Clients are often anxious about money and debt problems, The blog will not replace the help you would receive from a specialist debt advice agency or the support and guidance available from seeing a Gambling Counsellor or attending a support group.
Tackling your gambling
• Gambling may seem like the answer to money difficulties but in reality the chances of a big win to pay off accumulated debts or meet regular expenses are quite small.
• Be honest to yourself and share your problems with friends and family, Their support may help you to seek help for your gambling problem and advice about your debts.
• Try to stop gambling. We can help you to understand the causes of your gambling behaviour,
Contact all your creditors
• Let them know about your financial difficulties and that you are seeking help to tackle the problem.
• Ask then for information, including copies of agreements and terms of repayment. Use this information to make a list of all your creditors and the amounts you owe.
• If you ignore your debts, they won’t go away. Ignoring them is more likely to make the situation worse and to make you more anxious.
• Treat court papers and disconnection notices as urgent and seek specialist advice.
Work out your budget
• List all your income, including earnings from employment and benefits.
• List all your expenses, including rent and mortgage payments and rates. Be honest about your household expenses and include realistic amounts for food, clothing and travel.
• Take a look at your spending. Could you make any savings?
• If you have no money after you have done your budget and you think your circumstances are unlikely to improve, there is still available options and seek the help of a specialised money adviser and they can take you through your options.
If you ignore your debts, they won’t go away
Take heart
The path to clearing your debts can take time and you will be faced with all sorts of pressures along the way. There will be times when you feel desperate to gamble – don’t! You can call one of the free Helplines or one of our Counsellors or a friend or family and talk about these feelings.
Taking steps to understand your gambling will eventually help you stay out of debt in the future.
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