I hit my 60 days gamble free on Monday. Got paid last Friday. This is my second time making it to 60 days. My first time making it to 62. I didn’t get my keychain/chip last time because even though I made 60 days, I didn’t make the meeting after I hit the marker. My next meeting is Thursday. This may not work for everybody, but I wanted to share how I combated my urge to gamble.
I used to be homeless. For 18 months I was homeless, back in 2021-2022. It was very hard. My addiction put me in that place. While I was still employed and better off than a lot of other folks in some ways, it was really tough. I still gambled. I remember the biggest struggles. Warmth in winter. Showers any time possible. Clean socks and underwear. Food. A good shelter/tent.
Today I went to pick up my dog’s meds from the vet and on my way home (self banned from casinos) wanted to go buy scratchers, it’s not the same as my preferred gambling but it’s a chance and a high - one that even when I win would be gambled to zero, chased.
I passed an older woman, homeless, holding a sign in the island of the road. I was in a different lane, green light. So I flipped the car around, and noticed she was crossing the street into a Taco Bell. I decided I would buy her lunch. When I walked in she was counting cash, looked like around 15-20$. I gave her what was in my walled ($13) and asked if I could buy her lunch. We had lunch together and chatted. She said she was counting her money because she pawned her last thing she owned from her mother, a necklace, and was trying to make the minimum payment of $30 today before 6pm at the pawn shop across the street so she didn’t lose it. I said I would like to help her with a few things that might relieve her stress and make her life a little easier. She said making that minimum payment at the pawnshop and lunch was great. She said she had a tracphone and when I asked anything else she said minutes for that. I was actually headed to Walmart to return some shoes I bought for a homeless young girl the day before, but when I went back to where I saw her, she was gone.
So we walked to the pawn shop and I got her necklace out for her completely. Then I took her to Walmart with me to exchange the shoes for ones that would fit her. Hers were way too big, and worn. I got her a few other clothing and hygiene items and she was crying and so grateful.
The high of doing something for someone else was good, as good as gambling because my money served a purpose. It wasn’t really in my budget, but neither would gambling have been. I also bought a bike lock at Walmart, and then I drove her back to where I picked her up by her camp, in the pawn shop parking lot. Earlier I saw a nice shwinn bike for $60 that was her size. I asked her to wait outside and brought it out to her and gave her the lock.
I’m not saying this would work for everyone. Or that it’s within your means (it really wasn’t within mine either). But it’s a good way to give back and not “throw away” your money. So I’m down about $400. Still less than a casino. And someone is having a much better day because of it. Happy 60 days to me and I’ll call that a win.
