It's getting easier

Day 62 everything going well, decided I'm going to re-start my driving lessons, I've already done loads of lessons but failed my test last year and gave up, said i couldnt afford to keep trying but I could have, just prefered to waste my money gambling! Not anymore though, this year I'll be finding better ways to spend my time and money.

Good to hear from you. Great that you can start to look at better spending your money. Learning to drive is a big thing that'll help you out nicely if you can pass that this year!

Thanks sjw, I can drive ok it's just my nerves on the test! Need to practice my relaxation techniques, it's a good thing to focus on and very usefull if I can pass!

Day 70 still gamble free! Had some real urges yesterday, probably due to boredom. I've stopped planning things to do on my days off work, and kept the money for my daughter's ballet fees in my own bank. Bit off a dangerous combination, I think because I've done so well and don't get many urges anymore I've stopped being as carefull. Need to keep coming on here to remind myself why I really need to make sure I don't slip back into it all over again.

Day 78 gf! No urges at all this last week, been keeping busy with work and driving lessons. Feeling really good about how much better my life feels just in this short time. Also just been trying to work out how much money I've saved from not gambling, ВЈ240 just from scratch cards, ВЈ350 from online bingo and impossible to work out how much from the slots machines as it would just depend on how much money I had, could spend anything from ВЈ10 to £600 at a time and was random how often I would go in but usually a few times a week, so I don't need to put an exact figure to know that I've saved alot. It's a brilliant feeling to not have money worries, especially in the middle of January when even people without gambling addictions are feeling hard up!

Well done for resisting you are doing great . As many people say on here forget about the past losses .If someone asked me if I could pay £2000 to take away all of the negative thoughts , all the stress and lies and the general horrible feelings day to day I would have taken it . In fact I did and that was my last gambling binge and I see that last one as the best money I have spent . It’s taught me that enough is enough and hopefully you can see your last loss like that too

Thanks vulture, your right about the losses, at first I was thinking about how much I'D lost everyday feeling sick and thinking what I could of done with that money, now I'm glad of the final big loss because it's what made me quit all forms of gambling all together, now I'm just thinking of how much I'm saving from no longer gambling it's unbelievable that I was wasting so much, I'll hopefully never be so stupid again!

We both know that it’s not just about the money . The money loss is a byproduct of what we do. How are you changing in other areas of your life ?

Finding much better ways to spend my time, meeting up with friends, cooking more so eating better must be improving my health and mood, started my driving lessons again, even being able to read a book, doesn't sound like much but when I was gambling I couldn't concentrate on a book, I was always to stressed out or worried to be able to relax enough to read, or if I had money id be on my phone at night playing online bingo! But probably most important is the relief to not feel like I can't stop even when id tried, I felt like gambling controlled me but not anymore! How about you?

Glad you are finding other things . Wow where to I start ? Being more focussed at work where I am a sales manager . Being a better husband and father to two small children . Going to the gym , spinning there , playing pool weekly and tonight snooker with a friend . I guess I was doing all of that before but not with much effort

Day 83 gf, been feeling really positive latley but then failed my driving test again this morning and back to feeling low, mixed with worry about how much more money it's gonna cost for more lessons and another test and I was right back with really strong urges to gamble. I won't give in though, doing my usual, checking in on here and knowing this will pass by tomorrow!

My wife took 4 attempts and 7 theory tests which I had to pay for whilst I was still gambling !! You will get there in the end , well done on still being clean

A couple of my friends passed on there 4th, I'm hoping for my 3rd time lucky now! And wow 7 theory tests!! I did 2 they are quite hard. I know I'll manage it's just disappointing when I drive so well in my lessons then mess up in the test, it's my nerves.

She struggled as she is polish and English isn’t her first language . You have to take the test in English which is right and proper so she did struggle a bit . I’m sure you will pass soon !

Aww no wonder, I struggled and English is my first language, I deffinatly couldn't do it in another language