Has anyone cut down or stopped gambling?

[just play]

Not sure where to put this? Please move if it's in wrong section.

Has anyone had successs at cutting down or stopping gambling?

I have made two $50 deposits since the first few days of January. I thought it may be hard, but surprisingly it isn't. I have wanted to cut down/stop for a while, but I was getting so bored being home alone, I would just deposit to pass the time. You would be surprised how long days actually are if you are alone everyday. Hubby works, daughter in school.

There are a few reasons for my cutting down/stopping. Wasn't having any fun anymore, getting too hard to deposit, or too hard to get up to a high minimum withdrawal, and of course not winning. Whenever I feel like gambling, which isn't very often anymore, (normally just on weekend nights) I will get up and do something. Something as simple as housework, or something more intense like getting on my treadmill.

Additionally, I have re-started my cross stitch, which I used to do to relax me, and puzzle magazines which are fun to me. I would like to get into more cooking, I cook a lot now, but am interested in trying things I have never cooked before. Especially after reading all the stories from everyone here on their favorite food/dinner thread in the "attic".

 

[dionysus]

i havemt tried. Im home 24/7 ( i work at home). But you dont need to deposit a lot to play. 50 at 3dice buys you a month of turnies every hour. Every microgaming has daily turnies. Theres forum contests for free spins. Facebook has games. Theres loads to do with minimal or no deposits

 

[Tirilej]

For whatever reason it's never stupid to take a break. Long or short, just to test yourself.

It's important to make sure that gambling isn't everything in your life that mean something.
It can be fun, but it can also take over your life if you're not careful.

I just had a short break for a few weeks. Not really to test myself, but because I couldn't afford to play.
It was fun to play again now, probably because I have cashed out some too. That didn't hurt at all

What I could notice with my break was that I went from posting a lot here, to post almost the double.
I better go back to my game again

 

[rena35]

Ive cut down virtually to not depositing at all to depositing sometimes.@ years ago i was a deposit hollick and i deposited loads.Now that everything has changed for the USA i dont deposit as much.I sure wish laws would get better for us and i could go back to gaming

 

[just play]

What I could notice with my break was that I went from posting a lot here, to post almost the double.
I better go back to my game again

Well don't do that!

I noticed in the last month or so there were many people saying they wanted to take a break, I was wondering if anyone did, and maybe what they are doing instead.

dionysus


i havemt tried. Im home 24/7 ( i work at home). But you dont need to deposit a lot to play. 50 at 3dice buys you a month of turnies every hour. Every microgaming has daily turnies. Theres forum contests for free spins. Facebook has games. Theres loads to do with minimal or no deposits

Yup, I hear ya there. I just wish it was easier to deposit into 3dice, I miss their games.

rena35


Ive cut down virtually to not depositing at all to depositing sometimes.@ years ago i was a deposit hollick and i deposited loads.Now that everything has changed for the USA i dont deposit as much.I sure wish laws would get better for us and i could go back to gaming

Me too.

 

[chayton]

I haven't deposited as much lately either, mostly because there's other stuff going on right now with life - and because of the 'life' stuff I haven't taken on any freelance work so the old bank account is taking a hit too. My poor sickly scrawny bank account...

 

[bigjohn]

Going back to B&M

Since things got tougher for US I've cut back quite a bit too. What I'm doing is increasing my weekly deposit amount on my automatic savings account at my bank and when it gets to an extra $300 or so I'll go to the Borgata (my home away from home). I'll take them up on the free room offers and I really love their buffet. They really do give you a lot after you go there a few times. I think I'll be able to get by on that with an occasional $50 at 3D.

 

[Osloking]

Ive have cut it down big since new year, i had the worst year in 2012 so i dont get the urge anymore, the slots are tight and i dont see why i should keep going when its almost one direction all the time. also its not only about the money, its also the time one use on gambling, mood svings, and i dont miss that either

 

[just play]

My poor sickly scrawny bank account...

Too funny!

bigjohn



Going back to B&M
Since things got tougher for US I've cut back quite a bit too. What I'm doing is increasing my weekly deposit amount on my automatic savings account at my bank and when it gets to an extra $300 or so I'll go to the Borgata (my home away from home). I'll take them up on the free room offers and I really love their buffet. They really do give you a lot after you go there a few times. I think I'll be able to get by on that with an occasional $50 at 3D.

Where is Borgata?

Osloking


Ive have cut it down big since new year, i had the worst year in 2012 so i dont get the urge anymore, the slots are tight and i dont see why i should keep going when its almost one direction all the time. also its not only about the money, its also the time one use on gambling, mood svings, and i dont miss that either

I always say I am the unluckiest gambler alive.

 

[bsilva028]

i decreased 50% of the deposites

 

[bigjohn]

The Borgata

The Borgata is in Atlantic City, NJ. I love it there! Great food, great bars and nightlife and really nice rooms. The best place in AC.



theborgata.com

 

[me_and_ed]

Where is Borgata?

Atlantic City

 

[me_and_ed]

The Borgata is in Atlantic City, NJ. I love it there! Great food, great bars and nightlife and really nice rooms. The best place in AC.

View attachment 37635

I was there just before Christmas for the first time and hadn't been to AC in20 years, my wife I loved Borgata!!

 

[laneace44]

i havemt tried. Im home 24/7 ( i work at home). But you dont need to deposit a lot to play. 50 at 3dice buys you a month of turnies every hour. Every microgaming has daily turnies. Theres forum contests for free spins. Facebook has games. Theres loads to do with minimal or no deposits

Do they allow US? Do they have a good player base for tournaments? I find it hard to find a site that has a large volume of tourney slot players and that kind of ruins the fun when you see only 3-10 players registered.

 

[Mousey]

First off... remember I've been playing online (off & on) for years... since.. gosh... I dunno... 14 years or more, now. Pre UIGEA, once I got the hang of it, I had deposits and withdrawals flowing into and out of Neteller... **sigh** the Good Ol' Days. When Feds latched onto Neteller, I got my dough out in the nick of time, and didn't play at all for... I dunno... 2 or 3 years? Then eased back in with weekly play. Then there was Black Friday and Blue Monday and processors disappearing willy nilly, and I stopped playing again for another 2 or 3 years. Eased back into play a year or more ago, but only deposited every now and then, sometimes going months between deposits.

It has become such a hassle moving money to and -even worse for me- from casinos, it's just not fun anymore. I've spent more time chasing down 3 or so withdrawals just this past year than I ever spent altogether during the 'golden years' online. In fact... pre UIGEA, I don't think I ever had a 'real' problem getting my money. A delay back then was a day or two. LOL Now it's months...

And if my bank won't process casino checks, I'm totally SOL, and there's no need for me to fork money over to the casinos if I have no way to withdraw.

So what do I do? I read - got a new ereader for Xmas and I'm learning how to use it and organize books and load books, and buy books and such. I have rediscovered magazines. Found some subscription bargains online during the holidays and we get Rolling Stone, Discovery, Wired, Popular Science, and hubby gets his Poker Player mag. There are a few yahoo groups I own/co-own to keep up with and make sig tags for when I get time.

There's computer 'fiddling' I need to do. I really need to organize the folders on my 8 hard drives when I get time for the mind numbing drudgery. LOL I need to uninstall Mesh and set up something so I can connect my laptop to my work computer if I'm out of town, there's RAM to be installed on the desktop, casinos to be uninstalled, etc., etc. I work, and honestly, there's just not a lot of spare time anyway.

I miss playing online long holiday weekends when I have a chance to just be lazy around the house and have some 'me' time. And I really miss it on those days when it's been a crappy day, and I'm so tired I don't really feel like doing anything constructive, but it would be nice to have a brew and a cig, put my feet up on the desk, the cat on my lap, and spin a few reels or play some VP for an hour or so and relax.

