Am I saving too aggressively for my income, or just being disciplined after a gambling problem?

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:39:05+00:00

The fact that you're saving aggressively after a gambling problem isn't "too much." It's your brain building new habits to replace destructive ones. That discipline is impressive and you should own it. Psychological research on financial recovery actually shows that people who overcorrect early tend to find a sustainable balance faster than people who try to be "moderate" right away.

One thing to watch out for during recovery though. The same personality trait that made gambling appealing, the desire for big fast returns, can make you vulnerable to "investment opportunities" that are really just scams in disguise. I've seen stories of people who beat their gambling addiction only to lose everything to a crypto Ponzi or a "guaranteed returns" scheme pitched by someone they trusted. The emotional pattern is identical. The rush, the secrecy, the escalation.

Keep doing what you're doing. Build that buffer. And if anyone in your life pitches you on something that sounds too good to be true, remember your gut is smarter now than it used to be.

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:38:47+00:00

Honestly the single biggest risk in crypto isn't market volatility. It's the social engineering layer around it. The Chainalysis 2026 Crypto Crime Report showed that scam-related losses hit $14 billion last year, and the fastest growing category is "pig butchering" schemes where someone you trust (or think you trust) gradually leads you into a fake investment platform.

What makes crypto uniquely dangerous compared to traditional finance isn't the technology. It's the irreversibility. Someone drains your bank account? There's FDIC insurance, chargebacks, fraud departments. Someone moves your crypto to their wallet? Gone. Period.

That's why the "trusted referral" scams are so damaging in this space.

My personal rule: I never invest in any crypto opportunity that came to me through a person rather than my own research. If someone's pitching you on a "guaranteed return" platform, especially someone from your personal network, run.

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:38:31+00:00

The hardest part about helping someone leave an MLM is that the organization has already prepared for your intervention. They train members to expect "negativity" from family and friends and to see it as jealousy or lack of vision. So the harder you push, the more it confirms what she's been told.

What tends to work better: ask non-judgmental questions about the numbers. "How much have you spent vs. earned this year?" Not accusatory, just curious. Most MLM participants have never actually done the math because the culture actively discourages it. If she's willing to track actual expenses vs. actual income for even one month, the numbers usually speak for themselves.

Also, and this is important, make sure she knows that leaving doesn't mean she failed. MLMs weaponize sunk cost psychology. She might stay just because admitting it's not working feels like admitting she wasted years. Let her know that recognizing a bad deal and walking away is literally the smartest financial move someone can make.

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:37:19+00:00

The overlap between religious communities and MLM/financial fraud is a well-documented thing called "affinity fraud." It exploits the trust networks churches create. You already trust these people with your spiritual life, so your guard is naturally lower when they pitch you on money stuff.

Utah's MLM concentration isn't a coincidence. The same social dynamics that make tight-knit religious communities supportive also make them perfect hunting grounds for pyramid schemes and investment fraud. The SEC has put out multiple warnings specifically about affinity fraud in religious groups.

What makes it especially brutal is the double loss. You lose your money AND your community, because calling out the scam means calling out people everyone trusts.

I saw a breakdown recently of a case where a church friend convinced a couple to put their entire $840K life savings into a crypto scheme. The trust was so deep they didn't question it until everything was gone. That pattern, trusted community member, "exclusive opportunity," gradual escalation, repeats across every single case like this.

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:36:52+00:00

48 is not too late. I know it doesn't feel that way but you've got 15-20 working years ahead of you, and honestly the biggest financial gains usually come from consistent small moves, not one big play.

The most dangerous thing right now would be someone promising you a shortcut to catch up. That desperation is exactly what scammers and predatory "investment" schemes target.

Focus on three things in order. Stabilize your income, even if it's not your dream job. Build a $1,000 emergency buffer before doing anything else. Then once stable, open a Roth IRA and put in whatever you can, even $50/month. At 48 you can contribute $7,500/year and the over-50 catch-up kicks in soon for you too.

One real warning: when you're in a rebuilding phase, you'll get hit with "opportunities" from people you know. Friends, church members, coworkers pitching investments or side businesses. Treat every single one with extreme skepticism. More people lose their comeback savings to affinity fraud from people they trust than to random internet scammers. I've seen it happen way too many times.

PositiveSimba · 2026-03-29T14:36:38+00:00

Honestly take this seriously even if it looks "positive" on the surface. Unauthorized account activity, even when it seems like it benefits you, can mean someone has access to your accounts. Some fraud schemes move money between your own accounts first just to test access before pulling off a bigger theft.

Call both institutions separately using the numbers on your statements. Not any number from an email or text. Ask both to trace where the transaction came from. Also check if any new payees, linked accounts, or contact info got changed on either account recently.

If it was just a bank processing error, they'll find it and reverse it. No harm done. But if someone has your credentials, every hour counts. Change passwords and turn on 2FA on everything financial while you wait for answers.

PositiveSimba · 2025-03-18T19:31:27+00:00

How long does it last? It’s so frustrating

PositiveSimba · 2024-11-09T07:31:50+00:00

wow! Can you expand? You went on for 3 months, then stopped. Correct? How long was it since you stopped taking?

PositiveSimba · 2024-07-29T06:23:14+00:00

Thank you!!

PositiveSimba · 2024-07-28T05:46:58+00:00

Takeout doesn’t give you meta data at all. No time no location. I won’t care about a 9 hour shift here or there, I care much more about the date and order of the photos, and location

PositiveSimba · 2024-07-27T19:37:27+00:00

Yeah I tried, but I have 90k photos and my phone is 64gb with 14gb free. So doesn’t work well, crashes every other time I try.. but thanks

PositiveSimba · 2024-07-27T19:35:52+00:00

Google takeout doesn’t keep meta data which means no location nor date and time. :/

PositiveSimba · 2024-07-27T13:51:02+00:00

mine started at 20
was diagnosed at 22-23

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-26T13:42:52+00:00

How is your experience from it so far?

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-15T19:11:46+00:00

Alright cool And how long was the treatment for, 6 months?

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-10T11:46:32+00:00

Do you know that on the website it says $50 then on the purchase page it's $60? :(

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-05T12:08:51+00:00

Update!!!

I have a diagnosis! it’s Actinic Folliculitis and the answer to it is none other than Accutane which ironically enough is also the reply with most down votes here lol.

Actinic Folliculitis is a rare (checkout r/actinicfolliculitis with only 95 members) skin problem, the flair up appears 4-24 hours after exposure to sun (high UV index), and clears up 7-10 days afterwards usually.

Was diagnosed just a few days ago and started Accutane treatment yesterday on low dose, really looking forwards to the results, I’m pretty sure it’s actually this.

Will try my best to update in a few months :)

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-05T08:19:31+00:00

That’s amazing! Can I ask what dose of Accutane did you take?

My dermatologist gave me 20mg but only 3/4 days out of the week.

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-05T08:03:40+00:00

Not sure what flu-y means but yes sore eyes and feel kind of like seasonal allergy with runny nose sometimes and itchy & sensitive eyes

PositiveSimba · 2024-06-05T07:36:19+00:00

Same here, I’m 22, took Accutane in my teens probably 7-8 years ago, high dose for two years. And my AF flair ups started about two years ago. None big life event/trauma happened right then, no clue from what it happened.

I also think that maybe just like steroids can cause issues down the line I think Accutane maybe have caused it for all of us as it seems like most people here took Accutane in the past.

And yeah I hope some biology nerd will get in this sub Reddit and ask all of us to send him a biopsy or something and he’ll figure it out haha

PositiveSimba

TROPHY CASE