3.74

is....

• 0.6 more than the usual approximation of Pi.

• The average number of times I sneeze in a row. Maybe.

• Not the answer, which is, as ever, 42.
  

• What remains of my first supermarket pay cheque now I've paid my taxe d'habitation- vaguely similar to council tax, but all the more evil in that it's paid yearly, with a nasty bill arriving towards the end of November, and in that students aren't exempt.

I'm trying to decide what to do with my 3.74. I feel I should put it to some significant use, but I'm not quite sure what.

So far, I have come up with the following ideas:

• I could buy 10 cups of vile coffee machine tea substitute and a baguette from the supermarket

• Alternatively, I could buy half a chicken, but I'm not sure how much use that would be.
  

• Failing that, I could pay off the gnomes for two days, six hours and nineteen minutes. Actually, a word of explanation about gnome protection payments: they have little understanding of the concept of money, but are fascinated by shiny things. Two days, six hours and nineteen minutes is the length of time the average group of gnomes would be kept occupied by 3.74 in change. The time is liable to change if the coins are not particularly shiny.

Suggestions on a postcard to the usual address, please.