Closure - 13th Feb 2014

We all need to nag to ourselves from time to time and you have managed to carry this out well.

Carry on with what you are doing with those little ways of earning money but don't forget to treat yourself a little every now and then.

After all, you deserve it!

NT

Thanks for that - a few days of feeling sorry for myself, followed by a few days of reflection, followed by a few days of motivating myself again, and the last blip is history ! I've repopulated my bank account, a few steps back financially (actually over a months salary !), and I'm ready to climb back onto the wagon.

A real lesson has been learnt about (a) Being complacent and (b) Working my self up. I'm focusing less on spreadsheets and targets, more on self-respect and giving myself a break. Money-wise, the rule is simple £700/month from salary/overtime to debts, and half of any extra cash. The rest I'll do what I want with (except for gambling of course !). Paid in 3 years - Easy Peasy !

It is quite unbelievable how similar our stories are...it will be 3 years to clear my debts as well...if I was a gambling man I would bet that we clear out debts on the same day lol 🙂

Glad you have gotten over the recent blip and have found a new wave of determination! Keep it up 🙂

Lots of Love

Shorty xxx

Feeling well run down at the moment, so had a trip to boots today to stock up on multi-vits, and some stress-relief tablets. Found myself trying to save a few quid, comparing prices. How different this was to last week when I was throwing £25/£50 bets on without a thought. Pleased I've returned to the real world.

Money situation for this month sorted bills paid with a little bit spare. Good pay packet coming up, so relaxed about that side of things. But pressure cranked up at work for the next 2 weeks, and 2 late nights making me feel tired and worn out today. Need a restful day today. I'm not counting the days until last gamble yet until I have at least 10 on the board. Need to keep reminding myself that these are temporary glitches in what can be incredibly bright future.

And by choosing not to gamble, it WILL be an incredibly bright future for you AND your family.

Just keep remembering this.

NT

I'm not very good at handling pressure. Pressures at work, pressures at home, I always look for an escape. The times when I've gambled, and fallen off the wagon has been at times of pressure. I gambled the first time, when I was starting to feel the pressure of paying a huge mortgage, and there were uncertainties about my job. I gambled the 2nd time, when there was a death in the family, and with the ensuing upheaval with a challenging family member being left homeless and inviting themselves to stay under our roof. I gambled again recently when project pressures cranked up, with b*llockings imminent.

I've wondered around in a trance for the last week, shaking my head. I just want to get back to where I was. A bright future lies ahead if. I need to find some way of handling this pressure better.

Day 1

Self-excluded tonight from the on-line casino which I'd fallen off the wagon into. A liberating experience - a weight off my shoulders. Just working it out, Gambling and it's consequences have taken 1194 days of my life to date. The debt is 1 thing, and never once in all of that time have been short of cash, so the act of making the min payments to date has not been too much of a problem and long may this continue. No, the real affect has been on my self-respect, my self-confidence, my quality of life, and long term effects on family relationships, with my over tiredness and mood swings. I fret about work because I know I can do better, but I don't because I'm constantly tired. I also make mistakes at work, one which I'm about to get a real b*llocking for tomorrow, and yet I'm on course for a promotion (well, through the 1st selection phase) - but ultimately, I couldn't give a stuff about work and if I could retire tomorrow I would. Financial aspect of promotion is the only thing that appeals to me to be honest. Deep down, I know home life is what is important.

Days 2,3,4

Issues at work sorted for the time being. No gambling urges now that I've self-excluded. Money in my account. Everything looking OK at the moment.

Day 5,6

Having self-excluded, the gambling urge is no longer there. Simple.

Day 7,8

Closing in on first target 10 days. No gambling urges.

Day 9

Good night's sleep last night, feeling much better today. The sun is shining, and I have a good feeling about things at the moment. Between now and Christmas,

200+ days gamble free.

Get my promotion.

Get 2 CC's paid off.

Take up running and football again.

Everything else will fall into place - no more tiredness and grumpiness, or stress and worry.

Day 10

Into double figures. Been here before, this time it will be permanent.

I can't believe we are both on day 10....are you living my life in another part of the world...?! Really feels that way!

Lots of love

Shorty xxx

Day 11

Job interview went really badly - froze under the pressure I'm afraid. Spent the rest of the day convincing myself that it was a bad idea anyway. I'm not really that interested in career progression - only interested from the pay and salary point of view. But I know that if I did get the promotion, a whole heap of pressure will be flung on me, and is this really what I need at the moment ? I work in an environment where profit is everything, and management is disliked for the pressure they put on their staff. Do I really want to be embroiled in all of that ? Even if it is money, an extra hr a day of work in my own time should more than compensate for any pay rise I'd miss out on. I've had a tough few years, which has made me realise what's important in life - and for me, provided I continue to do what I'm paid for, when I come home I focus on the important things, a father and husband, and I'm afraid that the company shareholders come a very very distant 2nd in my priorities.