Slot machines.....

Midnightgambler

Hello. Long time lurker as they say but have been reading the dfw section for a good while now. I am in admiration of peoples light bulb moments and how they are tackling their debts. I used to think my situation was different but really it is not.

My secret i guess for the last 6 years has been the fact that I am irresponsible with slot machines, both online and the ones in the bookies. The last straw came last night when I couldn't be bothered to make myself a bowl of pasta and went to the takeaway. My local takeaway does mini meals for a fiver so it is very convenient that way and an easy way to rationalise the cost.

Anyway there is a bookies around the corner and I find it a very convenient way to fill the 5 or so minutes waiting for my dinner. I took £30 out the cash machine and spent 5 on the meal and 25 on the slots. My dinner cost me £30 and I have had enough.

I added up all the money I had spent on the slots through my credit card statements over the last 3 years that i have kept in a folder (a tip from this site) and it is gut wrenching. That doesn't even factor in the cash spent in bookies. I have had a couple of big wins in there but always goes back in.

My debt situation is limited to the one card that is linked to my online account and it currently has £5k on it. I also have £1.6k left on a loan of £5k that I took out to clear the card previously the last time i said enough was enough. The issue is I had a good job and could afford to repay these things off in lumps with overtime etc. Recently that changed and o/t has gone and I find myself having to stare this thing in the face. I am going to pay the loan off with small cash balance that will leave me with £5k on the card and a nil bank balance. I have no overdraft facility to speak of (£100) so will be doing things the hard way.

Sorry for rambling on but this helps me share it and get it off my chest, as I have read many others say this in their initial posts.

I know this will be a struggle and i just need to stop playing the machines.

I am so annoyed that the majority of my cash has been wasted and it's my own stupid fault that I am now in debt. I have done an soa and used the snowball calculator and have worked out that it will take me 19 months to clear this down.

I am going to join in the various challenges for 2011 and take a lot of heart from the many many people getting control of their situation.

Thanks for listening.

mariemcg

Hi

First of all, well done for facing up to the fact that you have a problem. There are many people here who will be able to help you. My personal favourite is Martin's "demotivator" tool - even just a few pounds a day adds up over a year and it really does shame you into changing your behaviour.

clemmatis

Hello. If it's any help, about two years ago, I was where you are now (except I still had some spare money). Now, I am OK. But it was a struggle. It would have been easier if I'd posted here but I really didn't know this site then.

Have you closed your accounts at the online sites, either temporarily or permanently? Have you been in touch with gamcare?


Post about how things are going

timbstoke

The fact that it's a bookies rather than a slot in the takeaway or a pub is actually good for you. Go in there, and tell them you wish to 'self exclude' - effectively, that means you wish to bar yourself. They'll take your photo and should refuse to allow you entry to the premises again. You can do this online too - they'll close your account and prevent you from accessing it again. You can do this permanently or just for a period of time (at least 6 months).

Get in touch with Gamcare - they can give good advice on where to go from here.

g_attrill

Most sites have a facility to block yourself from using them - if you just want to stop then that is an option - http://www.gambleaware.co.uk/ might have more info.

For the takeaway, do you have something else you can do while waiting for the meal - a game on a phone, take a newspaper or book? Also perhaps keep a small supply of £5 notes at home and take one for the meal and leave the wallet at home.

carlw

Hi,

I have been where you are, and was probably a lot worse. I ran up credit cards and overdrafts almost solely from gambling, in bookies and online. Little bits here and there but so often it built up. Even nights out down the pub, i would buy a round for £12 and stick the other £8 in the fruit machine. This adds up over a night, and the nights add up over the weeks. I too took loans out to pay off the credit cards and ended up running the credit card back up. The end result was about 10k of debt. I have also squandered 100's if not a few thousand of savings in online casinos. It probably sounds like i have a gambling problem, and maybe i do, and maybe its the same for everyone, but i never enjoyed gambling, i just wanted some easy money, and once i had lost the first bit i would chase it just to get back to where i was before. 2 years ago i cut my loses and i don’t gamble online or in betting shops, or use pub fruit machines. I’ve accepted ill always lose in the long run and i don’t struggle not gambling at all. I’ve cleared all my debts and built up a few thousand pounds savings now.

If you don’t think you can stop then seek help. If you think you can, just draw a line under the past and just accept that money has gone. Before you know it you will be able to clear your debts, especially from the help available on here. Accepting something has got to change permanently is the hardest part.

Good luck

Midnightgambler

Thanks all. I am going to contact gamcare. I also don't like gambling, I keep thinking that if I win back the £20odd k that I have lost then I would definitely stop. I just want my money back but I realise that the bookies always win. Drawing a line and moving on is what I am going to try and do. It hurts a lot to have got to this point.

jaffacakegal

timbstoke wrote: »

The fact that it's a bookies rather than a slot in the takeaway or a pub is actually good for you. Go in there, and tell them you wish to 'self exclude' - effectively, that means you wish to bar yourself. They'll take your photo and should refuse to allow you entry to the premises again. You can do this online too - they'll close your account and prevent you from accessing it again. You can do this permanently or just for a period of time (at least 6 months).

Get in touch with Gamcare - they can give good advice on where to go from here.

I used to work at a bookies - Self-exclusion is a good idea, you can request to be excluded from all of the company's branches. It's all down to you though, it's not going to work if you just go to another firm instead. The machines are dangerous, I've seen how much people can sink into them in a day, I've had to count it! You are best trying to stay away!

Norfolk_Jim

Midnightgambler wrote: »

Thanks all. I am going to contact gamcare. I also don't like gambling, I keep thinking that if I win back the £20odd k that I have lost then I would definitely stop. I just want my money back but I realise that the bookies always win. Drawing a line and moving on is what I am going to try and do. It hurts a lot to have got to this point.

even if you did win it all back somehow, if you have a gambling problem you WILL lose it all again, believe me, I know. The only way is to stop and stay stopped. Good luck and keep on comming here, theres a strange help from the kindness of strangers and the safety of staying anonymous

Fru_T_Bun

jaffacakegal wrote: »

I used to work at a bookies - Self-exclusion is a good idea, you can request to be excluded from all of the company's branches. It's all down to you though, it's not going to work if you just go to another firm instead. The machines are dangerous, I've seen how much people can sink into them in a day, I've had to count it! You are best trying to stay away!

I would 2nd this comment.
Recently self exluded from all bookies in my area.

Like most others I was spending hours on end on these things, family wondering where I was etc.

I got passport photos and was amazed how easy it was to go into all the shops and self exclude.

As has been said, theres no point in only doing some shops then going into another, it has to be all or nothing.

As the weeks have went on, I find i am realising more and more what these things were doing to me and esp my finances.

Would defo recommend self excluding.

illgetthere

I love the fruit machines. the difference is that i have bought one for my own use and put my bits of change in when its in my pocket.

Its scary to see that after a month or two there could be £80 in it.

By doing this it shows the odds of these things. To win a £25 Jackpot, over £125 needs to go into the machine- a £250 jackpot machine needs in excess of £1500!!!


I NEVER PLAY THESE IN ARCADES as my machine shows that you will NEVER win.

Good luck to the OP.