26th September 2023 - Day 1
And so it begins …
If you’d have told me a year ago, I would be sitting here, writing a diary post of a gambling support forum, I would have laughed in your face! “Nah not me, I only have a little flutter now and then”.
Skip forward 12 months and nearly £30k in debt and I can safely say … I’ve got a problem.
it all started around 8 years ago, when out of the blue on a random Friday night £30 on online bingo I won!! It felt incredible, I had no debt at the time so it was all there for me to just spend as I wished, and I spent it quickly!
Over the years I would keep having the occasionally monthly ‘flutter’ but heavily restricted myself to £100 a month only using gambling controls.
Fast forward to 2023, again on these occasional flutters I won big again, this time on online slots. But … I didn’t enjoy it and spend it - I ‘reinvested’ it into the games in high value spins, hoping to increase my win. My balance kept going up and down, then it was all gone.
I kept going though, keep spinning and spinning until I was another 8k in debt, using my large overdraft and credit cards thinking I was going to win big again and clear it off. Which I did!
can you see the vicious cycle?
I then kept playing and here I sit now having accumulated almost 18k in gambling debts. Using money for household bills to just try and win that little bit more and hit that big win to pay the debts.
As soon as I started spending money I needed to bills, I thought NO - this has to stop. Joined the Gamstop and even thought I sit here today without enough money to pay my bills this month and no hope of clearing my debt in the next 10 years … I feel good.
I just hope I’m strong enough to do it through the difficult times I’m going to be short of money paying this back.
but I made my bed, I have to lie in it.
I’m going to use this as a diary for my thoughts and hopefully anyone reading this will enjoy my journey.
I fully appreciate your post. I’ve just joined gamcare today, as a 26 year old female gambler. Just like you, I won big. Slowly turned into me trying to deposit hundreds a day, money I DEFINITELY don’t have. In debt, regretful, and had enough. It’s taken over my life and I’ve tried to fill emptiness each evening by gambling, but it keeps making me feel worse. Thank you for posting, I feel less alone. G x
Thirty eight year old female here too. I’ve been gamble free for 260 days and still going. It’s not an easy journey by any means but it’s possible. Can’t really tell you if I’m not gambling because of willpower or because I just don’t have the funds to do it but either way, I’ll take it. All the best with your journey. Look forward to reading your diary!!!
Recovery is always on going and if you keep it up the debts can be paid off and freedom can be earned in more ways than one but you got to want it l!
Good luck ladies dave101
It’s great to read your new found determination to have a bright future life and when you start helping others it really takes off keeping a daily journal of all financial moves and sharing it with partner and close family will also work wonders
As the old saying goes. How do you eat an elephant
One bite at a time
step by step
Exercise. Outdoor walking. Control breathing. Volunteering and chatting with mates. Best
you have ways out of debt.a debt management plan.a debt relief order or an IVA or bankruptcy.im on a debt management plan.my dent came from holidays cars furniture.but gambling didn't add to the debt
it stopped me paying it back fast and on time.so I defaulted my plans with stepchange debt charity and money saving forum help.
unsecured debts are not a worry pay your priority debts rent gas etc
nobody event went to jail for being late with bank loan credit card.they companies sell the debt and you need to ignore most of their threats.its all computer generated.
We are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also contact us for free on 0808 80 20 133. If you would like to find out more about the service before you start, including information on confidentiality, please click below. Call recordings and chat transcripts are saved for 28 days for quality assurance.
