Day 7
Now registered for Gamstop, making it nigh on impossible to Gamble now and with a financial situation that will recover in time, now I can focus on getting my head straight again and re-engage with the things I’ve neglected for the last 10yrs. I feel this is a new beginning.
Day 8
Trying to get as much overtime in as I can when it’s available. I’m presuming that Gamstop has kicked in by now so as far as my mind is concerned, that Avenue has been blocked off completely now so no point even thinking about it.
Day 9
Big night out last night. Feeling the affects today. Will probably need a chill day today and put some extra overtime effort in during the week.
Day 10
Overtime now coming to an end. Might vent my spleen on a later post about this decision. Anyway, needless to say I’m extremely unhappy about it. This will make things more difficult, but at least 2/10 Credit cards paid off by the end of next month. The rest of the Debt repayment will be a slow and painful process over the coming months and years.
Day 10
Typically 1 week after I sign up to Gamstop which should lay my Gambling demons to rest, a huge means of paying off the debt is removed without rhyme or reason. Typically frustrating. I guess I just need to suck it up, get my head down and work my way out of this mess. A long hard road ahead.
Day 11
Regardless of what I think, the fact of the matter is, other than taking my time and almost my sanity, gambling has also left me trapped in a boring and utterly unchallenging job , but pays well enough to get me out of this mess. I know Gambling is no longer a way out of this, not that I’d ever considered it, but the fact is, I’ve been stuck in this job for 20 years, in which time, I’ve got married, bought 2 houses and had 2 kids. There’s always been something to take the attention away from the job in an industry which I have absolutely no interest. Now that the gambling fog is lifting, I’m starting to realise and take stock of where I am. I’m literally in the same place as I was 20yrs ago, same job, same grade, more or less the same desk. I’ve had opportunities to leave in the past, but for that to happen I’d need to consider taking a considerable pay cut and in the present financial situation, I can’t even begin to contemplate this. Maybe’s I’m just being selfish, an easy job for decent money isn’t so bad I suppose, stick it out for another 20yrs and perhaps I’ll reach retirement with money in the bank and something to look forward to. Anyway, the important thing for the time being is that I reach Day11 with no gambling thoughts whatsoever.
Day 11
And here endeth yet another deadly dull day. But at least without any gambling horrors. Gamstop is perhaps the greatest ever invention. I’d be interested to see what impact this might have on the gambling industry.
Day 12
Gamstop in place which I’m mightily relieved by as I embark on another deadly dull day at work. Yawn.
Day 13
Payday today. My biggest pay packet ever paying off 1 overdraft and 2 Credit card bills. The rest of it comfortably covers around 3 months min CC payments which I’ll keep in reserve for the time being. Elsewhere, another dull dull day ahead. Yawn (x2)
Day 13
Your manager seeing that you’ve earned more than them in the last month is a sure fire way for them to stop your overtime - if they have the mentality of a 5 year old. Checked the legal ins and outs of this and it does very much look like discrimination as others are still happily doing it. Might have a word with my union on this.
Suddenly dawned on me that having had 10yrs of hard work, with evenings of ferrying my kids around to clubs/friends, fixing up our house, and earning extra cash with Mystery Shopping, eBay and other stuff, with last 6 months of overtime. I now realise, the work is no longer hard or engaging, the kids are now independent and don’t have their clubs, our house is fixed, and I no longer have any means of earning extra cash, I’m now unfeasibly bored. I have time on my hands and I can’t think what to do with it. I’m so pleased I enrolled on Gamstop though because I know where this would have led.
Good luck Michael. Back to day 1 for myself, going to read the book you’ve recommended. All the best 🙂
Day 15
Off to work for a bit more overtime before it finally closes. Felt extremely angry all week, but thankfully have managed to stopped myself putting my foot in it both at home and at work. Up until 2 weeks ago, and signing up to Gamstop I would have just locked myself away, logged on and gambled away a few more hundred quid and spent the next week being angry myself. Need to think about what it is that’s making me so angry though.
Day 16
Last day of overtime - will try and go for a long shift tonight. After tonight, I will be out of the routine with time on my hands. Although my latest bout of gambling has left me thousands upon thousands worse off, I’m still convinced the situation is recoverable, but without Gamstop, I know exactly how I’d fill my free time.
16 days is great, well done.
Sounds like Gamstop will work for you.
Even though online gambling has never really been my vice, I also signed up to Gamstop. You never know...
NT
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