GAMBLING DEBT!

IrishSean

Don't worry too much about contacting bank unless you use your debit card in the bookies. 

Gamstop will block you from being able to register at any bookmaker or access any account. 

I had a couple of accounts I was 'good' on; kept them open, was really good not using my credit card then last time boom, ended up maxxing my CC, still paying it (technically). 
Once I did gamstop it changed everything; real life losses were reduced to hundreds as opposed to thousands (sometimes over 10) online. 

It's not easy to stop you simply have to block as much as possible. Having access to a casino / bookies in your pocket is really bad; in short here's the 5 things I would do to change the whole rotten system:
1. Credit check everyone: deposits limited to 10% annual earnings only, reviewed 6 monthly.
2. Massively curtail advertising, esp. football shirts
3. Only give licences to companies based entirely in the UK so they can have random audits. Ban the rest. Cheating by offshore bookies & casinos is rife. 
4. Convert the Gambling Commission into an ombudsman. GC are a joke at present.
5. Take 10% of company's profit to fund gambling addiction services: not the 0.1% vol contribution made at present.

Responsible casinos win, punters are protected, society wins. Job done.

Sadly it'll never happen. It needs a 'Martin Lewis' type person to get it done: he took on the banks & won, I wish a GA recovered celebrity would do the same, there are hundreds of high profile celebrities who have serious clout with politicians & could push the above through. 

IrishSean

P.s. pay your sister back asap.

You can't afford further strife with family over money; relationship strain is my biggest gambling trigger: you need to assess if boredom is your only one or if there are others, alcohol, guilt, money worries, low self esteem, depression, anxiety, elation or general unhappiness. 

They say compulsive gambling is trying to fill a hole; though you don't know what caused the hole. Find the cause: it makes covering the hole for good easier. 

IrishSean

Lastly, only £370 of your £1200 goes on dds. 

Ditch the OD once cleared; if you don't have it you can't spend it. 
My OD is 0% until 01/11 but i'm ditching it to better budget & avoid paying 40% interest
(Still takes my breath away every time I write '40%' 😱😬)

ry3

IrishSean said:

Lastly, only £370 of your £1200 goes on dds. 

Ditch the OD once cleared; if you don't have it you can't spend it. 
My OD is 0% until 01/11 but i'm ditching it to better budget & avoid paying 40% interest
(Still takes my breath away every time I write '40%' 😱😬)

first time I've ever used an OD only got this one as it was quick access to money as I'd blown all my wages and as you will know this is the spiraling pattern phase!!!! Thanks for all the advice I sincerely hope you get debt free and passed this evil thing called gambling!!!!

Fatsdom

Just to echo what others have said, sign up for Gamstop. If you haven't already done it, do it right now. It's a massive gamechanger and will eliminate online gambling. 

ry3

One way or another I'll get there!!!!!!!

Drawingaline

I can't comment on the gambling, but you have had amazing advice from others.

You should have quite a chunk of free mo way each month, once the small debts are cleared maybe have a chat to your wife about putting some aside for a 'big' something. Holiday, home improvements, whatever. By tieing up savings it may make it feel more productive and stop that 'spare money' feeling. If you have the gambling back under control, you could open up about how tempting it is to have a lot of cash available while you are not physically working, and having a joint goal to work towards with savings would help keep you focused.

Good luck with it all, and well done on realising the problem early enough to be able to crawl away from the edge of the abyss!

ry3

Drawingaline said:

I can't comment on the gambling, but you have had amazing advice from others.

You should have quite a chunk of free mo way each month, once the small debts are cleared maybe have a chat to your wife about putting some aside for a 'big' something. Holiday, home improvements, whatever. By tieing up savings it may make it feel more productive and stop that 'spare money' feeling. If you have the gambling back under control, you could open up about how tempting it is to have a lot of cash available while you are not physically working, and having a joint goal to work towards with savings would help keep you focused.

Good luck with it all, and well done on realising the problem early enough to be able to crawl away from the edge of the abyss!

Thank you, yes the saving side of things is a MUST we was talking about a big holiday the other day I'd like to think I can get to  a point where I will look back and think what a great job I did of getting to this point.

ry3

UPDATE! I've received various emails to state that my accounts have been closed which is good news I'm on the list to be stopped if I try to get back in and I'm with the Halifax and they have a tool in their app which allows you to block payments to gambling companies which is very handy every little helps. The only thing now is I stated earlier that I managed to get the overdraft amount higher to tie me over this isn't the case I was denied I rang the bank earlier and they tried with all the relevant questions to which I was instantly denied I've checked my credit file and all is in good order not sure as to why they have denied me? Now I need advice on how to tie myself over? Roughly £80 will do until payday and I'm unable to ask family members or friends I've also managed to get a car payment break for 3 months which will clear the original overdraft so I could be back straight in a few months and all is good now the horrible tempting thing is a short term loan but I'm so against these firms grrr 

mr_stripey

ry3 said:

One way or another I'll get there!!!!!!!

That's a brilliant move mate, well done. How did it feel when you clicked to self exclude? 
This is probbaly the single most important thing you can do. I'd advise GA as well.
I am not a gambler, never really have been but I do have some people close to me who are (or were). One guy was spending tens of thousands on gambling - he said one night he even ignored his kids crying in bed as he was so focused on it. He thought he would never escape the cycle. GA saved his life and he now helps other people to quit gambling.