Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group
Compulsive gambling is an urge or addiction to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. A preferred term among many professionals is problem gambling, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others rather...
I had a case once where a money launderer was being followed by the police as he was doing his job. Once he got rid of the final batch of money, he was recorded as saying "thank God the nightmare is over".
In that sentence alone, you could sense the stress he was under as he was committing his crime, and the amount of relief he felt when he thought it was over.
Anyway, that is exactly how I felt today. I got paid yesterday, and usually my practice is to update my chart the next day - this chart records my progress towards paying off my credt card debt. So with yesterday's pay check, I FINALLY COULD AFFORD TO PAY OFF MY DEBT IN FULL!!!
The chart can be seen here:
http://i43.tinypic.com/2ep22bm.png
'Repay' is the amount of money I was saving to repay the debt. 'Net worth' is just my repay amount + shares - debt. As you can see, my repay has finally reached the debt level, meaning if I wanted to, right now I could pay off my debt in full.
As you can see, it was not an easy road. At one point my debt was $12,000 but that was before I started this chart. But have a look at the beginning - my net worth was more than $5000 in the negative!!! If I had died at that time, I would've left my family with a debt of $5000!!!
Also, I did relapse a couple of times, most notably at August 2011 and December 2011.
But my purpose in posting this is to show that IT IS POSSIBLE!!! It takes time, but YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET THERE!!!
I just feel so free now, to know that from next paycheck on, ALL that money is MINE. I won't have to devote another cent towards paying off this dirty habit.
I do have to buy back some shares of my dad's that I sold, but that shouldn't be a problem.
If this inspires/helps even only one person, I would be extremely happy :)
In that sentence alone, you could sense the stress he was under as he was committing his crime, and the amount of relief he felt when he thought it was over.
Anyway, that is exactly how I felt today. I got paid yesterday, and usually my practice is to update my chart the next day - this chart records my progress towards paying off my credt card debt. So with yesterday's pay check, I FINALLY COULD AFFORD TO PAY OFF MY DEBT IN FULL!!!
The chart can be seen here:
http://i43.tinypic.com/2ep22bm.png
'Repay' is the amount of money I was saving to repay the debt. 'Net worth' is just my repay amount + shares - debt. As you can see, my repay has finally reached the debt level, meaning if I wanted to, right now I could pay off my debt in full.
As you can see, it was not an easy road. At one point my debt was $12,000 but that was before I started this chart. But have a look at the beginning - my net worth was more than $5000 in the negative!!! If I had died at that time, I would've left my family with a debt of $5000!!!
Also, I did relapse a couple of times, most notably at August 2011 and December 2011.
But my purpose in posting this is to show that IT IS POSSIBLE!!! It takes time, but YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET THERE!!!
I just feel so free now, to know that from next paycheck on, ALL that money is MINE. I won't have to devote another cent towards paying off this dirty habit.
I do have to buy back some shares of my dad's that I sold, but that shouldn't be a problem.
If this inspires/helps even only one person, I would be extremely happy :)
But now, looking back, I realised I lost more than money. What I lost was my time; my time taken to pay off this debt. It's taken a good four years out of my life. Had I not been gambling, I would have my own house now. Those are four years I will never get back.
*sigh*
I can not believe the amount of debt I am in.
Over 40 K in credit card debt and I still want to go play the machine.
Being out of debt would be so freeing but all I can think about is going to play.
I read this post because of the word nightmare.
That is what I feel I am stuck in
No access to Cash directly has helping me tremendously on the road to recovery. Less Struggle, Better Result.
Linda - please believe me when I say this: you can do it - IF you stop now. The thing that hurts most right now is the compounding interest. That needs to be addressed immediately. Try to transfer the debt (or at least part of it) onto an interest free credit card for 6 months which will stop the bleeding.
Then cut off access to your money. Apply all your money (after necessary expenses) towards your debt. Use a spreadsheet to track your progress. Set small goals at a time.
Before you know it, the nightmare will be over for you too!
I am so inspired by your story . I too have Hope that I can be happy again and be out of debt. You are right about losing more than money...we do lose so much more than that. I finally learned that it's not about the money when we gamble. I appreciate your support...it's like seeing a ship when we are lost at sea.
I was feeling very alone before yesterday. I have no one to support me. No one would believe how bad this has gotten for me. Not even my husband who since we don't blend finances has a clue about my debt or my gambling addiction.
Again, thank you!
I got paid yesterday so I have money.
Is anyone out there?
Any advise,
I have kept busy made a full meal and baked a cake and planted three rose bushes and tons of petunias. It is only 1:13 in the afternoon.
And toey, congrats on the long hard road back to financial security. You are an inspiration!
Linda - I remember when I used to have 24/7 access to my car, that urge to gamble could kick in anytime and most importantly, the car gave me a way to fulfil that urge - 7pm, 5am, whenever. Maybe try to cut off access to your car?
mercury - you can do it. It will almost seem like an impossible task if we look at the long term goal from where we are now, I find it's always easier to set goals day by day, or fortnight by fortnight. Charting your progress also helps :)