Smart Mart - Health, wealth and happiness

Smart_Mart

I've had a good, if busy, couple of days since my last post.

Sunday saw football in the morning (won 4-1) then sat and watched enthralled as Europe moved to within five points of the Ryder Cup. Both me and the boys love our golf and it was great viewing. Went to a meeting in the evening regarding the boys' club and its future (looks very bright).

Today saw my first day as support liaison officer although it wasn't confirmed until 3.30pm so it was rushed out to the press in a hurry. I then went over to see my older two children in Dorset and spent the evening there before returning tonight.

Paid the rent today plus £30 of petrol, £5 on a mini-shop, £2 on lunch.

Smart_Mart

There's an old saying... feast or famine. It means you either get nothing or everything; lots of something or nothing of something; that sort of thing.*

*This isn't making much sense, is it?

All year I've been struggling along with work, having to deliver 700 newspapers a week so that I can do my perfect job, working for my childhood football team in their media department. Yesterday I began work as a supporter liaison officer earning an extra £200 per month plus the programme articles which will mean an extra £900 at least bewteen now and May.

This afternoon, my old courier mate rang up and asked if I was free to cover for him tonight. I wasn't as I have been administering an online auction all day and was busy. He mentioned that his business partner has won custody of his child recently and cannot commit to the courier work as before. This means there is a vacancy for doing a bit of courier work again.

Won't know until later in the week what hours but he's a good payer. If nothing else, it might mean more money albeit more rigid hours than the papers, but the hours I would work might fit in with the football club job. I used to do mornings with him from 7am-8am and I could do all five mornings a week now without affecting anything I already do. Evenings are different as Monday/Thursday evenings I'm down at the club, Wednesday and Fridays I have the boys and several Tuesdays there are evening matches.

Have to see what he is offering but if its mornings only, he'll pay about £300 a month which would seriously help my income.

tootallulah

Fingers crossed that all works out Martin, it would be easier for you to have more income and some stability. Great news about the liaison job.

Eager_Elephant

Oh Mart I'm glad things are picking up for you.

So does this mean now that you can afford your debts and you won't need to apply for a DRO?

EE

Smart_Mart

EE - it would certainly go a long way to helping me repay them, it's just whether the creditors will accept me taking my time in repaying them. There's little point in all the extra money going to repay creditors if I'm just going to struggle again but we'll see.

For all this extra money, I'm having to give up two paper rounds (£80 a month) so it's not all good news. However there is another bonus ahead as I have received an email from the editor of the local regional paper who wants to speak to me regarding writing about my club for them as well. Wouldn't be a lot of money, sadly, but would be another string to the bow.

Hopefully talking to him tomorrow with luck.

Smart_Mart

Another good day today - down at the club, managed to sort out my desk and get my first complaint dealt with...:j

Spent £20 on petrol this morning (20 Nectar points) and £19.02 on shopping tonight in Asda. Must make the effort tomorrow to ring my courier mate and see how the land lies with him as the paper delivering may come to an end if he offers enough money..

Also tomorrow, two rounds of papers plus I'm collecting the boys up from school. I've got games on both Saturday and Sunday mornings but the big club are away in Manchester on Sat afternoon and I can't get there in time.

Smart_Mart

Another good "doing" day today.:D

Had done the shopping last night so had a quieter day for a Friday. Did the two paper rounds this morning and popped round to see courier mate to sort out the possibility of work but he was on his way out. Guardedly said there wouldn't be too much money in it so maybe it will be a non-starter.

Treated myself to two slices of Australian Crunch from the bakers (£1.36) and also topped up the gas card (£10.00) just in time for the hottest weekend in months...:o. Ah well, need gas for my bacon sandwiches in the mornings...

Football tomorrow morning!! :T

Smart_Mart

Great day today. My boys team won 9-0 this morning :eek: and both the twins scored two each in the victory...:T

Big team were playing in Manchester this afternoon and won 1-0 moving three places up the table. Even the team that play at the bottom of my garden drew 2-2 against one of the best teams in the division.

Money wise it was a no-spend day today so a bonus on that score as well.

Tomorrow the other boys team play in the quarter final of the cup so fingers crossed they will get through. They beat their opponents only last week so they have the advantage of the momentum!!

Smart_Mart

Brief update tonight as I'm off to snoozyland in a minute..

Great result this morning when the boys won through to the semi final of the cup, winning on penalties after drawing 2-2 in normal time. Glad it ended when it did as it went to sudden death and DS3 was next in line to take it....:eek:

Took them home tonight then went to the quiz where we almost completed a clean sweep. Won the first part of the quiz, winning £15 then also won the third part, winning three free drinks tokens. The raffle was drawn and blow me if we didn't win the chance to go for top prize.

Had to choose between ten envelopes containing things such as mystery tins, free drinks vouchers, cuddly toys etc up to top prize of £220. Team-mates let me have the chance to pick and I felt a really weird feeling telling me to go for envelope number four. Picked it, opened the envelope and out popped the first prize...:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

So went to the pub with £9 in my pocket and came home with best part of £80... result-a-mundo!!

Smart_Mart

Have really struggled to find time to update the thread this week for some reason so will do a brief update tonight.

Been a busy week as normal. New SLO job is going well, worked two days at the club this week and was rewarded with a freebie seat at a sporting dinner at the club on Thursday night (normally £35 a head).

Also managed to chat about the extra courier work and I start again with my mate on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from this week. The money is worth an extra £140 a month although I'll realistically have to give up the papers now to cope with it all. Going to hand my notice in on Monday so November 1st seems like the day when I can finally wave goodbye to the papers....:D:j

This weekend sees a game for the Saturday team plus my own club but no Sunday game so a well deserved lie-in hopefully. Next week is shaping up to be a busy one too...:eek: with Monday/Thursday at the club, Wednesday football training and something else on Tuesday which escapes me.

Even managed to squeeze in a game of golf this afternoon (corporate membership of a friend so another freebie)....