This is a video with Judge Judy AND Suze Orman (oh be aware callers, you get double smackdowns!). I think Judge Judy gets it right. Suze is too busy freaking out on the poor caller.
I could hear the conflict in the woman’s voice. While in theory I agreed with Judge Judy… who are Judy and Suze to tell us we can choose to NOT work? Who says power comes strictly from money?
Oh the credit card, she calls to me from my wallet… “I have room! I have room! You can pay later! Sales end, you know!” Today, I gave in.
Army Boy didn’t much want to go shopping. (Gee? Really?) Until I told him we’d swing by Toys R Us afterwards so he could spend his birthday gift card. That convinced him.
True to form, he found every bit of army looking clothing he could find… from underwear to shirts to pants to hats.
And… I overspent. We hadn’t really discussed a budget, but I knew hubby would love it if I came in under $100. Yeah, not even close. Try $256. I had purchased clothing for the seven year old and the two year old (day care is hard on clothes!) but nothing for me.
At the cashier I said “what do you think it will be, bud? About $150?” I almost swallowed my tongue when she said $256. I had her take $100 from my business account (I owe me money) and put the rest on the credit card that’s paid off each month. I don’t know why I did it. Actually, I do, I wanted to delay telling my husband. Isn’t that horrible?
I’ve promised him I’d never hide money and I’d always be honest. We’re very different… he’s a saver, I’m a spender. I didn’t want to lie, but as the evening wore on I realized it was eating me up. I was on the phone with a good friend and I admitted what I had done. “You need to tell him,” she said. She was right.
So I took my credit card and crept downstairs and admitted my mistake.
He just nodded and took the card. He’d wanted to ask me for the last few weeks because I’ve been so very good for the last three months and then “oh I put x on the card” or “I was short for groceries so I put the extra $20 on the card”. And that’s how it begins…
So once again I’m creditless. But my marriage is intact and no major damage was done. (Heck, I know people who have hid thousands from their spouse… not that I’m justifying or anything!)
