S: Husbands and their compulsive spending habits

[chrissy]

Donnie went and tried to water cool his video card. Nice card that he originally spent $300 on. (another story altogether)

Well, it didn't work after it was connected, and it didn't after he put everything back. So he sent off for an RMA from ATI.

Well, I guess he got antsy and ORDERED a NEW card at $400....


Never mind that I am wanting and we have been actively talking about painting bedrooms and buying a new bed for Audrey and even something for OUR bedroom for that matter.

Never mind that I wanted a pen for my computer that cost HALF of what his video card costs! And I was putting it off because we needed the money to go other directions.

Yeah, the RMA card will go into Audrey's system (which is good because it has video in and out and we can get the TV out of her room) and it trickles down from there. But goodness I don't care if she games with him and his friends, no 11 yr old needs a video card that is worth $300!

I don't understand his need to spend on his mistress! dammit.

[Jenny]

Time for a Target spending spree! :D

[sizemic1]

I don't understand his need to spend on his mistress! dammit.

Have you said anything to him about his spending and how it's pissing you off?

[ufcrusher]

Go and manufacture a receipt for an online purchase for a bunch of really really expensive things that he would never approve of you buying. Make it from Amazon or Outpost supposedly so you can put a real mix of items. Put on your digital pen, a new down comforter, new 1000tc sheets....you get the drift. Just make sure that it totals to a thousand dollars or more.

Leave it sitting out on top of the printer or somewhere else where he will see it. When he starts question it, say that you will return all of those things, IF he returns the $400 vid card. If he doesnt flinch about it, figure out something to say that basically indicates that there is no money cushion now. The since he ate away most of it, the rest gone would be no big deal.

That should get him to reconsider his actions. If not, well then, you have a shopping spree that he has okayed before you bought. :naughty:

[chrissy]

Oh yeah. he knows.

He feels it's okay to spend on her. Because that is his hobby. And I am okay with it to a point. I mean, I have hobbies but it's crocheting and crafty things. I just started digital scrapbooking which is going to be expensive for a bit (need that wacom pen and I would love a new printer) but for the most part, I can spend 5-20 bucks and be set for a month or two. But about once every 3 months, he buys something that is $$$ and it always seems to be when we are talking about doing something for the family or such.

I probably sound more pissed than what I am. I does irritate me. I have always been a game widow and the computer has aways been called the mistress. But when I am out shopping, if I see something that is a great deal that I have been wanting for us/house/kids/me, I call first and talk to him. Making sure that it won't kill us for the month (especially since I don't work right now).

I think I am more upset at the timeing of the purchase than I am at the purchase itself this time.


Time for a Target spending spree! :D



If not, well then, you have a shopping spree that he has okayed before you bought.


While I would love to do this, I would love to be the bigger person in this situation and show him what responsible adults are supposed to do. :D

If I was to buy my pen or go to Target, it wouldn't make the situation better. I will probably just get my way when it comes to the kids' rooms now though...

[Jenny]

While I would love to do this, I would love to be the bigger person in this situation and show him what responsible adults are supposed to do. :D

If I was to buy my pen or go to Target, it wouldn't make the situation better. I will probably just get my way when it comes to the kids' rooms now though...

:heh: Well, mine was a joke. ;)

And yay! There ya go. He gets what he wants, you get your way. Compromise is grand, isn't it? ;) Just teasing you hon. I say we go with your idea and ship em to Cali then we can hang out. :D

[bachviet]

I learned my lesson after I bought the 20.1" widescreen LCD from Dell (it was so cheap) without telling my wife.

[chrissy]

I learned my lesson after I bought the 20.1" widescreen LCD from Dell (it was so cheap) without telling my wife.

funny you mention this

Will who is going to be staying with us until he leaves for Korea, and he just informed me (so this is rumor right now) that there is also a 19" monitor on the way along with this card...

I might have to take that for myself just to make him learn a lesson.

[Memo]

Painting bed rooms?! Come on it's a video card!!!

