MONEY MANAGEMENT
For the Gambler: Controlling Debt
Take responsibility for your financial situation: Contact a credit counselling service, a bankruptcy trustee, and/or make a "proposal to the creditors" and pledge to repay a portion of your outstanding debt. This will not only help with your finances, it will help re-build your self-esteem.
Don’t try gambling as a way to solve your financial troubles.
Get a part-time job if necessary. This will occupy your free-time and help keep you from looking for a ‘quick out’. It may be tough, but in the long run will help with your financial situation and make you feel better.
Put someone else you trust in charge of your ATM or credit cards, at least for a period of time, or destroy them completely.
Protect your assets by transferring their titles to your spouse or partner’s name.
Limit the amount of cash you have access to by:
- Having wages automatically deposited into your bank account
- Destroying ATM cards or personal cheque-books
- Setting up bank accounts that require two signatures for withdrawals, rather than just your own
- Setting up daily cash withdrawal limits
- Paying bills electronically, not in cash
Seek professional help from a problem gambling specialist, credit counsellor, etc.
Information about treatment centres, help line numbers and Gamblers Anonymous.
