Don't do it! That 'half an hour' WILL lead to disaster and misery for you.
You are doing so, so well.
Don't spoil it!
NT
Hi Mm
Good to see you back. Know what you mean about the half hour it hits me as a great idea every now and then, actually cried off a work day out last week as it was changed from a round of golf to horse racing. Did not trust myself to not have a bet.
Keep strong. We are getting there
Pat
Just had a quick read of the last few pages.
You are doing so well, but feel compelled to tell you the half hour is really not worth it.. as I found out 4 days ago and £400 later I knew it had been a bad idea. There is only ever one loser... US
Stay strong.
Jon
7 months 3-and-a half weeks
I can really feel that something's changed now; I'm home alone, my OH and 2 kids are away for a fortnight in her home country and I'm here painting the house and doing various other home improvements. I'm flying out to meet them next week, then we're all coming back together the week after.
What's different this time is that I really have spent all the time at home doing what i said I would i.e painting and repairing. In previous times I would certainly have been down the casino, or at least shovelling money in a bandit somewhere. That urge has not reared its head, although I have thought about it in passing.
I've been reading another diary on here, one I've followed for quite a while, and this person is slipping quite a lot. She's talking about money like it's just telephone numbers, a few hundred here, lost a grand won a grand and a half, waiting for a few hundred etc. This had a strange effect on me: on the one hand, it did awaken some small desire to be a part of the action. I miss playing the 'Big Man With The Wad', spraying the money around and waiting for the rewards. On the other hand, I was appalled to see the ghost of my past there; the complete loss of perpsective of what money is, and what we could do with it. What IS a couple of grand? In my current circumstances, it's nearly 2 months' wages. Yet, I prob lost in the region of £18k last year (that's a very broad guess).
My finances have taken a turn for the worse of late, but mainly because I've relaxed a little. There are things I need to buy with 2 children, so I've just gone ahead and bought them anyway. I have been given an increase in my tax credits, and hopefully I will start to see the difference in a few months. At least things are reasonably stable for now. Gambling, although still missed, is NOT an option.
Stay strong everyone!
Cheers Milkman.
My question for myself is based on the fact that I slipped after 9 weeks... without a blink. I do need this at the moment to create space away from "the gamble" but, as I said, I kind of reviewed the process i went through, and for me, whilst I appreciate this is a medicine, it also is the only thing... almost... that makes me think about gambling... but I do realise that if I spent 5 days away from here that the thoughts would be there regardless. I am just trying to sort this out in my head for me... and it is important to me to question things as they are otherwise I may not find my way. This maybe my way... I don't know yet...
I reallly do appreciate your post, it questions my thoughts, and sometimes we need that.
Although on first read I thought you called me "a**l" ;O)... but that would be ok too... sometimes i don't think mollicoddling (absolutely no idea how to spell that and can't be arsed googling it).. is not always the right way... sometimes we need truthful opinions..... this is a harsh situation, all support is welcome... but sometimes our thoughts should be questioned.
Thanks
Jon
8 months today and still gamble free!
Well done mate..
I'm just beginning, hopefully I can be as strong as you.
You are in cruise control at the moment. A perfect time to be seduced into having a flutter. Stay strong and enjoy your holiday!
Point taken - will do Pelle.
No internet now for one week, going away, extremely unlikely to have the opp to gamble, so next week it will be just over 8 months and one and a half weeks. See y'all later!
8 months, 10 days
No gambling. Debts mounting at present due to many house improvements I've carried out recently - all DIY, would prefer to pay someone but that just isn't possilbe. Still, spent over £200 on wood, over £100 on paint, bought some new bedding and sheets etc etc, long overdue, and the house looks better for it, but I'm going to have to be very frugal for a month or two to start nudging the debt downwards. sometimes it's sickening to think how comfortable we'd be if I hadn't had the bender last year, but at least two positives - one, I don't gamble any more, and two, it could be worse - I stopped just in time.
Hi Milkman... hope you had a good time away.
Whilst it easy to look into the past and regret, even if only for a moment, it is even better to look into the future and create times to look back on which are far more positive and rewarding... which you are doing now.
No regrets ... just moving forward... reprogramming... ( I listen... sometimes ;O) )
Jon
8 months, 3 weeks
So many demands now on my money. I can't believe how I just threw around grands like they were sweet money less than a year ago.I need to seriously buckle down now and reduce these debts. The next two months I'm going to blitz my overdraft - I might be able to clear it by the 1st Oct, but I'll need more discipline than I've got, I fear. I'm drinking too much at the moment, not in a 'problem' way, but in a 'mpney' way - prob having 3 pints of ale a night, seldom more (I just fall asleep if I do, so i don't). 3 pints is £50 a week, which is £200 a month. I know I need the money, but I also need an outlet to wind down, and currently this is it. I have two v energetic kids, one high emotional-maintenance wife, and at the end of the day when they're all in bed (about 9) I just walk around the corner and relax for an hour. Will reduce it to two pints from today, aim for one and a half a week from now.
A year ago I'd think nothing about having £1500 on a hand of BJ. how times change!
Debt 1 - £4,850
Debt 2 - paid off
Debt 3 - paid off
Debt 4 - £3,000, Cc
Debt 5 - £1,500 CC2
Overdraft: £700
Opening debt: £13,500
Current debt: £10,050
Last gamble: 31st Oct 2011
Debt-free day: 24th december 2013
Hi MM, hope you enjoyed your 2 beers last night. it is important to have some you time, we all need it.
The debts are still going the right way but they certainly take more time to clear than they do to amass... i have not spent anything on my CC since Jan but it is still not reducing in any meaningful way at all. Still have a debt free day of Feb 2015, really want to move that in a bit but at the moment i cant see it happening to be honest.
The day i clear those debts will truly be a great day, i will celebrate that day in style
🙂
Keep strong
Pat,
by the way i am not making a move, have turned it down.
Why not take advantage of supermarket offers, get a nice pint glass for yourself and stick a few cans in the fridge?
You can still enjoy your drink and you might find it to be half the cost.
Enjoy your weekend.
NT
Hello Milkman, are you okay? You have not updated us for a week or so. I hope everything is okay. To be honest, I have reached a point on my diary where I am bored of it. I have lost interest in the site. Being away made me realise that I did not need to login every day. I can live without my diary. However, I shall try to keep it going until the end of the year.
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