Smart Mart - Health, wealth and happiness

Smart_Mart

Not much to update from earlier really. Took the boys around the park for some training earlier, sun-creamed them all up and spent two hours out there running about...:D

Had tea then off out for a walk as I needed some gas and couldn't be bothered to drive there. It's about half a mile to the shop so we took the scenic route there and the direct way back. Two lots of exercise today then! :A

Spent £8 on gas and £1 on some bread rolls and that was it.

Smart_Mart

Tiring day today and I've caught the sun big time so a little sore in places.

Decided to go to the local race meeting this afternoon so made a picnic for the lads and me. Entry for the three of us was a tenner, I bought an ice cream each (£7.50) and all in all, with three winners and a couple of placed horses, we ended up around a fiver down.:T

Took the boys home an hour later than normal, showered, had tea then off to the quiz where I bought a round (£7.88) and paid for my quiz entry (£1.00). We came second tonight so we've won eight drinks vouchers again so will only cost a quid next week!!:D

Tomorrow is a "lot to do" day. Two or three paper rounds, two stories for the website plus a fair bit of paperwork to finish off.

Have lost another two pounds now so 16% of the way to my target.:D

Smart_Mart

Took some old papers up to the recycling facility this morning and popped into Asda to pick up some coffee, milk, bread etc (£4.86) and a smart polo shirt for a meal I'm going to tomorrow night (£8.00).

Posted some letters after getting some stamps (£2.40ish) and the rest of the day was spent working on next season's programme organising contributors. Even managed to get an interview planned with the Chuckle Brothers of all people - just need Rotherham United promoted this weekend.

Meal tomorrow night in Yeovil so tomorrow will be spent working on the programme again.

Smart_Mart

The meal tonight was postponed as the wife of the media manager was ill so stayed up here instead.

Haven't really done much in the way of physical stuff today but have a lot of programme stuff sorted for next season. It's hard work now but it will save me time within the football season for sure.

Managed to get agreement to interview the Chuckle Brothers next season (it's a long story) and also the actor who played Ray in Ashes to Ashes, Dean Andrews. Have tidied a lot of loose ends as well which is good.

Only spend today was £9.05 in Asda. Can't seem to get into the habit of shopping once a week yet so popped in for bread, milk, cakes and salad today.

Next week, I'm going to sort my budget out to within an inch of its life as I think things might be tough unless I rein in a little.

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED

Hi Smart

So well done with your interviews and weight loss. Im impressed! Take care!

Smart_Mart

Just in the middle of a rainstorm here. It's been so long, I was beginning to forget what rain looked like....;) or should I say :cool:

Delivered two paper rounds this morning, collected the boys from school, fed them and took them round for an hour's training this evening before it started raining.

Did a mini-shop earlier (£3.88) in Tesco's and stuck £20 of petrol in the car ready for tomorrow's trip to the football club and to see DS1 and DD1.

Been doing a lot of thinking. The next two months are going to be a struggle as on top of my already wilting budget, I have to pay £250 each month towards the cost of my car. I have to have a car, there's no way around it, and this is the cheapest and least hassled route of doing it. I'm buying it from a friend who is letting me pay £750 over three months and I've paid a third of it already.

I'm thinking of approaching my creditors (and my utilities) and see if they'll take reduced payments for June and July to help me out. Not holding my breath but they might do. Going to scythe the budget down to £1,050 a month somehow and that will mean cutting the housekeeping and fuel bill. Luckily I don't travel to matches over the next two months or so - this alone will save a bit but I'm going to sit down with a coffee on BH Monday and work it out. I also get three lots of HB and paper round money too in June which will help greatly.

I may do one almighty shop at the beginning of the month and just do tiny top-ups along the way.

Smart_Mart

Been a long day today so only a short update.

Worked at the club from 9.30am till 2.45pm then went over to see DS1 and DD1 until 9pm when I returned home. Spent £6.80 on tea for all of us, £2.60 on lunch, £3.72 on a mini-shop.

Tomorrow is two paper rounds, a little weekly shop then collecting the boys from school for the weekend.

Smart_Mart

Funny how things turn out.

Had a decent day today delivering two paper rounds then going shopping and restricting myself to £19.01. Picked the boys up from school and took them to golf (£7.45, £4 cheaper than weekends) but none of us played particularly well really. On the way out, I casually asked whether they had any jobs going and the assistant said "Yes" and pointed to a sign up.

They're looking for someone to run the course on a part-time basis paying about £7 an hour. It would suit me down to the ground and the course is an eight-minute walk from home. I could start getting fitter by walking there every day, I can take my laptop in to do the FC work on and if I'm at a loose end one afternoon, I can play golf to my heart's content...:D

I'm a bit cheesed off that its a Bank Holiday weekend this weekend as I can't do anything until Tuesday now....:(

Rain is forecast tomorrow so planning a day in with the kids. They have a swimming / football party on Sunday so might be good to have a rest day tomorrow (says a weary dad).

Smart_Mart

Very lazy day today as predicted yesterday. Sorted out my extensive football programme collection ( nearly a thousand of them :eek:) while the boys and I rotated use of the telly and the PC.

This of course meant that I had a NSD today which was pretty welcome.

Tomorrow the boys have a party in the afternoon so need to wrap a present in the morning (:(, I'm so bad at wrapping that I tell the recipient that the boys wanted to wrap it) then drop them home before tea, a shower and the quiz in the evening!

Smart_Mart

Short update as I'm whacked.

Chilled this morning, took the boys to their party this afternoon and dropped them home before going to the pub quiz tonight. We won first prize tonight so shared £32 between us - it was the first win in a few months.

Spends today? £2.80 on car parking this afternoon, £2.96 on a mini shop, a quid on the quiz and a tenner on petrol tonight. We had the eight drinks vouchers from last week and winning the money tonight means it will be a "free" week next week too.

Tomorrow sees little on the horizon except for two paper rounds and a fair degree of housework.