So you’re addicted to online gambling…so what? It could be worse…right? You could be addicted to potato chips. Or doughnuts. The downside to this addiction, however, is that if you’re not paying attention, your little online gambling problem will eventually spin out of control and drain your bank account, leaving you penniless, hungry, homeless…Internet-less.

 

The upside to this worst-case scenario is that there is a way out of the poor house: make MORE money. Many of these creative moneymaking suggestions won’t require much of your time, but they will give you a little peace of mind – and a little more money to spend at your favorite online casino:

 

Sell Something: Your stamp collection, coin collection, hockey card collection, comic book collection, old computer, old computer games, Nintendo system, Atari system, old clothes, old CDs, old LPs, turntable, tape deck, VCR, blood, sperm…your body.

 

Make Something: Candles, picture frames, lawn furniture, garden gnomes, birdhouses, doghouses, cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, music, movies, moonshine, pickled cucumbers, pickled asparagus, pickled green beans, pickled eggs, pickled herring, good investments, better decisions…make new (rich!) friends.

 

Write Something: E-books, online newsletters, brochures, magazine articles; jokes, greeting cards, recipes, poems, lyrics, limericks, jingles, press releases, obituaries, reviews (music, movie or books), menus, letters, journals, essays…your life story.

 

Teach Something: ESL, math, sign language, guitar, piano, flute, chess, checkers, backgammon, martial arts, yoga, photography, driving, cooking…teach anything online.

 

Do Something with your Computer: Get paid to use search engines; enter online contests, view banners and advertisements; take online surveys; read, sort or post e-mail for other companies; burn CDs for friends, family, small businesses; design websites or e-zines, do data entry, online customer service, graphic design…computer consultation.

 

Do Something Else with your Life: Become a lawyer, judge, doctor, dentist, biologist, zoologist, geneticist, gynecologist, neurologist, entrepreneur, programmer, software developer, exotic dancer, actor, hockey player, football player, baseball player, basketball player, pro golfer, bartender, casino dealer, pit boss, casino manager…rock star.

 

If you can truly afford to gamble like there’s no tomorrow, then all the power to you! Life is short and there are many jackpots out there to be won. But if your online gambling habits are truly putting you into deep debt, then maybe it’s time you put a cap on your spending and put your life back on track. Or maybe it’s time you cashed in that inheritance.

 

Either way, one of the best things you can do for yourself at this or any point is to maintain a grip on your finances and gamble responsibly. Prioritize. Put food, clothing and shelter before slots, craps and IDN Poker poker. Have fun, but play safe.

 

For a hilarious look at just how bad things can get, go to Amazon.com to download a copy of The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel.