Does your wife have any idea?

[Kruel J]

I have no idea how much money my wife has tied up in yarn, fabric and other craft stuff.

Nail on the head.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Does it matter...?
If your bills are covered and spending money on firearms and other related items doesn't cause a financial hardship...who cares...?

That said...
It may be good to have a list of values or where you want your firearms to go , so when you die , it is easier on the spouse , when dealing with estate matters.
Andy

 

[CountryGent]

There are no secrets in our marriage, firearms or otherwise. We have joint pretty much everything. I handle the day-to-day financial matters (record keeping, investments, taxes, et al.), but any major decision is decided together.

Sans running a Quicken report, I couldn't tell you how much we have in spent in firearms-related stuff off-hand. (Though it is, in recent memory, less than in the past. Last time I checked the YTD report, we've actually sold more gun stuff than acquired in 2021.)

All that said, I agree with @Andy54Hawken. If a hobby or preparedness activity is within reason and doesn't cause any financial or interpersonal issues, who cares? You only live once.

 

[Frank RW]

broke out most of the air-rifle collection. selling nearly all of them eventually, maybe 2 or 3 keepers, but wanted to do a family pic.

wife comes in and says "wow, you sure hide those well!"




and don't let Emma fool ya, she's no range-dog. only pup i've known that yelps at her own shadow.

 

[shibbershabber]

My wife doesnt ask... shed better not because Ive seen her CC statements....

We keep separate bank accounts and as long as the bills get paid, we do what we do with our excess $

Its really the only way to go.

 

[Mono1]

This entire subject is the reason God created the Fifth Amendment.

 

[Nosferatu]

My wife and I are both in our mid 40's and have been together for almost 10 years now, married for 5.

We had our own accounts coming into the marriage and we maintain those separate accounts since. We have never had a joint account and don't see the need for one.

She makes significantly more money than I do.

She owns the house we live in and pays for that, along with associated bills (power, water, insurance.)

We pay for our own vehicles, insurance and maintenance.

We pay for our own hobbies.

We don't really give a bubblegum what one spends on something, but we are both financially responsible people. Bills always get handled first.

We buy whatever food is necessary, if one of us is going to the store, we find out if the other needs something. No need to bicker over who pays for what, it probably all comes out even in the end.

Her taking care of they day-to-day expenses allows me to cover big things we both use like our travel trailer, and our Montana property mortgage.

I also tend to pick up the cost of the major repairs/replacements when needed, such as new washer & dryer, etc.

This works for us. I can't think of a time we've ever argued about money. We do talk about any major expense, such as when I bought a motorcycle last month, but it's really just a "here's what I'm going to do" conversation. She knows I'm not going to do anything to put us in a bind and I know the same of her.

So, does she know what I have invested in my firearms, etc? No clue. Is it a secret? Absolutely not, I'd tell her if she asked. Most of it I had before we met anyway.

The same goes for what she has into her dog sports. I don't really give a damn what she has in it financially.

We do what makes us happy. Tomorrow is promised to nobody.

 

[pogi]

Nobody believes this, but separate checking accounts is key to a happy marriage.

Spot on and agree 100%.

 

[FourTeeFive]

My wife knows mostly because she asked and I told her. To me it's all part of financial planning. As part of my will I've got everything specifically earmarked to her and other relatives. As far as the ammo goes, she knows it's worth something and will get help from friends to sell what she doesn't want. She's a collector type so she knows not to give things away and that some similar things have much more value than others.

And yes, we have separate checking accounts (both employed, I make quite a bit more than her). We take care of major expenses together, I pay more than her in general due to my income. But as far as "fun" things go, we spend our own money. I don't question her when I see a fancy new purse or shoes, and she doesn't really notice when I buy my "hobby" items.

 

[oa98pistol512]

Guess I am lucky. She knows and is a intricate part in finding deals, picking stuff up if needed , load development . Birthday and Christmas gifts

 

[nehalemguy]

I refer to them as "investments" around the wife but she has not much interest in most of it except for her personal handguns.

