My Diary

Skyblueblue wrote:

Alastair - Nearly at a whole week !! Watching your journey, sending positive vibes.....We can do this! We will do this!

Thank you, day 7 now & still going strong 😀

Day 8 - Feels good but still feel down as i know ive got debts to clear in the next coming months ahead.

Still another step forward though!

Good stuff Alastair and we are both on Day 8! Keep going, your resolve is excellent and just think; you are going to get a better life. Bit by bit, step by step!

Day 9 - Going out with the family today to go watch the football. Have a good day everyone.

How's it going Alastair?

I set a goal in December on these forums (2nd of December) to never bet again as I was £2000 in debt.

This has now gone out the window, I have been in debt now since around August 2016, I am now in £6500 debt and not sure where to go from here, I have bills to pay & things to pay to make sure I can work & get to work, at the moment my bank balance is £0

I have payday loans with four different companies, I get paid roughly £1100 after tax per month. Im really not sure where to go from here if im honest, I have thought about running away but I do not want to get into trouble, - I am not that person.

Can someone please advise me on how to get out of this mess? I tried the gambling block softwares in the past, but sadly you can just turn them off whenever you like it. there needs to be something better out there for someone addicted to gambling that bad like me.

I am 24 and my life is in ruins already. I have no future at the moment

Not sure if i can carry on any longer, really fed up with myself and life in general.

Alastair,

Just read your post and did not want to go with out saying anything, One thing I would start with is a diary post here every morning and read all the new post, Self exclude from every site if on line gambling is your thing and self exclude from the bookies if the shops are your thing. Order new bank cards and give them to sombody to keep for you, giving you pocket money every day.

I am sure there are more quailifed people on here to give better information about what you should do next.

You need to start somewhere by not gambling.

You will get there you will see.

Malc

Alastair

Firstly call PAYPLAN 0800 280 2816 about your debt, they can contact your creditiors and sort that for you so the stress is off, they will probably set you up on some sort of repayment plan DO THAT ASAP,. Secondly get yourself to a councellor and chat on here. Contact me anytime over on my diary. There is a way out of this mess trust me.

Hello Alastair1903

Welcome to the forum you have been given some good advice here by some forum members. It may help to talk with the National Debtline on 0808 808 4000 they will be able to help you prioritise your debts you can also find them here at https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/Pages/default.aspx . There is also free independent advice from specialist agencies who are non-profit making and can advise you on the best way to manage you debt with you personal circumstance http://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-advice/what-can-you-do/finance-and-debt-management#.VBwEDvldXww

There is software you can use to block gambling sites from you phone (android) you can ask someone to password protect the software so its not so easy to take it off if you are tempted to do so. Here is a link to the software information http://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-advice/what-can-you-do/blocking-software#.VBwD8fldXww

If you would like to talk with a gamcare adviser the helpline is open 8am -midnight freephone 0808 8020 133 advisors will listen to your concerns and can give you further information on other support available when stopping gambling such as counselling free across the UK you can also speak with an adviser through the netline http://www.gamcare.org.uk/support-and-counselling/frontline-services/netline

Keep posting we are here to support you

Take care

Forum admin

Hi Alastair,

You are not alone with this mess, there are many people here in similar if not worse positiions. There are practical steps that you can do. Get in touch with Gamcare, through Netline (until midnight) or give them a call. Talk to them, tell them the issues that your having. They do understand, and have dealt with this on many many instances.

Next call Step Change Debt Charity. They will help you sort our your debt. Explain that you have a Gambling problem. They will ask for details of the people that you owe money to. After this they will get a budget from you, and work with the people you owe money to, to pay off the debt in manageable amounts. The payday loan companies will not deal as easily with you, but they will deal with Stepchange. That will give you time to breathe, and it will freeze the interest on your o/s loans.

Next, have you family or friend support, you need to get a support network going. Even if that is just one person that your able to tell. It is a very lonely life being a compulsive gambler, we tell lies and spent a lot of time, pretending everything is okay, when it clearly isn't. There is help out there, you need to take it.

Keep posting.

Take care.

Julie

I relapsed.

I've gambled away more than £7000 since December. I'm not in any debt but i've gambled my savings. this is so so frustrating and something I really need to beat.