Gambling debt plan

Superted85

I empathise with the position you are in TrimmTrabb.
It has taken me a long time to admit it but I too have a gambling problem. It came out of nowhere and I managed to rack up sky high debts on credit cards. What has got me the most is the emotional impact this has had. I always enjoyed a bit of online bingo and never spent more than I could afford, maybe £20 a week. However one day about 18 months ago I signed up to a well known site and in a very short space of time became hooked on slots, despite having never played them before. At my worst I ran up in excess of 20k worth of debts. I couldn't believe what I had done, I consider myself a bright person, with a good job, a young family and responsibilities but over the last 18 months I became a person I didn't even recognise or like. I felt so ashamed for risking everything I have worked so hard to achieve. I felt that I let everyone down and placed my family under huge financial pressure, for what? for nothing. I started suffering from huge levels of anxiety, as I was carrying around this massive burden and worry and I was too afraid to tell anyone for fear of judgement and fear of the consequences - scared my husband would leave me for betraying and breaking his trust so much. In the end it go so much I had to tell him and I must say he has been wonderfully supportive and forgiving, now he says its not about him forgiving me because he has, it's about me learning to forgive myself and be the person I once was.
I have now closed the online account. I wish I had done it sooner. I am also very fortunate that a member of my family has helped me out and loaned me a large sum. Obviously, I have to pay it back but it takes the pressure off thats for sure. I never want to get in this position again
I would wish you luck, but wishing for luck is what has gotten us here. Instead I will say stick to your plan. You can do it

Muhren

That sounds pretty much identical to my situation, and all the thoughts and feelings I had, and still do have Superted.


I got myself into huge debt over the course of 9 months and looking back I can't quite believe that it was me doing it. I am on the road to recovery now and if I can do it so can anyone else.

Superted85

I really hope one day I will be able to forgive myself for being so stupid and irresponsible. In the meantime I just have to stay focussed and I hope then I can give my family a reason to be proud of me once more. It's awful feeling like such a failure.

TrimmTrabb

I think you have to forgive yourself eventually, I never did when i tried to stop in the past and it led to more gambling.
I feel a lot better about myself now . The debt is horrible, but that will be paid back in time and I have a target to aim for.
I have been using some forums online for help and I have realised it can happen to anybody, but if you want to stop, you can!:)

My new book arrived today, will start reading later.

MrCrimeFiction

Hello, you'll defo get plenty of support on here

I'm in my 20's and I had been gambling online since I was 14. From 14 - 20, I reckon I spent about £50-£60k (thousand) on gambling as all my spare money went on it.

I would stop for a few weeks until pay day, then try and get that big win to buy something nice. It would never work and I got myself into further debt.

Eventually, last year I confessed to my partner. She wasn't initially happy but was very supportive. I had about £20,000 worth of debts at that point. It was alot higher a few years before that when I had a car on HP.

I didnt gamble for about 9 months until on two separate occasions last month and this month. It was me being silly and straight away I knew what I was doing was really bad. It wasn't a huge amount, few hundred, but it could have gone on my loans as over payments.

I've managed to knock about a third off my debts in under a year by working hard and keeping a dairy on here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5053314

Please keep visiting this site, it's helped me so much. I feel that i'm now answerable to the people to support me on my thread and its great posting success and getting feedback. Every time I go to buy something now for myself I ask myself how would people on MSE see the purchase in relation to my current position.

Block those gambling sites and try taking up a new hobbie. I do think about gambling still on a frequent basis but instead i'll try and read or watch a movie, resisting any temptation.

Good luck

MrCF

TrimmTrabb

I am having extra gym sessions at the moment and I am going to start cycling more, instead of lying about the house.
I have been watching more movies instead too, that does help..
My laptop has been blocked and I have emailed Betfair etc telling them to make my exclusion permanent now.

I think what I will find most difficult, is watching sport, as I love it,football,tennis, golf ,boxing etc. I need to remember, I still enjoyed them in past without having a bet on it.

Mugs Game!

**laura**

Good luck.
My husband is an addicted gambler. I've recently found out that he has run up £30k of debts as well as the £50k we have of our own. Needless to say things aren't well here ATM! he's trying, has been to GA for the last 5/6 weeks and will continue attending. I hope you manage to cover one your addiction - it's an illness and should be treated as such but sadly there's no magic cure for it! x

moneyonmymindsam

Good evening Trim , Best of luck on your Journey! Well done on the last three weeks ...huge congrats !!!


Keep posting wishing you the very best of luck ...! Have you completed a budget and SOA so you have an accurate picture of spends, incoming and outgoings...


Hang on in there things can only get better ...Well done for tackling it before it was too late.

TrimmTrabb

not yet, will have a look!

Muhren

TrimmTrabb wrote: »

I am having extra gym sessions at the moment and I am going to start cycling more, instead of lying about the house.
I have been watching more movies instead too, that does help..
My laptop has been blocked and I have emailed Betfair etc telling them to make my exclusion permanent now.

I think what I will find most difficult, is watching sport, as I love it,football,tennis, golf ,boxing etc. I need to remember, I still enjoyed them in past without having a bet on it.

Mugs Game!

I love sport as well and still watch it all the time. I'm planning on watching the womens football tonight. Don't you find that you can actually watch it for what it is now rather than worrying if you are going to lose money?