I have already sent several items over to my sons and nephews. For everything else that is left, they will get pick of the litter after I am gone and I am sure that my "friends" ;D will be close behind to scoop up the rest.

-E-

 

[OldTengu]

My wife is aware that it's not an insignificant sum, but she doesn't ask. I don't ask what she spends on art supplies, but if the latest purchase of handmade watercolors from Australia that go for $250 a cake (so a pack of 5 cakes is $1250) is any indicator, it's more than I spend on guns, ammo, the occasional beer and gas/max fare combined.
But, she did make like 5k selling art last weekend and the first part of this week at the Gresham arts festival and online, so between what she makes from that and her day job, she makes a lot more than me too.

 

[3MTA3]

I have a document in the safe that has valuations in the event that I pass before her. She doesn't complain since every dollar I've spent on guns, ammo, and reloading tools has increased in value since I hold onto things for a while.

The only time we ever broached the subject I got through to her that anything I bought could be sold to reclaim part of the funds if recent or at a nifty profit if I had it a while. I also spend far less on firearms each year than she does for shoes, handbags, makeup, nails, and the beauty parlor. She knows not to go there.

 

[Juniper9mm]

My father has a secret storage unit he rents to keep some of his firearm purchases hidden from my mother

 

[pharmseller]

As long as I put out regular she lets me buy what I want.

Yeah, I said it.

 

[Nosferatu]

As long as I put out regular she lets me buy what I want.

Yeah, I said it.

Put what out? The trash?

 

[CLT65]

The separate account thing may be great for a lot of you guys, but it doesn't work so well for a single-income household.

My wife quit her job in the medical field back when kid #1 came along 17 years ago. Three more kids and chronic medical issues have kept her from having any kind of real income since, so we get by on mine. We can't afford the expensive toys, nice vacations, nice cars, etc.., but we really don't lack for anything. We finally broke down and got her a "new" car last year. It was only 11 years old, with 200k miles on it, but it's a nice little car, much better than the one it replaced.

She's never really had any problem with anything I buy (or interest for that matter), mostly because I'm really cheap and don't typically buy anything without thinking about it for a couple months. We had our disagreements here and there back in the early days, but we've both changed and grown together over the last two decades. In recent times I've been trying to back off and thin the herd, so have been selling more that buying.

 

[gtivan]

When we first got married 18 years ago, we were poor. Not food stamp poor, but bad enough off we only had a single checking account. Friday night take home pizza was a treat. We always discussed expenses.

Now we are a lot better off. She has her own checking acct. I just use the joint that is saved for all household expenses. We still talk about cash going out for personal use if it is over like $200. No need other than it is a habit we developed from our first years.

As for my guns? I have a safe full but only take out 5 or 6 on any regular basis. Some haven't been shot in a decade or more. I will probably give them away a long time before I die to see the smile on the face of the new owner shooting them.

I will keep my father's until I die. He had a beat up sporterized springfield 30-06, ithaca 37, smith revolver, browning buckmark. I could be happy with those for the last 15 or so years of my life.

 

[Knebel]

Mhhh discussing finances i think is a good thing. We are 'poor' but every now and then splurge. My wife just got a new 'wedding ring', she had a weight loss surgery and is doing very well and deserved this 100%. I am super massively proud of her for that!
I am more or less the family accountant and extra stuff she asks me because I know exactly how much we have, need, have to pay and can or can not spend. Its usually just like 'do we have x-amount for me to spend on y-something?'. And thats then either a no or a yeah no problem. The only thing that freaks me out is our credit card debt... thats a hard one for me...

She does not really know what the guns cost other than one of them but I will also make a list of values so she knows should I pass prematurely.

 

[GWS]

Dear wife isn't really interested in the value of my guns. I've made an arrangement with an FFL friend I trust to handle the disposal of my firearms if I kick off before my beloved so that she gets the most money for them and zero hassles from da Man.