So when do you know when you have made a mistake.

[Bogey]

I've  learned years ago to keep what ever I am doing quiet.  Especially if it involves money.  I discovered that my wife has a lopsided method of financial accounting and reasoning that only she  understands.   Case in point...a couple of weeks ago I ordered an airgun and it had to be delivered by UPS.   I knew this was a mistake for her to have any knowledge of this transaction.   The very moment that I told her about the purchase,  I could see that look in her eyes.  That look that means, " Now what can I buy because he bought something".     And she has no intention of getting something  of equal value.  Mainly, because she does not understand  the concept of " equal value".

Now the airgun cost $ 159. and you would think that my wife spending the same amount would be fair .   Wrong.   Over the weekend she found 2 very nice jade vases.  Not real old but nice still the same.   Do you think the price was anywhere close to $ 159. ?   Well the answer is NO.   For what the vases cost, I could have bought an airgun factory in China of my own.
But in her mind......we are even.       I get a pair of flip-flops and   she  comes  home with 4 Coach  purses.

Have any of Ya'll had similar experiences?   This cannot be unique to her.

[RedFeather]

Yeah, buddy. My latest AG arrives Saturday afternoon. "Who's that at the door?" asks she. "Oh, just a package I ordered - FEDEX," says I. "What is it?" asks she. "An airgun," says I. "Oh, you bought another airgun," this time with feeling. Why'd she have to come home early?? Well, I also went right out and bought another. Good thing the third gun is still on the way. Trouble, trouble, um, um, ummmm!

[Big_Bill]

OH YES Mike !!!!

And it doesn't matter that 80% of your purchase was trading other items, and your total outlay was $100.00 dollars. She will buy something for the full value of your purchase !

You see, women are not able to understand the concept of trading up for something. They only understand the purchase concept. When they no longer need or want something, they discard it :0

And they say that men and women are the same, I think NOT !!!!

I have begun using the line my wife uses on me when I see something new around;"What, that old thing" lol I've had that for years ! You remember when Paul stopped by two years ago and left this with me to play with. Well he said he didn't want it any more, and that I should hang onto it for awile until he needs it....

Bill

[airiscool]

One of the reasons my ex-wife is an "ex".  

A year ago, the Girl friend's sister gives me a Cabela's gift certificate for Christmas and I buy my first Springer with it so that's ok with the Girl friend.

Then, the Girl friend just bought me a Trail XL for my birthday.

You guys need a Girl friend,.... just don't tell your wife!!!!      

Paul

[djmyers]

That's a very common problem. My wife has always been the same way. There was never money for a pack of gum if I wanted it but then she would pop up with 400 in clothes. Money will always cause tension. All of our finances are seperated now, long messed up story typical hey your in Iraq and I'm bored see ya,  but I am happier than a pig in poo because I am managing my finance making extra truck payments everymonth and yet there's still money for my toys here and there. She is feeling the pinch and dosent buy alot of crap anymore because I do not bail her out at all. She can't afford it she don't get it. I think it's called tough love. I don't answer her questions about spending and if she wants stuff I don't help her or ask for help with anything. I basically get what I want and don't put up with the bs anymore.

From my experiance if you have already talked to her and she dosent listen then seperating the finances is the only way to fix that.

[Remo]

Your mistake was not one of disclosure to the Wife.  Rather, your error in judgment was in purchasing an item of insubstantial value.  You should have purchased that Whiscombe or other high value item for yourself and your Wife would still have come home with the same 4 Coach bags.  Except you would still be happy.  Just my 2 cents after 26 years with my Wife. Ain't marriage interesting?

Eric

[crowpopper]

lol
i got a B51 coming this week
i sold my hill pump and have been packin a lunch to work
plus i hit a scratch off ticket
well if she knew i had the cash she would wanna go get new color carpet or something we dont need
so i went out sent the money order and told her that i had to ship a gun of mine out to be fixed so when the gun arrives next week she will think it is my gun coming back  
plus i can trade all day she thinks 15 bucks in shipping is just rediculous   if its under 10 shes ok but over ten she says im nuts lol

[djmyers]

Thats a dang good idea crow popper. Ill tell mine they are being fixed from now on then make up some really elaborate technical stuff about whats wrong and my wife turns off about 3.5 seconds into the conversation any way so Im covered.

Great Idea's thats why I keep coming back here!

[michael90t]

friggen smart that is!!!! going to have to remember that if/when I get hitched again.... or as a general excuse for my different hobbies to the GF....

[Bogey]

Crowpopper......you must be some sort of genius.    excellent thinking.

[larspawn]

Bogey,

Okay so here's a technique...I say that I'm buying and selling.  I brag about this or that awesome deal that  I can resell and make money on.  I'm constantly working on rifles so for all she knows I'm fixing them up to sell.  So the trick is I save all those boxes that the rifles get shipped in.  Then when some show up at the door I just take one of those empty ones with me to work.  She sees me carrying it out the door.  Then later in the day I call her at about lunch and you say I have to go to the post office.  Of course she thinks I'm shipping off a sold rifle.

Of course this only works for a while and then you have some 'splainin' to do about needing more rifle storage.  DOH

[clip]

Have I ever made a mistake buying an air rifle? Of course. I'm sure all of us has bought one that we "had to have" at the time but turned out not to be what we anticipated. I've never had to justify a purchase of one to my wife. After almost 52 years of marrage she and I don't need to say anything about what either of us have purchased. She realizes that my "hobby" right now is airgunning.... just as I realize her "hobby" is shoes, handbags, clothes, etc. We've been together too long to have disagreements about what the other has bought.

[larspawn]

Clip,

You have the right attitude.  I was kidding about the whole scheming thing!  I'm lucky enough that my wife doesn't care how much I spend on rifles.  She more cares that I make a mess in the basement with all of them laying around.  I've monopolized the storage room for my tools and guns, I've taken over the kitchen table as my work bench, have a sawhorse and table set up as the bench and have the whole kitchen counter messed up as the cleaning station.  So, two weeks ago she says let's go to Ikea and get some storage for all your "gun crap."  See I ran out of storage in my usual hiding places so she bought me a couple cabinets.  The one on the left is for "her wine".  

The other pictures are my 10 yard hangout.  I store rifles in there and in the little wall closet to the right by the piano.  She wasn't even mad when I shot the painting on the left of the range!  Apparently I was clipping a muzzle brake and shot way over there!  She even was understanding when I shot the sump pump pipe that runs behind my pellet traps.  Guess she didn't care because I had to fix it.  Thankfully I didn't shoot the sewage ejector pump pipe about two feet over.  Then I'd be really p1ssed.  No pun intended!

She did think I was a bit nuts when I replaced the ceiling light cannister above my shooting range with a spotlight eyeball so I could see my targets better.  After I agreed to fix some of the holes in the drywall she was okay with it!  LOL

Yup honesty is the best policy in life.  That and some jewelry once in a while works wonders!

Andy Wong aka larspawn

[North Pack]

Bingo Clip, - the ex and I never had that kind of problem either. She "did her thing" with "her extra" money, and I did "my thing" with my extra money. We never said a single word about it, - no need to.