I miss it but I live just fine without it.

 

[shahran84]

I've used to deposit thousands and thousands of dollars. But the TOPGAME casino incident which left me $24,000 broke. I cut down to depositing less than $300 a month.
More or less I've concluded that in a long run you can NEVER beat the casinos. In my online gambling career, I've become more broke than getting richer. I'm trying my best
to gradually cut down and stop totally.

Seriously, to maintain a good bankroll balance you either need to win a MEGA JACKPOT or you cheat the online casino.
Don't put your hopes on luck when all the odds are against you. If everybody keep on winning, who's gonna pay the casino's staff salary and bonuses!

Well, I have to concentrate more on my songwriting and music career to earn more bucks.

 

[slotplayer]

coming up on 11 straight months without playing online for me but it was really just few months run playing the RTGs' last usa winter.
Before that I only ever played the MG's but that was a few years ago.

I've been real good these days, matter of fact haven't bought any local lottery products since june except the $4 when that powerball jackpot was at 500 million usd. Trust me, here in MA we have tons of scratch off tickets and bunch of other games so its pretty tempting.

Did go to the land casino over the new years holidays though.

 

[mrmark21]

I've managed to cut down, only spending about half of what I used to spend. I really appreciate the playing time so limit myself to a certain amount that can be spent every week. I've just got to work out what day's I'm going to gamble with that money and how much I will spend.

Days can seem to drag on forever when you're alone. When there's no one else at home it's more about trying to find things too fill you're day up with. I've always enjoyed gaming and got a few new games for me to play on my PS3 console.

Also when you're not winning anything there's just less incentive to play.

 

[just play]

Trust me, here in MA we have tons of scratch off tickets and bunch of other games so its pretty tempting.

Did go to the land casino over the new years holidays though.

What part of Mass are you from, I'm near Springfield.

I'm trying my best
to gradually cut down and stop totally.

That's what I'm doing to Shahran.

It has become such a hassle moving money to and -even worse for me- from casinos, it's just not fun anymore. I've spent more time chasing down 3 or so withdrawals just this past year than I ever spent altogether during the 'golden years' online. In fact... pre UIGEA, I don't think I ever had a 'real' problem getting my money. A delay back then was a day or two. LOL Now it's months...

Same here Mousey. I like how you added in what you do instead.

bsilva028


i decreased 50% of the deposites

That's great!

 

[just play]

I've managed to cut down, only spending about half of what I used to spend. I really appreciate the playing time so limit myself to a certain amount that can be spent every week. I've just got to work out what day's I'm going to gamble with that money and how much I will spend.

Days can seem to drag on forever when you're alone. When there's no one else at home it's more about trying to find things too fill you're day up with. I've always enjoyed gaming and got a few new games for me to play on my PS3 console.

Also when you're not winning anything there's just less incentive to play.

Exactly!!!

 

[LHofsdal]

I cut back alot too. I would deposit everyday, sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. Then the Ewallet Fiasco happened. Lost almost 10 grand on that one. Then processors were disappearing left and right. Then casinos were giving the same old lame ass excuses for delaying withdrawals. It just wasn't worth it.

I even stopped depositing so much at my favorite 3dice. My luck has seem to run out there, and I was getting nothing but dead spins, and alot of them one after another. Same thing with RTG, had almost 400 spins on a slot with 2 different features and finally got one that paid 1.28. It seems to be the norm now. Features are just about non-existant, and so many times I would get one that would pay out less then a buck, and when I was betting 1.50 a spin it just plain sucks!

So now with all the hassels I read on here about bad checks, processors trying to charge your credit card when ever they want to, it is not worth it. The fees alone can make you go broke just trying to make that deposit that last a whole 10 minutes.

