I would not have lied. It will hurt you more in the long run than an irate moment or two at the outset. Now you not only have to shoulder the cost of the equipment but you have to either confess and deal with it or bear your guilt silently, knowing that you'll remember the lie every time you use it. There's also the possibility that he will find out anyway. I don't always volunteer info, but I will tell if asked. I believe that lying breaks trust and without trust, life can be a living he--.

I think that you having a degree and a way to provide for children in case of a spouse not being there is the way we as women should go. Not having a seperate account. I just wanted to point out that it just seems to be trust issues there already and things that need to be discussed. I have a degree and a way to provide for my children should in the event of my hubby passing away or him forcing a divorce. There is a running joke around my family that we don't believe in divorce but spouse-icide. Having separate accounts and dividing up who buys/gets what just seems to me to place a wedge in a marriage. It seems to end up being more of a roomy situation than a marriage which then seems to open a door to splitting up. I am not saying that this is the case for everyone and anyone who does this, it is just my experience and view. I don't want to offend anyone with this, only just wanted to help get jcrow thinking about sitting down and having an honest and frank conversation with her hubby about money and the accounts. maybe not confessing about the lie but talking about what seems to be underlying issues that could be between them.

We, too, have a joint household account and our own accounts. I'm trying to convince a good friend of mine to do the same. If we go shopping, she leaves her purchases either in my car or hers until she can sneak them into her house. She just tells me, "It's easier to ask forgiveness, than ask permission". LOL!

JCrow, in your first post you said that your husband already thinks you spend too much on quilting. Maybe its a good time to sit down together and establish an annual budget for each of you to spend on hobbies. Then trust one another to stay within the budget.

I've been in the situation where DH spent many, many times more than $29 on his hobby when we couldn't afford it. Because he is self-employed and was making good money before the economy went south, I didn't question how much he was spending. We never had the discussion about how much we should set aside for hobbies and sports. Because of the tough business climate, we'll both be doing without fun things for a long time to pay off these debts.

Your money, why should you have to explain how you use it. Enjoy, I'm sure he has a hobby that takes his money and time , does he give you all his receipts for his purchases.

make him your first masterpiece just for him..then tell him. =)

Hahahahahaha!!!

I think it would make you feel better to fess up... and maybe that could open a discussion with your husband about spending money. Does he have any hobbies that cost money? My husband and I each have our own hobbies, and we long ago agreed not to get into arguments about what each of us spends. If the cost is over an amount we have agreed on, then we discuss it. I think it's important to respect each other's wishes about finances, but not to put constraints on the other or make them feel guilty about spending - unless of course it's something you can't afford, then that's another story.

That said, my husband's hobbies (golf, restoring old cars, hunting) are so much more expensive than my quilting that he better not ever complain when I come in the door with a bag from the quilt shop!! :)

Fess up. If it comes to light later he will be even more antagonistic toward your hobby. We have alreadybwornout one cutting mat on our Altos. When we got it I asked DH to help me cut strips and now we almost always cut everything out together. You might explain the angle feature might eliminate the need for purchase of specialty angle rulers.

If it is YOUR money, it is YOUR money and you decide what to do with it. If it is disposable income, not needed for anything else, you can allow yourself to spend it on items of your choosing, or put it in the bank for something else or gift it or whatever. Noone else can tell you what to do with your own disposable income. If it were jointly-held money, then this is a different story altogether...

If you feel badly about the price you paid, don't divulge it to anyone else. It really isn't anyone else's business, when we come down to it. if you want/need it for your hobby, you bought it. Use it with pleasure!