don't really know why i'm doing this ???

char22

hi
I know how unbelievibly stupid i am !!! and don't really want judging , although i'm aware you will because i would ! lol
Basically i'm a complete screw up and have to put on a pretty smile to everyone , pretending its alright when it ain't.
I haven't got massive debt , but for me it is around £4550
The biggy i have is a , dare i say it ..... wonga loan of £500 , i keep borrow, stuck in the wonga loop !!! My biggest problem is i think i may have a slight gmabling problem ? i've keep betting money away in the hope of winning the money to solve my problems...... be it scrathcards, online bingo or races i just keep thinking i can make it better !!! even though i kno i can't !! i've just this second typed to an online gambling chat and the adisor said her shift ends at 2 , so could offer no advice !! without the wonga loan i feel i could manage the rest of my debts . i have nothing to sell and can't tell anyone or have anyone to borrow from . If i ring wonga up and ask to spread my payments they won't let me will they ???? so i just feel like i'm going to be stuck like this forever. I was thinking about right to another debt to reduce minimum payments and throw the extra at wonga but then won't i just be screwing up my credit rating even more ? i really don't know why i'm writing this, just needed to write it down i think ??? makes it more real ? x

mr2jay

Hey there - not going to judge, I think most of us have hoped and prayed that there is an easy win that will solve our problems. Truth is, it is called gambling for a reason and you are far more likely to lose than win

I used to have an issue with fruit machines - all those flashy lights and big numbers flashing away and before you know it, there is £50 gone and you feel dumb for thinking that the jackpot is just around the corner. So yes, I do understand.

My advice is this. Stop. Completely. No lottery, no scratchcards, no bingo - nothing. Your money is far more effective being spent on clearing that small debt than on a hope that your numbers will come in.

I understand it is harder than it sounds. I gave up going to pubs to remove myself from the temptation. Thankfully, I have slain that beast and although I will occassionally pop a couple of quid in if I feel lucky, it stops there. I have control over it.

debtcutter

You're probably going to get a few judging you, but don't worry about that. You have enough on your plate.

Posting your problems on here is a great way to start solving your problems. Just typing it out can help to hit home the scale of the problem.

One thing I'm not sure about Wonga, I keep reading in the paper that they only let people roll loans over for 3 months. How many have you rolled over for?

What I don't understand is how that can be true in all cases? If someone can't pay the balance in full after 3 months, what happens?

In regards to your gambling, you need to ban yourself from all of your online gambling accounts. I used to have a £20/month limit on a bet365 account. After a while I realised that even that was pretty !!!!!!, when I was trying to get out of debt as quickly as possible.

Is there anyone in your family that you trust enough to talk to directly? It would really help you. If there's someone you trust enough to involve people you don't like - do it!

ellesbellesxxx

You have already taken a massive step by realising something needs to change - so well done you. How frustrating that you couldn't get advice on the gambling. However, I would imagine that you will have to give yourself osme tough love - you have to stop. You said yourself, that you are spending money to TRY to win money...however the stats speak for themselves.
If you put up a SOA on here, we can offer you advice as to how to tackle other debts. Some people seem to have had luck with a payment plan with WOnga however reading their T and Cs it seems tough.

Good luck

antonia1

Hi OP - congratulations on realising there is a problem. Have you tried contacting gamcare (http://www.gamcare.org.uk/) or gamblers anonymous (http://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/)?

Barbeduk

Well done for recognising the gambling is a problem. Hope you get to speak to someone about it soon, first steps and all that.

Re WONGA I've luckily never dealt with them. I'm sure someone will be on soon with advice on this.

Good luck.

scattydove

I can only echo what everybody else has said. Well done for writing it all down here though. That is the first, and perhaps most important step, in this journey. I would agree with everybody else and say you definitely need to go cold turkey with the gambling. Every pound you sink into a lottery ticket could be sunk into the wonga debt instead. It will be a much longer process than if you won the lottery, but you'll feel a helluva lot better at the end of it.

I'd also recommend you speak to somebody about it all. Either a close family member, or friend who you're able to trust? Or the CAB/a counselling service? Sometimes all you need is just to talk to somebody (and being on these boards is a great step in that direction) to help things click into place.

Good luck x