Now I save my money and go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City, get free rooms, buffets free plays. And it is time the hubby and I get to go away alone for a few days and have some fun. If I really get the urge to play I will go blow 200 at the local resservation casino that is only 20 minutes away. The Turning Stone casino is nice but I don't go much because as for slots, they seem to like on line ones, it takes forever to get a feature. So I only go every so often for lunch with some friends. Being retired at a such a young age, I to am alone alot but I do alot of work with my church and my daughters school to keep busy. I even took a part time job as an auditor just to have something to do.

I don't really miss it, but sometimes it is nice to spin in my jammies while having my morning cup of tea, but lately I have been out of the house so early I don't even have my tea lol. And when I see my bank accounts that aren't dwindling down because of online gaming, it is nice to know I can plan a nice vacation for the family without having to worry about anything. It was fun while it lasted, but now for me I am on to the next big thing....COUPONING!! Love it when I pay for groceries for a whole week on 15 dollars! Now that is a rush lol.

LH

 

[slotplayer]

What part of Mass are you from, I'm near Springfield.!

I am in Waltham, 10 miles west from boston, we're in opposite ends of the state I guess.

 

[muziq]

gambling is so far profit to me i have taken back more than i put in

but recently im having a hard time too but its loss from profit so cant complain

i used to have steady 2k in my account meant for gambling (after i cashed out a nice profit)

now i have only 1K remaining so iam slowing down too and i will stop when its over ............

 

[nisosbar]

I've cut back to just 3Dice now. I'm trying to get in shape and focus on doing extracurricular activities. As others have said, it's a hassle depositing and withdrawing.

 

[just play]

I've cut back to just 3Dice now. I'm trying to get in shape and focus on doing extracurricular activities. As others have said, it's a hassle depositing and withdrawing.

I miss 3Dice, but I will not jump through hoops to deposit.

venies


gambling is so far profit to me i have taken back more than i put in

now i have only 1K remaining so iam slowing down too and i will stop when its over

That's great!

Slotplayer I am in Waltham, 10 miles west from boston, we're in opposite ends of the state I guess

Yup, I think there may be one or two more people here from Mass.

LHof but now for me I am on to the next big thing....COUPONING!! Love it when I pay for groceries for a whole week on 15 dollars! Now that is a rush lol.

My friend does this, she has some sort of app on her phone? She tries to tell me how she does it, but I don't understand I'm sooooo jealous!!!

 

[labeled]

I've cut way back from depositing almost daily to depositing only a few times this month. I am at the computer almost all day and have found that if the urge strikes, a few "play money" rounds will usually cure me of any desire to throw money away. As with others, my luck has turned to **** so it's just really not much fun at all. I also keep a personal financial spreadsheet open most of the time, and have a running tally of the money I haven't spent in one section - a decent reminder that this is real money, whether I use it for "play" or not.

My wife quit playing entirely a few years ago, also partly by picking up an abandoned cross stitch project and reading more on her Kindle, funny enough.

 

[Jasminebed]

Last year, I took a break from here and 3Dice in the spring to deal with the yard work and the house. I did play a little over at 32Red a few evenings after it was late. But minimal deposits, just a few spins and a beer to reward myself for a productive day.

I had a lucky year last year, did a lot of good things with it. So when I had a good run over christmas, I basically decided it was bankroll. I had it up to quite a large amount for me, ran it down into almost nothing, and had a bounce back last night again. I've did almost nothing but gamble for a month. I think it's time to shift most of what's left to my bank account.

Generally it's my budget that dictates how much I gamble. If my luck is poor, I usually watch some of the hours of shows I've taped and hadn't watched yet.

And I cook. For one thing, cooking good food at home helps me to have a gambling budget. I go read food blogs and recipes if I feel like sitting in front of the computer. Sometimes I write recipes, and I have to measure everything when I cook so I can tell people how much rather than when it looks right. But there are some really good youtube videos on how to do stuff too.

Justplay, one thing to expand your cooking repetoire is to buy an ingredient you've never used before. It will get you looking at different recipes, and you will try something new. Sometimes you might not like it, quite often your kid won't like it, lol.

But if you like going out for chinese, learn some chinese or chinese style dishes. You can move Taco Tuesday beyond El Paso box kits.

Classic French?

You and your kid have your own private cupcake wars. Icing sugar is cheap, and if you pick up things one a time, you can get good dyes and tips. This didn't end up being my strong suit, but my now adult daughter makes beautiful cupcakes, but sometimes just uses a box mix.

Usually husbands and children (and ME) like sweet stuff, you can make things like low fat carrot and nut breads with whole wheat flours. Homemade cereal bars for lunchboxes, date squares with large flake oats for regularity for us old folks, lol.

Bread is pretty easy and satisfying to make, requires a little planning in terms of time. As long as you don't want identical results every time, you can experiment a lot with bread. Bread has gotten really expensive, you can save a lot making bread at home, even if you don't make all your bread.

Or you can get some grow lights and start your spring plants from seed starting around mid Feb. That one takes a lot of time and research, nothing I'm doing. I'll settle for starter plants from the nursery.

If you have the room, buy a fitness game for the Wii or the Xbox. I bought a Kinnect, I'm disappointed my room is not big enough, the Wii has a much smaller range.

If you live at my house, you could deposit easily and take over doing the dishes and recycling, lol. I'm buried under paper.

My slowdown will come pretty soon, but because my budget requires it, and I will get the recycling caught up.

 

[oldtrvlagt]

A couple of months ago we moved from Iowa (too many years of frigid cold in the Winter) to North Carolina where our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter (she will be 2 on 2/19) live and we love it! We live near the ocean so there is plenty to do and even though I miss online gaming a bit it isn't enough to jump through the hoops! We were hauling boats across the country for the last 5 years so have been to every casino practically from East Coast to West Coast. 14 times in Laughlin alone this past year so we've had our fill without all the headaches online.

My daughter-in-law and I also have started dabbling in couponing too (it is a rush to get groceries for little or nothing!!!) LOL!!

Anyway, I'd rather babysit than get annoyed with my computer because the spins are slow or I'm disconnected!

 

[chuzzleaddict]

Yeah, having quite a decent break from things over here. I used to 'fill the void' a bit by playing slots in fun mode but haven't even been doing that. Mainly for me I was giving it too much time I found my moods were getting a bit too affected by the rollercoaster of it, so figured a break will be healthy. I also closed my account at my main casino so that has helped and I have Betfilter to make it quite foolproof. Not saying I've been entirely perfect as I did have a session on a friends computer over a week ago but the loss I had there just also re-affirmed that its my time to take a chill back.

 

[Gremmyboy]

I've cut right back too!

I used to deposit a few times a week and when I first started It was pretty even I'd win sometimes and lose sometimes, other times I'd break even!
In the last 9 months though it had all been one way and I have had only 2 small withdrawals after many, many deposits! In the past I'd have many deposits and many withdrawals and it was pretty well balanced.

Like I said though, in the last 9 months it has just been non stop deposits with only 2 small withdrawals! I definetely feel that the slots have really gotten tighter in the last 9 months at least, based on my experience!

As a result of this I have cut back to 1 or 2 deposits every month as opposed to 2 or 3 deposits a week!
I just refuse to feed the slots when these days I get very little playtime and rarely a small withdrawal!
To my mind something has definetely changed!

I now just read CM a lot and find things to keep myself busy!

I have also cut back to playing at only one casino instead of the 3 or 4 I used to play!

I had not changed my deposit amounts or my betting style at all so something is definately different! Whether its just a really long run of bad luck or the slots online have gotten tighter is speculative so I can't really say what has happened definitively, all I know is that when you are just pouring money in for bugger all playtime and never anything in return it tends to leave a sour taste in your mouth!

I joined Omni a couple of weeks back and have been getting some decent playtime and even a small withdrawal after only a couple of weeks and 2 deposits, so thought I'd give credit where its due!