[sizemic1]

Sounds like to me you guys just need to have a budget that accounts for his "mistress". Either that or he needs a financial smackdown. I'm guessing he's figuring he's earning all of the money so he's entitled to spend it. Which is crap IMO. My wife did the same thing by putting 25% of her take home into a seperate account so she could buy whatever she wanted. The downside, there was pretty much nothing left over except for bills and groceries.

[LPMiller]

1) while you say it's a 300 dollar video card, you don't say how old it is. What it was brand new and what it is now ain't the same.

2) you say he knows you wanted to do all this bedroom stuff. This isn't true. What he heard is, "I'd like to redecorate the blah blah blah blah blah blah hey ATI has a new card out." You spoke to him in girl. Huge mistake.

3) In checking my geek manual, sudden video card + new monitor equates to new pen and 1 redecorating session on a weekend, with painting help in a second room of your choice. Had it been say, a monitor and a new cpu/mainboard, you could have gone up to 2 full bedroom redecorations, depending on the mhz involved. I don't make these rules, mind you, it's just what the book says. So go ahead and get your pen and nail his ass with some swatches just as he fires up a game. I think that's fair.

[chrissy]

The "old" card was the ATI Radeon X800 Pro. The new card is the Nvidea 6800. He better not have bought a new mobo and cpu -- he has a Athlon 64 3200+

I might have been speaking girl, but he has been suggesting the hows and whys and picking out paint right along beside me.

And he did get the monitor also. We looked very redneck for a bit when he came up the driveway and I met him outside and asked him, "so a monitor too, huh?" and he said Did it come? :spock:

I mean, it set me off. At lunch when he told me about the video card, I mentioned, yeah, maybe in the spring we can get you the monitor you want.... I mean, it was there, he could have eased it to me. But I found out second hand.

He is still alive. I need him to help me paint, build shelves and a desk, assemble a new bed and buy me a new dresser. Dammit, I better not hear a sigh, a moan or anything that resembles a complaint when we get started.

[sizemic1]

You Go Girl!

[Kevster]

I have always tried to keep myself to a budget when 'upgrading'. Mrs. Kevster is sometimes a game widow too, but I do try to keep it in moderation (she knew I was like this long before we were married!). I would love to get a new monitor and video card, but I can't justify the expense when we have other more important household needs. Hobbies are great, but moderation is key.

[ufcrusher]

Well all I can say is I long for the days when I can buy electronics/computers and parts again. I have been a very very very good guy when it comes to buying non-essentials up until the past few months when I went a bit fish crazy, but that is for both of us and I have been getting steals.

First, it was paying for law school and my bills. Then it was paying for the bar exam. Then it was paying off law school. Then my wedding ate all of the money. In fact, its still eating the money as we are still paying off certain parts we put on a credit card.

I havent bought a new computer since the late 90's. My damn monitor, a CRT, came with my computer and flickers now. The inside of the computer is with 2 exceptions all stock. Those exceptions are a DVD +- DL burner and my networking card....when I bought it, they didnt include that for some reason.

I havent really updated my toys either....still the same receiver from a couple of years ago, albeit a very expensive receiver from a couple of years ago. Same with all of the other aspects of my HT. My receiver is 6 yrs old, dvd player is 2 (replaced under warranty), cd player is 10yrs, LD is 11 yrs, TV is 6 yrs old, VCR is 3, sub is 9, speakers 4yrs...and so on. Sad but true.

Who ever said that lawyers must have all the bucks is dead wrong in my case! And in almost all the other younger attorneys that I know as well. Too much debt coupled with a down market = little expendable income.

Hmm..seemed to have wandered a bit.

Yes, take the monitor.

[Merlin]

Okay gentelmen let this be a lesson to you all - NEVER TELL THE WOMEN ANYTHING! Simply have the video card sent to the office and then need to do a "repair" later on. The less women know the less grief you'll get. And always keep a stash of money on the side because any money she knows about will get spent on "nesting" crap - see story above for example. :bandit:

[zero2dash]

I think your husband has got some responsibility/money spending issues; there are more important household costs and he's blowing money on unnecessary computer parts? My wife would kick my @$$ and I'd be sleeping in the car for a few days if I bought all the crap I wanted before we bought the stuff we needed. :rolleyes: