Smart Mart's 2009 diary...

Smart_Mart

Floxxie wrote: »

You go through a lot of electric! Any chance of going non-metered?

Floxxie

That's only the second tenner I've put on the electric this year. You might be getting muddled with the gas...I've put £40.00 on the key since January 1st. I'm sure it's a temporary thing with the cold weather as I'm one of these people who doesn't really like to be too hot.

As for the CSA situation, here's where it's at...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1401665

Not good but herbie21 has been more than helpful with me on this one....

Floxxie

Yep it was the gas I was thinking of - get easily confused!

Hope it works out re the CSA. The system is crazy.

Floxxie

Smart_Mart

Another cheapie day today. Spent a tenner on petrol ( ten Nectar points ) and a pound at the quiz. We won the quiz so after having a drink bought when we got there, we managed the next one out of our winnings....:j :beer:

We've won almost £300 in the last eighteen months on the quiz; tonight's effort will go towards buying some match balls for the boys team...:D

Also kept one of my New Year's resolutions of buying all my petrol from stores with loyalty cards, i.e Tescos, BP or Sainsbury's. Eleven days in and it's still going...:T

Smart_Mart

Spent quite a bit today, not all of it on necessities, I'm afraid. I have got a lot done though so I don't feel too guilty....:cool:

Did the morning post run at 7.00am, spent much of the morning doing paperwork, did the evening post run at teatime before prepping 160 catalogue envelopes and 250 leaflets for Thursday's deliveries...

Right, the money. Booked my holiday with the boys this morning; we're going to Haven Riviere Sands in Hayle, Cornwall on April 6th for four nights costing £47.50. Booked through the Sun's £9.50 holidays as their mum might be coming ( in a platonic way ) and plumped for holiday insurance too as it's a further drive. I've taken the twins away six times through the Sun ( three times to Devon Cliffs, once each to Haven Burnham, Haven Littlesea and Haven Rockley Park ) and they love it, they'll be made up....:D

Put down the deposit on my van insurance. Went to Tesco's van insurance comparison site and got the best deal available. Shame I'll only be using it for four months a year but there you go...might look for more van work. That was £44.00.

My season ticket direct debit went out today too (£46.58), I put the inevitable tenner on the gas and I'm afraid I bought lunch and tea out, sorry...( total of £4.30 ).

Smart_Mart

Not a long post tonight as I've got to be up at six for the morning post run....

Went to football tonight and spent too much. Parking, lottery ticket, two Oxo's, a hot dog ( had no tea ) and two drinks in the bar afterwards left me with little change from £13.00. Add another £20 ( Morrisons - reward miles ) and it was an expensive night, not to mention buying lunch from the bakers...£2.80.

Delivered 120 catalogues earlier plus prepped another 110 leaflets for delivery tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a long day - morning post run, deliver 350 papers, pick boys up from school, evening post run then skittles )...not to mention writing two articles for the programme and proof-reading around a dozen pages too....:eek:

Smart_Mart

Long old day today. Got most of what I wanted to do done but the rest will have to wait...:rolleyes:

Did the morning and evening post runs, had the boys from 3.15pm - 8.00pm (:D ), went shopping ( £11.86 in Somerfields ), delivered 350 newspapers and proof-read a dozen pages for the football programme. Wrote a 700-word article this evening, just have two more to do now before tomorrow night. I cried off skittles tonight as I haven't had the time and also I've spent enough on stuff this week...:eek:

Tomorrow sees more papers, more catalogues and a stab at sorting out my filing tray.

**MissL2**

Hi SmartMart

Well done with your diary it's great! You seem to be getting loads of NSD in!!

Keep up the good work
Lx

Smart_Mart

Almost another no-spend day today....got to my first collection tonight, realised the petrol was on red yet still had thirty miles to go so succumbed and spent £20.00 on petrol at Tesco's....(20 Clubcard points ). Just forgotten that I stuck a tenner of diesel in the van this morning too at Morrisons ( Reward Miles ) so not quite a NSD.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Busy day again today. Delivered 113 catalogues this morning, home for lunch ( home-made ) then off to do the final three paper rounds, a total of 360 papers. Home for tea then off to do the evening post run. I don't normally do Thursdays but I'm having Monday night off to go to football so I worked tonight in lieu so I don't lose the money...:T

Taking the boys to school tomorrow, going shopping then have a booked job for a new customer to Cardiff. Back home for school run time, football training tomorrow evening then settle down on the settee for the football.

Broke one of my New Years resolutions on Tuesday night. I'd intended to get to bed before midnight every night this year so that I get plenty of sleep but I didn't get back from football till late and failed...

My other resolution was to buy every drop of petrol from a supermarket to get the loyalty points. Round here, Asda, Tesco and Morrisons are the cheapest so it makes sense anyway but the Reward Miles, Clubcard points and Nectar points soon add up. We're off to Cornwall on holiday in April and one of the parks down there, Flambards, accept Clubcard vouchers which means we'd get in there for free if I got enough points...

SuziQ

Hi Martin-I have just found your diary and 'know' you from the rebuilding lives thread. Think this is a great idea.
I am sickened to read about your troubles with the CSA. They seem to go for the easy targets who are already paying (not those like my ex husband who hasn't paid a penny in 12 years!)
I've had a horrid shock too. I had to go to court with my husband (soon to be ex!) this week as he has been in dispute with a landlord who gave access to our vehicles,we lost over £5,000 of stuff and as my stbx-husband wouldn't pay the rent- in retaliation he changed the locks and refused entry. The business went bust,partly as a result. He took us to court this week to try and get a charging order on my house. It has to go back to court now,as essentially it was a business debt (ltd company) but as usual my husband has no paperwork to prove it. On top of that another debtor is trying to have us both made bankrupt for a debt of just £780 my husband refuses to pay as he says the work wasn't done properly. That goes to court on the 28th of this month..........so I understand your frustration. Hope you can get it sorted.

Smart_Mart

Hi Suzi,

Thanks for posting on my thread. I still post occasionally on that one too but people have moved on now and I'm not sure my advice is particularly relevant nowadays....:rolleyes: . Sorry to hear that things have been really bad for you lately, that is awful what happened. I'll be praying things get better for you as soon as possible...;)

Today. Picked boys up and took them to school this morning then straight to Asda for shopping. Spent £21.16 there and on the way home, stuck a tenner each on the gas and the electric. Another £3.00 tonight as I took the boys football training. My customer cancelled the job at lunchtime so I didn't have to go to Cardiff today...:o

They're playing football tomorrow morning, in the afternoon there are some people coming round to look at the house with a view to buying it ( I rent my house but the landlord is selling it ) then in the evening we're going to eat a panda and watch Kung Fu Pizza.... hang on, that doesn't look right!