2018 Challenge

(Message below on behalf of Neil C, who runs the 2018 Challenge)

Welcome to the 2018 Challenge, i'd like to thank OldhamKFC and Deano for kindly doing the 2017 Challenge, it's been something that has helped me massively, and probably hlped a lot of other people the same.

As pointed out in previous years the format is going to stay the same, no point in changing a winning formular!!

First check in by 7th Jan, and i will do the update on the 8th Jan.

This thread is open to everyone, I hope it will become somewhere that helps and inspires a large group of people to take that next step in their recovery process. We start the year in different places, some of us may have abstained from gambling for a matter of minutes, others may have gone much much longer! The aim of the challenge is simple, we are going to go a full calendar year without a bet. Or the remainder of 2018 if you are joining part of the way through.

I hope that as a group we can fill this thread with positivity and some amazing stories along the way. A place where friendships are bonded, coping mechanisms are discussed, we can offload when we need to and of course we will have plenty of milestones to celebrate along the way.

How the challenge works

Firstly, if you would like to join then all you need to do is make a post. Newcomers can introduce yourself, tell us about your journey so far, what form of gambling you have had a problem with and how many days you have been free of gambling for.

Secondly, once you have joined then to stay a part of the challenge you need to make a check in post once a week before midnight on a Sunday night. Let us know how recovery is going and how many days you are on. If you ever miss a check in you will be removed from the update list but free to rejoin at any time.

Thirdly, I will update the forum on a Monday with a list of all the active members and how many days each of you has accrued. I will run through all the milestones that have been achieved.

Finally, use this thread to develop bonds and work together as a team to make life changing decisions in 2018. There may be times we are tempted or feeling low, if so this is the place to be. Tell the group how you are feeling and I'm sure there will be plenty of advice and support out there. The low times will go and being part of this challenge will allow you to have many more highs than lows, especially as the months go by!

Here is to a gamble free 2018, good luck everyone!

Neil

(Posted on behalf of Neil C...)

LATEST ROLLCALL (17th Jan 2018)

Another bumber week this week with 47 people checking in, there are a few shout outs again this week!!

Well done to Triangle who hit over 1400 days which is a staggering 200 weeks, Casey hitting 1000 days. Phil72 hitting the 700 days mark, and both boxingdayfresh and Muststop123 hitting triple figures.

The list is as follows

• Triangle – 1405

• Delboygolf – 1396

• Gary1976 – 1382

• Bal – 1007

• Casey – 1001

• Oldham – 844

• Phil72 – 705

• onlyme – 673

• Neveragain121016 – 652

• samcrow – 594

• Samson – 490

• Anon100 – 474

• Woodley3 – 383

• Neilc- 303

• Daz71 – 296

• Sars27 – 226

• AdamJamal2014-2017 – 167

• 46 and out – 159

• Mixer – 156

• Mackems1 – 141

• sjwsjw – 110

• boxingdayfresh – 105

• Muststop123 – 101

• SEL87 – 85

• S_J_B – 73

• Fighter_1 – 68

• Slot Fool – 66

• Stupidmistakes – 51

• Equinox – 41

• chartom3 – 36

• Alimbutt – 27

• RSmith39 – 22

• Vulture – 21

• OJ1991 – 19

• Michael35 – 15

• T-Positive – 15

• Ineffable – 15

• Jordiecfc – 15

• Abstainer – 11

• Annie2016 – 10

• Pwm101 – 9

• egfr – 9

• Cigarettesandalcohol – 7

• deano29 – 7

• Leeders100 – 4

• Jimmyk1888 – 3

• Clarance123 – 1

Not sure if I need to check in on this thread or the potential new one so I’ll do both when it appears.

Thanks for getting it sorted Mixer much appreciated

What are we going to do without you mixer ! Such a legend ! Class act my man ! Checking in 233 days GF 🙂

Thank you for your kind comments, Ineffable, Leeders and Sars 🙂 I enjoyed the 'challenge' of seeing what could be done.

Day 163, checking in!

Checking in again day 80...wobbly weekend but am holding on.

No worries Evs, it happens, at least you didn't shut the whole place down! I'm sure you're forgiven & as somebody already said - we do bounce back & rebuild again :-)))

Thanks wizz mixer for retreating the figures/ notes!!

S&B

Hi All,

thank you very much for your understanding.

And Mixer - thank you very very much for leaping into action and saving the salvageable.

All the very best,

Eva

Forum Admin

Hi, checking in to start my challenge on day 1 for me.

New member of the challenge here, already on the Guru and down for the Ester, but the more the merrier I suppose.

Rules dictate to make some introduction, so here it goes. Married, 2 dogs and a 12 year old male terror ruling the house. Gambling this time, I had a bingo episode some 14 - 15 years ago, started late spring of 2015. We just bought our new house which was a big renovation project. Money never really bothered us in a way that we cannot manage with careful planning and some personal loan was not excluded to get the house to nice liveable order. Our income was enough to see us through and anything up to £20k of borrowing paid off within a year. Little did I know. Something happened that spring I am not ready to share, and probably never will, that triggered the desire to sort finances quickly and then some more. Don’t worry nothing personal in fact, nothing within the family, yet somehow managed to shake me to my core and bring out all the demons inside me. To cut long story short started with small bets around £20 a week and gradually progressed to all money coming to my account that wasn’t tied to a direct debit. Slots were my weakness although I would have a fair go at poker from time to time. To make matters worse after a bad day/week I would treat myself with nice expensive clothing which further contributed to guilt and more debt. By December 2017 the vicious circle was in full swing and I saw no escape from it. I lost my sleep, I was in constant state of anxiety and near panic attack experience. My husband was clueless as I’ve always been the one manging the finances for the last 13 years. By that time, I knew I could not continue like this and the only way putting anything back to order was by telling him. On the 15^th he went to work, the kid for a sleepover, I gambled the last £600+ I could squish out of any account and reached my rock bottom. In tears, picked up the phone and called Gamcare. For a good minute or two all I did was drowning in my tears before I was even able to say a word. Later that night my husband came back from work and I knew at this point it was now or never and I had to tell him and tell him all. He was not impressed. He was disappointed and hurt so much so to watch him it hurt me more than the thousands I lost thought gambling. That was 37 days ago and not a single penny has left any of our accounts and gone to gambling. I am determined to keep it that way.

We’ve since worked things out and outgoings are now spread evenly between the two of us. Ideally, he would’ve taken control of it all, but he won’t so I have no choice but to work twice as hard to resist any temptations are relapse.

I am getting a little bit obsessed checking my bank account to make sure everything goes according to the budgets I set myself. The debt currently is just over £11k and my yearly income should reduce it to just over £3k by the end of the year. I could potentially pay it all off, but cannot for a second imaging not going on a holiday as it is pretty much the only thing that keeps me sane, besides I would see it a reward for the effort. Boohoo I know. So, the plan is pretty much £8k paid off, 3k in pot for holiday and the last 3k on 0% interest for the first few months of 2019. Ambitious perhaps but will see.

If you’ve made it through this long post thank you! Here it is to a new, better year where I am back in control of my life and finances. 37 days gambling free.

Checking in day 17, well done everyone

Checking in, 1404 days.

Found it! I thought I was imagining this thread when I couldn't find it in my previous posts.

Clocking in for another week. Good luck everyone.

Hi All

Checking in again - 59 days and counting 🙂

Don't want to miss check in so will do my Monday check in but I'll keep an eye on any new thread.