Gambling Recovery and COVID job loss

Pocket9s

@lixhul sorry to hear you are still struggling. You need to take steps to quit gambling properly, get some support and blocks in place. @IrishSean @Recovery2021 well done with the progress keep it going

Would recommend this YouTube channel to you all https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQOi0tpVJwcNKAMtuO_OPGQ

Phil gives some really good advice from his own experience and if you follow his area you will be on the right path to recovery 

alt80

Hope you’re doing ok mate. Some great advice re the gambling - you can get to the other side of this 100%.

lixhul

Had a great month. Looking forward to posting this one at end of month. Got a new job and was paid for both, minimal gambling, and spending was okay.

Babybelles

That’s great news. Keep up the good work!

Recovery2021

Well done, great work and great news about the job. 
I would still recommend gamstop given there has been minimal gambling. I had plenty of months of minimal gambling over the years tricking me into thinking it was under control. If I get through today and tomorrow as planned this will be 2 months free for me and it no longer consumes my mind with having signed up for gamstop. Aside from my own team I didn't really know the football fixtures for this weekend until I sat down 10 minutes ago and put the score show on. I feel so free of it even though its only two months. 

I've also been listening to some podcasts from recovering gambling addicts on my runs which has really helped me realise I am not the only one who has suffered this.

Just some suggestions anyway but well done on everything you have achieved so far this month. 

Babybelles

Well done @Recovery2021 you have made massive changes.
Best wishes for the future.

alt80

Good news to hear things going well. As I've mentioned before I don't have any experience with problem gambling personally but I've experience of addiction and in recent times getting treatment for it @Recovery2021's post rings very true for me and my own problems related to substance abuse def thought I was in control of it when I had lighter months but tbh I wasn't, great advice anyway so just wanted to second.

lixhul

Hi guys, doing monthly update. I've not gambled for a month now and I'm really happy about that. I have a new job which I really love it's a good career one and I am trying to keep spending under control. The credit card interest periods are creeping and I have to do something about that, but hopefully it won't be too bad.

My current position is: £5700 available in cash, £9025 in credit cards, totaling -£3324. It's better than Ive been (but obviously not as good as I used to be in). I'm just going to keep spending under control and the gambling and hopefully I'll get there. Pay for the new job is only £21K which is not amazing but it makes me happy. I also split with the girlfriend recently to focus on myself and I think it's doing okay.

Comparison:
9th October - Negative £4756.48
10th November - Negative £6816.38
1st December - Negative £4177.00
30th December - Negative £5,683.00
Today - Negative £3324.00

[font=courier new][b]Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet[/b][b]

Household Information[/b]

Number of adults in household........... 1

Number of children in household......... 0

Number of cars owned.................... 1[b]

Monthly Income Details[/b]

Monthly income after tax................ 1492

Partners monthly income after tax....... 0

Benefits................................ 0

Other income............................ 500[b]

Total monthly income.................... 1992[/b][b]

Monthly Expense Details[/b]

Mortgage................................ 350

Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0

Rent.................................... 350

Management charge (leasehold property).. 0

Council tax............................. 87

Electricity............................. 20

Gas..................................... 15

Oil..................................... 0

Water rates............................. 17

Telephone (land line)................... 0

Mobile phone............................ 16

TV Licence.............................. 0

Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0

Internet Services....................... 25

Groceries etc. ......................... 200

Clothing................................ 30

Petrol/diesel........................... 60

Road tax................................ 2

Car Insurance........................... 29

Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 10

Car parking............................. 0

Other travel............................ 0

Childcare/nursery....................... 210

Other child related expenses............ 0

Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0

Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0

Buildings insurance..................... 10

Contents insurance...................... 0

Life assurance ......................... 0

Other insurance......................... 0

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0

Haircuts................................ 15

Entertainment........................... 30

Holiday................................. 0

Emergency fund.......................... 0[b]

Total monthly expenses.................. 1476[/b]

[b]

Assets[/b]

Cash.................................... 5700

House value (Gross)..................... 129000

Shares and bonds........................ 0

Car(s).................................. 8000

Other assets............................ 3000[b]

Total Assets............................ 145700[/b]

[b]

Secured & HP Debts[/b]

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

Mortgage...................... 112000...(350)......2[b]

Total secured & HP debts...... 112000....-.........-   [/b]

[b]Unsecured Debts[/b]

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

MBNA...........................3567.33...101.2.....0

MBNA...........................358.6.....25........0

Virgin.........................2015.78...25........0

Ikano..........................393.51....78.73.....0

Ratesetter.....................1479.41...145.5.....0

M&S............................1210.5....30........0[b]

Total unsecured debts..........9025.13...405.43....-  [/b]

[b]

Monthly Budget Summary[/b]

Total monthly income.................... 1,992

Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,476

Available for debt repayments........... 516

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 405.43[b]

Amount left after debt repayments....... 110.57[/b]

[b]Personal Balance Sheet Summary[/b]

Total assets (things you own)........... 145,700

Total HP & Secured debt................. -112,000

Total Unsecured debt.................... -9,025.13[b]

Net Assets.............................. 24,674.87[/b]

[i]Created using the SOA calculator at www.stoozing.com. 

Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.[/i][/font]

lixhul

I just gambled £1000 in the space of 2 minutes. I'm so sick. My expenses are more than what I earn and I don't know what to do. I'm in trouble. My MOT was £600 this month and I tried to win it. I've had a terrible month and reversed everything. I think I'm now in a worse position that I've ever been.

I'm really worried now I don't earn enough for my bills. She wants £210 a month from me and my cards are £410. The interest on these are coming up and I'm worried sick. It's going to be a terrible reading on the 30th.

WinterWarrior

Hi @lixhul, I’m so sorry you slipped. It’s done now, don’t panic. Pick yourself up and go through your budget and start again. GamStop really does seem to be the way to go so you don’t slip again.
have you watched Dave Ramsey YouTube clips? His baby steps are American, but still make a lot of sense. I watch him sometimes to try to keep myself on track. 

Please don’t worry, it’s bad, but nothing is insurmountable. It just takes time. Some of us do take steps backwards before we can move forwards. Good luck.