Gambling - a RANT!

This is the front porch of our forum. Pull up a chair, and talk about whatever's on your mind.
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by HappyDaze »

icfrugal1 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 12:52 pm You are a great mama!!!!

Long story short, you are right gambling is an illness and it can create much family hardship.

MY SIL has been taking care of her mother (age 90) for over 3 years now, as MIL slips more and more into dementia.

The resentment is because MIL gambled away every penny that she could get her hands on, She did pay her household bills but NOTHING put away.

Now, even with MIL's SS and pension there is no money to hire someone to help SIL out, and the moble home needs lots of work.

MIL is awake 24/7, even with meds. she is bed bound, 24/7 care depends ect.

Lots of anger and resentment.

MIL is kept very clean, the hospice nurses ect are amazed at the care that she is getting .

IC
IC you are sweet to say that. I feel like I should not have to be "mothering" at this age. That irresponsible, carefree, "have money today and it's gone tomorrow", poverty mindset runs in my family on my father's side something terrible - and it is NOT the way I raised my children. It makes me angry as all get out that I still have to battle against it. I just wish they would leave me and my household alone. My aunt has invited me to the casino several times over the years - I have NEVER gone.

My parents also have nothing, like your MIL. All the years of dad buying lottery tickets and mom's Avon ordering habit -- and then supporting my sister (and her children and their children) have seen to that.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by clemencia2us »

I've gone to a casino twice. Once with a friend that wanted to go - it was a day trip on a chartered bus.

I was shocked to see so many seniors there. With walkers etc. They probably complain about video games and smart phones. Hello - they are there in front of these machines that start hurting your eyes.

And it is so dark in there. At least the food is good.

That is why I went the second time - just to eat! The bus was chartered by the VFW and i am a member.

And I do see people going out there and then whine about bills etc. :shock:

But then i guess they are happy and carefree for those few hours.

The place is about an hour and a half away - Eagle Pass Texas. It is a native american casino. Forget what tribe.
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by floridacatlover »

I will admit that when mom and I visited my uncle, we would play a bit on the gambling machines, mostly video poker, in Vegas usually where we were staying. But we stuck to the nickel or quarter machines and knew our limit. We did enjoy it.

My uncle, on the other hand, would play until he was out of money even if he had a big win he would give it all back. Sometimes he was so tired he could barely walk across the street to his apartment. Thank goodness the road was not highly traveled. If he had $100 and no food in the refrigerator or cupboards, he would rather use the money to gamble. My mom got SO frustrated and would send him literature from gamblers anonymous but that doesn’t help unless someone wants to change.

My mom and dad were VERY frugal - too frugal in my mind. But I never had to worry about them not having enough to pay their bills, even my dad’s 3 1/2 years in a nursing home that mom paid out of pocket.
jckitty
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:55 pm

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by jckitty »

When i was young my maternal uncle got all up into horses. What started as a pony for his daughter turned into buying, selling, training and racing them.
He started out as a barber, aunt worked in a factory(she loved it) . They had a nice suburban-ish home and all looked well.
5 years later, the yard was filled with horse equipment, house was a wreck, seriously their couch was held up on one end by an empty 6 pak of beer.....he had brought a "prize foal" into their back porch to live because the mama had rejected it...
All of this to say I saw first hand what gambling can do to a family.....they ended up living in my grandmas basement before taking off to Oklahoma.
I went to the "track" with them once and seriously saw people cashing their weekly paychecks there, family in tow and then they blew their checks on the horses!!!!

They stayed in Oklahoma and lived at a track as trainer and secretary. they never had a dime to their names. When my uncle died, my parents paid for the funeral... the other siblings paid some to my parents later but it was an incredibly horrible time .

Sheila, you were exactly right to do what you did....gambling is a slippery slope. Some people can take it or leave it, others just slide down that slope into the abbess . Why take that chance?

I have bought lottery tickets when the total is multi millions but most times it doesn't even cross my mind.
I always thought I would like to go to a casino but I guess I am too cheap/cautious.

JCKitty
clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by clemencia2us »

The times i have gone with the VFW, we pay 20 bucks for the ride.

Then they give you that much in a voucher - so basically nothing.

and I never spent any of my own money gambling. I would use the voucher - get some money back or break even.
User avatar
MackerelCat
Posts: 7260
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: Gambling - a RANT!

Post by MackerelCat »

I have a horror of gambling because my family is chock-a-block with alcoholics and people with mental illness that likes to hold hands with prescription drug addictions. Anything we discover we like, we like it WAY too much. I'd rather light money on fire than gamble with it.

Sheila, you did good. You do need to keep your daughter away from your sister because your daughter is 35 but may not perceive her aunt as dangerous, which she is in a morally erosive way.
Mackie
Post Reply