If you have been diagnosed with any form of addiction, you know it takes effort, self-control, and sacrifice to avoid a relapse into the problem. Money management is one of the keys to a successful recovery. One of the areas where addiction causes financial haemorrhage is gambling and online gaming. The addictive nature of games makes most people spend money on gaming at the expense of other financial obligations. Here are a few ways to manage cash well when recovering from a gambling addiction.
Work with a Budget
A budget helps you stay within the boundaries. This way, you can limit the amount of cash you spend on each item in your budget. Your budget should always include your needs and wants, as well as some cash for entertainment. Do not be too rigid in your planning so that it is easy to follow the budget.
If it is hard to follow the budget, keep your money away from easy access. For example, at an online casino, use other methods that require you to add cash to the provider rather than access it directly from the bank to the casino account. The extra cash rerouting challenge causes you to pause when you are likely to make a bad decision.
Determine What is Optional or Mandatory
Unfortunately, most people just substitute one addiction with another. For example, they may stop drinking but spend too much time playing real-money games. Such a substitute is as expensive as the earlier addition and will not solve the underlying problem. To escape this cycle, you need to determine what you may do and what you must do.
Start with your needs as you start to recover and add your wants later. You can start by eliminating real money gaming during the initial recovery period if you are an online gamer. Start by removing payment methods from your account and playing free games if you must play. Then, you can add small amounts for wagering as you recover.
Use In-built Management Features
Entertainment platforms such as online casinos have built-in money management features to enable players to use their cash better. Such features include temporarily limiting your account so that you are not able to use the available cash or deposit new amounts; setting periodic budgets for betting; or opting out of the bonus offers.
These features really force you to stay within your set budget. All you need is the energy to make the setting, and the casino will handle the rest. When recovering from addiction, these features will come in handy in forcing you to stay within your spending limits.
Get Rid of Your Credit Card
A credit card allows you to spend the money you do not have now and pay later. While this can be a great option in the case of an emergency or cash flow problems, it is likely to trap you in a cyclic debt problem in the long run. You are likely to spend on things that can weigh or overspend on essentials, while you may have survived with the little you have.
When recovering from a gaming or spending problem, close your credit cards and only use the money that you have at hand for your spending. On the other hand, limit how much you can spend with a debit card by often withdrawing cash and buying from stores rather than ordering online. This lowers the impulse to spend more on eCommerce websites.
Reward Yourself
Once you have made several strides in managing your addiction, it is good to reward yourself. However, the reward should be controlled to avoid relapsing into old habits. For example, if you have stopped online gaming due to addiction, you may plan to try a specific game for a given amount. The sense of achievement makes the reward worthwhile and strengthens your resolve for better money management. If you do not want to risk a relapse into addiction but would like to enjoy some good gaming, Roshtein Casino Streamer offers a great chance to watch the casino games as he plays. You can then try your luck at the casino like Roshtein does to increase your chances of winning.
Stash Some Cash Away
Put your money in an account where it would take some effort to withdraw it. For example, you can have a savings account that is not accessible online or limits how many times you can withdraw within a given period. This helps avoid the temptation of spending cash because you have some liquidity on your hands. You may keep a given percentage of your monthly earnings in such an account to help you grow your savings and meet any goals you have set.
Seek Help
If things seem to have gone out of hand and none of the interventions above work, you may consider seeking assistance from a money management counsellor. The counsellor will look at your income and spending and provide a route to recovery. You may have to take drastic measures to stave off your addiction, such as closing some subscriptions and gaming accounts, cancelling some debit cards, and having a financial manager handle your cash.
If you go to rehab, you should maintain close contact with the recovery sponsor. They will help you keep your spending within your limits and advise you on better ways to manage your cash.
Learn to Handle the Triggers
Sometimes it only takes a simple trigger to undo all your effort to manage your cash. The trigger could be a message from your casino account, following your teams while playing on TV, or the smell of alcohol. Learn to handle the triggers, as you may not avoid all of them. You may have to stop some activities, such as predicting games and playing for free at the casino.
Money management is the first step to dealing with any addiction. If your addiction relates to casino games, various tools can help you cut your spending. Be ready to sacrifice your comfort and convenience to improve your spending and deal with any impulses that lead to poor financial decisions.