Smart Mart - Health, wealth and happiness

Smart_Mart

Scrooge, thanks for your message.

As you say, there's not a wonderful lot I can do with my outgoings
except not spend so much money on sweets, snacks etc. As I explained above, I now have a freezer (or will have when I fit a plug) then I can shop in bulk and not have to make so many trips to the supermarket. Most of my mini-shops are done in a little Tesco Express so it's not like I'm paying a fortune at a corner shop.

The aim, as in my signature, is to lift my total business income up to £1,220 a month which will mean diversifying into other fields. I'm hopeful that I'll keep the paper delivering on as long as I can until the day comes when I can just concentrate on the media / writing side of things and can jack them in.

scrooge2008

Thanks Smart Mart,

So, if I am reading this correctly, your target is to double your income and lose 6 stone by May 1 2010.

That makes my target of doubling my income and losing 1 stone by December 2010 feel very lightweight.

I'm sure you can do it though, by keeping focused.

Best wishes.

Smart_Mart

Managed to get down and back and the petrol light has only just gone into the red after I put £13.00 of fuel in earlier (13 Nectar points). The team drew 3-3 today against a strong side so I'm happy with that...:T:D

Tomorrow, the boys have football and I have the quiz night so pretty normal Sunday really.

Smart_Mart

Absolutely shattered tonight for some reason. Took the boys to football this afternoon (they lost 4-1) and it was blooming cold which always makes me feel more tired. Also the boys have been nightmares this weekend... if Father Christmas was due this weekend, I think he'd pass them by!!:eek:

Last pound left now so off to the quiz tonight, my mates are treating me to a pint so I'll be okay till tomorrow when the money goes in.:T

Smart_Mart

Well last night was a success.... we won the quiz for the second week running which was a turn up for the book...:beer:. Another £22 to go with the £21 won last week....:D:T

This morning broke wih the news that my HB and courier money went in okay. Paid off my Virgin Media bill (£60.97), put £25.00 of petrol in the car, did some food shopping in Asda (£40.74) including some decs and went to Wilkinson's (£20.74 on Christmas cards, a few more decs and two selection boxes). Sounds a lot but I had sort of budgeted for this expenditure.

Did the normal courier jobs this morning and evening. Tomorrow, off down to Dorset to see my older two children via the football club. The department manager wants to talk about a one-off job that could net me £500 which would be very handy.:T

Smart_Mart

Just popped out to stick £17.00 of gas on the card as it's a wee bit chilly here tonight!!

Smart_Mart

Long old day today which began at 7.00am and is still going now....:D

Had to get up early as went to football club this morning. Had arranged to meet son for a couple of hours chilling time before he went to work at 3.00pm so had to leave club by noon. Went through a lot of the stuff I need to do this special languages project... he confirmed that I'd be paid £500 on completion of the job...:T

Met son, dropped him off at work then washed and vacuumed car (£6.00), put some petrol in (£22.50 - 22 Clubcard points) and bought some tea (£6.00) befoe picking daughter up from drama rehearsals at 5pm. Tea then slouched on the sofa till 9.30pm telling jokes, surfing the net and drinking coffee). I get on so well with both of them, in fact all four children that I consider myself lucky.:j

Got home at 10.30pm and since then have been sorting out the website. Going to bed soon as tomorrow brings the papers to deliver, more website stuff, a start on Boxing Day's programme, the children after school and their nativity play at 6.30pm.

Smart_Mart

Had one of those moments tonight when you're glad you're a parent. It was the Christmas play which I incorrectly thought was the nativity but was actually "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". A slightly different take on it in that it was all set in a courtroom with Goldilocks accused of breaking and entering the bears house....:D. Brilliant production though!!

Delivered 250 papers this morning, got the website pretty much up to date and picked the kids up from school at 3.15pm before feeding them and returning them back to school for the play where they were in the choir.

Trimmed up the house this morning and my house looks more Christmassy than normal. Pleased with it although it won't win any decorations awards...

The only spend tonight was £1.40 that I put into a bucket collection at the school tonight. Quite MSE of me really...:rolleyes:

Tomorrow sees me down at the football club all day then out with an old landlord friend of mine and his wife. Haven't really seen him for ten years now so we're going out for a meal in the evening.

Smart_Mart

Sorry for not updating yesterday. Got back late last night and up and away early this morning.

Yesterday was spent down in my home town. Worked from 10.00am till 6.00pm then out with an old friend that I used to live with back in the day. We had a couple of rounds of drinks plus a steak meal and he only let me buy the second round so all in all, cost me £4.50. Spent another £4.10 on a mini-shop too.

Today, got up early and delivered the third and fourth paper rounds before lunch. Treated myself to lunch from the bakers (£2.00) then stayed in town and spent £5.67 in Wilkinson's (two cards and a DVD as presents), £8.20 in Sainsbury's (week's shop, not much as went yesterday and Monday) and £7.00 in WH Smith (two annuals as presents)...finally, stuck £15.00 on the gas card!

Got on the scales tonight for the first time in a month and have stayed the same. The same as I was when I started....:mad: . Going to give it another go when Christmas is out of the way.

Not going to football tomorrow as (a) it's a very long way and (b) it looks likely to be postponed. The twins have a party from 11am till noon then it's back indoors if at all possible.

Smart_Mart

Chilly old day today, wasn't it? :rolleyes:

Took the boys to a party this morning at a local school sports hall. On the way back, popped into a Tesco Express and spent £5.31 on a lasagne ready meal plus some sweets....:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Stayed in all day after that as wasn't going to football. Game was on in the end so did the report from the match commentary on the radio!

Just chilled for the rest of the day (almost literally) and boys went up to bed after nine. Boring day really....tomorrow should be the opposite. The boys have their football match at 2.00pm weather permitting, 6.00pm is their annual Christmas bowling party and 8.30pm is the pub quiz so should be a tad more excitement methinks.