I'm 26 years of age and have been a compulsive gambler for the last 5 years of my life. The problem for my gambling was FOBT's, sports betting, online casino's and online bingo. My gambling has spiralled out of control and the last few months have been the most difficult.

I have been gamble free for the last 3 days now and this site has assisted in so many ways. I have never felt so determined and motivated to do this a know I can regain my life back. My dream is to propose to my girlfriend in the near future and by being gamble free, this can be a practical achievement.

I can confirm that I will commit to the 2015 challenge in order to better myself and take advice from all others.

Thank you for this amazing opportunity

Scott

I just bought myself some new clothes!!! Really felt good to have spare money left over after a gamble free month.

Hi Everyone, interesting update about money. Although I slipped recently I have had a lot more cash in my pocket due to not gambling. Along with many others who gamble I'm not good with money. When I gambled and won I spent the money on everything but bills. Now the gambling is better I shop. Maybe my addictive personality needs an outlet. The kids are happy As we have a NIKE factory nearby that I'm always in. I need to look at what I do with my mone, but I'd rather spend it shopping than in the bookies.

Have a good week

John

Day 293 - Checking In

As for money, I can relate to the stories of scrimping & scraping and doing without only to feed a fortune into a stupid machine. It didn't add up & I would shake my head to clear it but could not stop myself from spending all I had and more. Dark, dark days back then. Never want to return. We are all worth much more than gambling can promise us. Take care all, Suzy