Wayne's story

My wife and I have been married for three years. When going into the relationship I had two houses, she had $8000 credit card maxed out, and a car loan.

Fast forward to now: we have sold both houses, bought two new cars (one has a loan). We have savings in our account of $6000. However my wife, will just go draw out $500 for a flutter. If she loses, she'll go back and get another $500. Sometimes she wins, most of the time she loses.

It all just seems like a waste. I want to save for another house deposit, whilst just about every day she gets off from work she's down the pokies, drawing out our savings.

All I can do I feel is to lock down the savings account. Have complete control over 'cash' and she can spend on our credit card (cash advance already disabled), she's maxed the card out from using the credit card to gamble.

I like to save and not waste money, where she pretty much just has to spend all the time and money seems to have no value.

I can't understand why she needs to play the pokies. We don't need money, it must be the feeling of winning, the rush she must get. I feel most uncomfortable when she drags me along (through guilt of not spending time with her), then when she runs out of money.

I'm stuck there sitting at the machine whilst she goes to the bank to withdraw savings to gamble. As soon as I mention gambling it’s the usual 'won't happen again' response. Now she's taking my mum to the pokies, so now it’s affecting my family. Some days I just feel so stressed as I hate wasting money, feels like I'm wasting my time going to work.