QUICK! I need a good excuse!

[ChristopherCoy]

So I recently made the decision to 'jump ship' from Olympus to Nikon. The Oly was a nice little camera, but after going on a few shoots with my SIL, I realized that it wasn't half the camera that I needed... or more appropriately, wanted. In any event, I was very lucky to take my Oly back to the camera store (which is absolutely fabulous I might add), and they allowed me to exchange it for the D90. So my only out of pocket was the difference which was only a few hundred.

WEEEEELLLLL.... the spousal unit gets home today and doesn't notice anything until just a few minutes ago. A quick glance at the table where the Nikon box was sitting, and it was at that precise moment that I knew I was getting ready to climb an uphill battle. "I thought your camera was an Olympus?" "It was," I responded. "Well, why does that box say Nikon?" "Well, because I took it back and exchanged it for a better one." "How much of a better one?" "Well, $900 worth of a better one." "YOU SPENT $900??!?!?!?!?!?!!!" (insert a few choice explatives here.) "No... I traded in my other one and got a full refund of the purchase price." "So let me get this straight, you traded a $400 camera, for a $900 camera???" "Yes."

I'm now sleeping on the couch.....

[Daniel Bates]

Hide the boxes and tape over the logos and you won't have to deal with this again.

[ldelacruz]

And don't let your wife access TPF. I have been busted so many times.

[Cajungaltx]

Excuse?

You spent 500 without discussing it with your spousal unit and you think you need an excuse???

In our house we have a $50 - spend without discussing agreement... 500.00 would be a huge betrayal if trust unless it was a surprise gift for the other or something.

The first thing that goes through my head is:
a.) whose in charge of finances... If it's her, is there enough disposable income that it won't affect the budget?

b.) when is the last time you... Or she spent that much on herself?

Marriages breakup because of financial issues... You don't need an excuse... You need an apology.

Okay... Now that I did my female/wife duty... What'd you get???

[stephenthomas]

I dont know how to post on this one , Exept to agree with Donna , Chris COMMUNICATE WITH HER, Thats all ---- And stop buying stuff without her
--- My wife would have killed me , And I have been married 27 years

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

I'm now sleeping on the couch.....

The problem is you started off with "I spent" instead of "I saved." My wife NEVER comes home and says "I spent $X at Kohls", it's always "I saved $Y at Kohls" and it is my responsibility to ask "How much did you have to spend to save $Y?" I don't know how long you've been married, but NEVER, EVER start off a conversation with "I spent" (unless you spent it on her...then we're into a completely different ballgame). Now, mind you, I haven't been this wise all my life. This is a trick I learned from my mother-in-law...

You should have (since the Oly was paid for) JUST pointed out how you saved $400 by returning it.

Having said that--and having felt your pain more than once--I can honestly say that a couch can be a comfy place to sleep. Just grab a pillow, a blanket, and trust me when I say this will all blow over in a week or two...

Now...after all the testosterone-filled bravado at the beginning, I've learned to drop a few hints about how I need this or that, or how such-and-such will help do this better. When I stop getting the "I don't think so" look, I pull the trigger...

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Okay... Now that I did my female/wife duty... What'd you get???

EASY KILLAH!

No I didn't spend $500. The difference between the refund of my Oly kit, and the D90 was only $300.

AND... AND... before you say anything else.... the $300 came from the liquidation of all of my show chickens. We are moving and I am unable to take my birds with me, so I've had to sell them. I made $1000, so I decided to spend a bit of MY extra money on a camera. The other $700 is going towards bills incurred in the move.... maybe. If we DONT spend it, its going towards a Sigma 70-200...

[MRCPix]

ok Chris what lens did you get with it?

[GypsyHighSide]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

.... maybe. If we DONT spend it, its going towards a Sigma 70-200...

I bet your spousal unit will have a different opinion.

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

So I recently made the decision to 'jump ship' from Olympus to Nikon. I'm now sleeping on the couch.....

Chris, Chris, Chris, You need to change you avitar to a lemming as you've joined the crowd and jumped off the cliff. I had such high hopes for you. oh well flowers, dinner and whatever she want's to do is the order of the day. Next time your first purchase is a roll of gaffer's tape.

[chrismg67]

My wife says I can't buy any new photo gear until I make some money with what I already have. But, we have an agreement that any overtime I get from my real job, is mine and I can do whatever I want with it. I don't see the problem if you didn't dip into any of the families "budgeted" money. I'm trying to sell a studio light kit right now and all that money(and some extra) is going towards the 5DMKII and a new tilt shift lens. If your couch is as uncomfortable as mine, I feel for you.

[Teddington]

I thought you worked nights?? You mean she's making you sleep on the couch in the DAYTIME??? There's only a couple of ways this ends up ... you get better or you get deader!!

[peeker]

What's wrong with the couch? So..... when I got extremely frustrated on Sunday and announced (not asked) that I was going to buy a new 15" MacBook Pro, your saying I should have asked instead?

Seriously, my wife and I trust each other and she knew that I have been looking at computers for over six months. She also knew that it is an investment and also would see me more if I wasn't cursing to post-process my photos. Gotta talk and communicate dude.

BTW, it was one of the quickest purchases I have made in some time...
"How can I help you..."
"I'll have one of those please..."
"Are you still living at the address we have on file; and how will you be paying?"

The results:
- Home to Apple Store to home = 20 minutes
- Carefully yet assertively opening the box = Less than a minute
- Installing Aperture and performing software update = too long for my patience
- Watching the computer respond without hesitation on all of my 20+MB RAW files in Aperture (even while I'm unemployed) = Priceless

[toverman]

Liquidation of "show chickens" equals ... chicken soup???

[AndrewCCM]

All of my photo gear gets paid for out of my business account...

While I am not a full-time photographer, it certainly is nice to profit from what seems like a second full time job.

I have stayed out of the doghouse (for the most part) from doing it this way. However, I am starting to hear more and more that although "technically" it's not the families money (and it being reinvested into the biz), I do spend a lot of time away from the family which aggravates the wife. I recently promised to take the family on a Disney vacation via my photography profits instead of spending it on gear and/or musical equipment (which I have been doing a lot lately).

I tell ya though.. If that 1D Mark 4 comes out like predicted, I may have to dip into the Disney fund. :)