Have stopped Netent all together as their slots hate me and I can honestly say I couldn't win on their slots to save my life!

So that's what my slotting has been like in the last 9 months or so.... Thanks for reading!


Cheers
Gremmy

 

[just play]

Gremmy I now just read CM a lot and find things to keep myself busy!

Yup, Yup.

Chuzzle I found my moods were getting a bit too affected by the rollercoaster of it, so figured a break will be healthy

That happens to me sometimes as well.

Oldtrv My daughter-in-law and I also have started dabbling in couponing too (it is a rush to get groceries for little or nothing!!!) LOL!!

OK you and LH HAVE to tell me how you do this!!! Not kidding. PM me if you both want to share, my husband would be grateful.

Jasmine If you live at my house, you could deposit easily and take over doing the dishes and recycling, lol. I'm buried under paper.

I don't mind dishes or laundry for some reason, I hate dusting and vacuuming, lol. Great post, ty.

Labeled I also keep a personal financial spreadsheet open most of the time, and have a running tally of the money I haven't spent in one section - a decent reminder that this is real money, whether I use it for "play" or not.

My wife quit playing entirely a few years ago, also partly by picking up an abandoned cross stitch project and reading more on her Kindle, funny enough.

Great idea! I usually like to start fresh on a cross stitch, but then get bored, I have many abandoned ones. haha.

 

[slotplayer]

I just get dvds off netflix, usually a tv series where each dvd is around 3 hours long.
There are some you can get that are like 7 seasons long.

I found that was a good way to stop.

 

[just play]

I just get dvds off netflix, usually a tv series where each dvd is around 3 hours long.
There are some you can get that are like 7 seasons long.

I found that was a good way to stop.

I bought my husband the LOST series set the Christmas before last, it was his favorite present of all time. (even tho it was the worst ending of a tv show of all time, lol)

OLDTRLAGT AND LHOF, I was being serious, I need pointers on couponing!!!


side note...I'm a true tennis fan, set my alarm for 3am to watch Federer. if only tennis was on all the time, I would never gamble.

 

[immortality]

Right, it is sooo hard to stop gambling, I completely stopped gambling for 3 weeks, I didn't even do the lotto or buy a scratch card.
I was no better off than when I did gamble, so I decided that I would just play the change I had left in my account for to pass the time as the min you can lift at atm machines is £10.


The first gamble I had this year saw me deposit £9 and withdraw £240, so when that came I played £40 back as it was winnings, I ran with the £200, I lost the £40

Then on Sunday I deposited £7 and got my balance up to £165, withdrew £100 and played the rest away, I have played £35 since this, so I have most certainly cut down my spending on gambling.

 

[dreamguardian1]

I am only taking a minor break, slowing down a lot, mostly due to the very bad luck streak that started to turn around so when it turned around i got out (temporarily). I will resume in a few weeks.

 

[BingoT]

For online gaming I cut back 80%
& the 20% is to try them out if we can in the US.
But I will never cut back at Foxwoods or The Mohegan Sun Casino
& hoping Mass will get one soon.

 

[rockycatt]

im steady as she goes at inetbet and winaday those games are so different from one and other its like summer and winter
tripping

 

[just play]

Right, it is sooo hard to stop gambling, I completely stopped gambling for 3 weeks, I didn't even do the lotto or buy a scratch card.

I haven't bought a scratch card in months. I used to buy those quite often.

dreamguardian1
I am only taking a minor break, slowing down a lot, mostly due to the very bad luck streak

I always have a very bad luck streak.

BingoT hoping Mass will get one soon

You and me both, haha.

Rocky im steady as she goes at inetbet and winaday

Lucky

 

[michielm1]

yes I decimated my gambling habits since about a month.
if i dont get my balance up to at least 5x buy in, within 7 or 8 deposits, i close my account and tell them to go f themselves... i'm down to a mere 3 casino's... i'm a sore loser

 

[just play]

yes I decimated my gambling habits since about a month.
if i dont get my balance up to at least 5x buy in, within 7 or 8 deposits, i close my account and tell them to go f themselves... i'm down to a mere 3 casino's... i'm a sore loser

Awww, don't do that, lol, just close your account and move on.

 

[ksech]

I stopped playing/gambling online completely almost 2 years ago. My current bank informed me it wouldn't take international bank transfer unless I signed a waiver each and every time I had a transaction on a personal account (would be different if it was a business account). This was also after the bank I had been doing business with for over 20 years closed my account due to "suspicious" international bank dealings (meaning I had too many deposits to online casinos and too many deposits from winnings back into my bank account from online casinos). After the NeTeller issues and then QuickTender, I just figured it wasn't worth the hassle anymore.

My daughter does the couponing thing. Some weeks she will save $100 to $150 on her groceries by using coupons. She watches the ads, clips coupons, matches coupons to store coupons, etc. She also takes advantage of coupons offered online by manufacturers, SmartSource and Red Plum have websites you can print coupons off of (two coupons per product. These are the coupons you find in the Sunday supplements). Also try coupons.com, same deal...two coupons per product (if you have 2 computers in the home you should be able to print additional coupons off the second computer as it goes by IP address not the static address). And try going to major manufacturer websites, some offer special coupon offers if you sign up for their monthly news letters (I get news letters from Kelloggs and one from Right at Home which is SC Johnson products, also from Purina for dog and catfood coupons for a girlfriend), or simply by "likiing" them on facebook...you can print off coupons from there.

I mostly play games on facebook now. I've met some really nice people from all over the world. And I'm back on the hunt for a different job again.

 

[michielm1]

Awww, don't do that, lol, just close your account and move on.

i'm working on that...

anger management. but all my anger management energy goes to my stop with smoking. i cleared a 24 pack of Gauloises a day, now 3 weeks and 2 days clean hahaha

 

[dunover]

Coupons eh?
If you read about problem gamblers, say on the Gamcare forum, many will say the same thing. They'll carefully pick products in supermarkets and compare prices to save a few pence, and watch carefully what they spend on other stuff in a likewise manner. Then they will spunk tens/hundreds of pounds gambling. Subconsciously, this is because in the twisted logic of an addict, being 'careful' elsewhere somehow justifies the reckless spending on gambling, a sort of mental balancing act that obscures temporarily the fact that the pennies saved don't come close to the hundreds spunked. The self-deception of the gambler.
If you guys hadn't gambled, do you honestly believe you'd be collecting coupons?

 

[just play]

Coupons eh?
If you read about problem gamblers, say on the Gamcare forum, many will say the same thing. They'll carefully pick products in supermarkets and compare prices to save a few pence, and watch carefully what they spend on other stuff in a likewise manner. Then they will spunk tens/hundreds of pounds gambling. Subconsciously, this is because in the twisted logic of an addict, being 'careful' elsewhere somehow justifies the reckless spending on gambling, a sort of mental balancing act that obscures temporarily the fact that the pennies saved don't come close to the hundreds spunked. The self-deception of the gambler.
If you guys hadn't gambled, do you honestly believe you'd be collecting coupons?

Are you being serious? You do know most women/men use coupons right? (whomever is the grocery shopper in the family)

This is the strangest logic I have heard in a LONG time.

 

[dionysus]

Yeah, not sure I agree with it either. I have an entertainment allowance. I'm not big on bars, or clothes, but I like gambling. It isn't my bill money, its whats left after bills.
But when shopping, regardless of the amount in my wallet, I still shop where there's the most sales.

 

[dunover]

Are you being serious? You do know most women/men use coupons right? (whomever is the grocery shopper in the family)

This is the strangest logic I have heard in a LONG time.

Very serious. It's true. I think here though, this may be a transatlantic shopping misunderstanding. Over here in the UK, apart from poorer sections of society, you seldom see them being used - a sort of snob thing. Over here we tend to go for offers like "Spend over £50 and get a 5p off a litre of petrol (up to 100 litres)" voucher to redeem in the supermarket filling station.

 

[dionysus]

I can't speak for everyone, but of those I know:
here there's several major markets in a neighbourhood, one as good as the other in most respects. Before each shopping outing, we pull up the online flyers and see which of say, the four, currently are running the most deals (for what we plan on buying) and that's where we go; no loyalty, just pure economics. If anything, we'd refer to those who pay high end prices because its one block closer, the snobs, and those careful/frugal, practical or the norm.

 

[slotplayer]

I stopped playing/gambling online completely almost 2 years ago. My current bank informed me it wouldn't take international bank transfer unless I signed a waiver each and every time I had a transaction on a personal account (would be different if it was a business account). This was also after the bank I had been doing business with for over 20 years closed my account due to "suspicious" international bank dealings (meaning I had too many deposits to online casinos and too many deposits from winnings back into my bank account from online casinos). After the NeTeller issues and then QuickTender, I just figured it wasn't worth the hassle anymore.

My daughter does the couponing thing. Some weeks she will save $100 to $150 on her groceries by using coupons. She watches the ads, clips coupons, matches coupons to store coupons, etc. She also takes advantage of coupons offered online by manufacturers, SmartSource and Red Plum have websites you can print coupons off of (two coupons per product. These are the coupons you find in the Sunday supplements). Also try coupons.com, same deal...two coupons per product (if you have 2 computers in the home you should be able to print additional coupons off the second computer as it goes by IP address not the static address). And try going to major manufacturer websites, some offer special coupon offers if you sign up for their monthly news letters (I get news letters from Kelloggs and one from Right at Home which is SC Johnson products, also from Purina for dog and catfood coupons for a girlfriend), or simply by "likiing" them on facebook...you can print off coupons from there.

I mostly play games on facebook now. I've met some really nice people from all over the world. And I'm back on the hunt for a different job again.

not sure how good it is but I came across this coupon forum some years ago xxhttp://forums.dealofday.com/

 

[ksech]

Both of the major grocery stores in our area offer a gas deal...for every $50 spent you earn 10 cents off a gallon. You can save these on your store rewards card for the timeframe (usually two months), and it's limited to 20 gallons of gas, but you can't pay any less than 10 cents per gallon. So, for those who spend a good amount in the grocery store, they get the added incentive of saving on the gas they are putting in their tank too.

Dunover, I don't know where you reside, but....the way the economy is right now, any way a family can save money is a good thing. If manufacturers didn't want people using coupons they wouldn't offer them. And to say that people are using coupons so they can spend more on gambling is utter nonsense, in my opinion. Governments (ANYWHERE/EVERYWHERE) aren't looking for ways to ease the financial burdens of their residents. Politicians are continually raising taxes, making/inventing new taxes to cover their sorry a$$e$ for their inept spending habits. They ALL need to have pay cuts (NOT raises), if the majority of people in the world did their jobs the way politicians do theirs we would really, REALLY be in a heap of deep shit....So, for those who are smart enough to save $10, $20 or however much they can each week for the necessary items to survive by using coupons...I applaud them! It takes time to clip, sort, compare prices and scan ads each week.

And, maybe I'm just naive, but I honestly believe that most of the longtime members here put family and home before their gambling needs. And this couponing thing can become a huge addiction, watch the Extreme Couponing show sometime...some of those people are freakin' fanatics...

 

[Realitybitez]

I've tried cutting down but havent done very well I think I'm not gambling much because I only deposit $10 at a time but when you do that 3 -4 times a day, 3 - 4 days a week tends to add up

However school is starting back up soon so with school uniforms, stationary and school fees to pay, I doubt I'll have any play money so will probably be on here a heck of alot more