bschwotzer Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I don't know if any of you have had the same experience. This is my first year and we bought a controller and the software. I have been programing like mad, and have 10 song done. The day before she snapped the wallet shut, I told her I wish that I had another 16 or 32 channels, an fm transmitter, and I still had to buy stuff to build a tree. I told her that I'm not sure I have time to program another 16 channels and build the props I have planned. I guess I should have kept quiet. I have been told that we need to seriously watch our spending. She has been supportive but the line has been drawn. I have all the light strings I need, just got pulled back a little short of where I wanted to be for the first year. Have any of you run into this or have I fallen in too deep to this hobby? After the first year did your spouse become more or less supportive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperyclam Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 my wife complains on the money I spent this year (and yes it is my first year) but yet when we go to the store she keeps asking if I need anything and looks at decorations with me and suggests things for me to add Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainyoregonchristmas Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Im starting a small Christmas based business to support my habit. She gets half of the profit... when I break even. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a31ford Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 LMAO !! Mine went mental, that I went mental at Home Depot... "Watch our spending", that is an UNDERSTATEMENT, compared to the tongue lashing I got....... slippery, you have given me an idea.... If I take her WITH me, and mine does the same as yours, THEN I can buy more.... hehehehehehe !!!!!! Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I read here years ago that somebody suggested making sure you spend enough that she won't be able to afford a divorce lawyer. Hopefully once she sees the live display, she will have a change of heart. She won't admit it but you will be able to tell when she sits there watching the display and nitpicks about why you didn't add this or that and that you need more channels, or she asks why "our house doesn't look like that guy's videos she saw online" (that probably had like 500 channels). I suggest that once any of those words are uttered that you quickly go and order the additional things you want/need since her mood will likely change back quickly once the lights come down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missieod Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 (edited) All you have to do is deploy your wife . My husband left for Kuwait January 2. I designed my display and realized I wanted a TON more than I had told him I was going to buy. He couldn't see the bank account purchases and I just bought as much as I wanted (and then some). Once I got it all, I told him what i did. He got quiet and before He said anything I told him it was all his fault because he wasn't here to control my addiction and if he wants me to cut back then he will never ever EVER leave me here by myself for a year again. He just laughed and said he learned his lesson Edited November 5, 2013 by missieod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indi Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 missieod, I had to LOL about that. Those days of deployment are long past me.But, I know what you mean. My Queen every understanding, but I haven't told her the whole story either. But, when see watches the show she really loves it. I just hinted around about the cost. But, I think she knows. HA!!!!!!!! It would be nice to have him back for the Holidays, so he could enjoy the show with the family,. I salute you, your husband and the family for the sacrifices that you are going through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iflights Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 My advice is to start spending in January, but spending small amounts. If you save up all the spending for the mid to end of the year, it really raises a red flag. $100 a month for 10 months, is still $1000, but it makes is less painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Mitchell Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Crawl, walk, run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMeBobO Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 My wife loves it when I tell her I need to buy something. She says how much for that set of lights? $280? Woo Hoo! Then she goes shopping. She says she gets to spend on herself when I buy something for myself. So now I dont tell her. Or I can use her line "This has been on order for long time" so I didnt just buy it. Somehow she does not announce to me that she spent money so I can buy more lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missieod Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Indi- he is going to be back in about 16 days . He will not only get to see the show but I asked Kevin to do a special opening night announcement for me that welcomes him home. Then the first song of the show is the Star-Spangled Banner by Madison Rising. I invite all the neighbors down for the opening night so this one will be extra special. And thank you for the salute. It was an honor to serve and an honor to support my hubby. I just hope I don't have to do it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Last year, the lady of the house here thought I was going nuts when I was buying everything and I did sort of go off the deep end. Anyway, her and her daughter thought it all looked like crap out in the yard during the day BEFORE they saw it run. Did the testing circuits and so on and still they didn't care. But when they saw a sequence run to music for the first time, their tune changed dramactically! I was told they were letting all their friends know about it, posting on Facebook and so on about how cool it was. This year, not a single bleep from them and I suspect they can't wait for the first light-up to take place later this month. I'm about halfway set up now and should have it all done this weekend and ready to test....I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Messer Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 (edited) I for one have dumped a lot of money into the show. I have 32 LOR boxes 5 j1sys and 1 Sandevice and 13 sequences just for the show this year. Its not uncommon to dump well over 5k a year for me in the show. I have a feeling next year will be worst as I move forward with more pixels. I hope my wife likes the show this year and approves a budget like she did this year. In my case I have to take her fishing more and she will be happy. Jeff Edited November 5, 2013 by Jeff Messer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschwotzer Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 My wife has been understanding to a point. We were at a sale and got over $200 in lights. I got cases of lights and she was the one that bought the controller! I work second shift so she was the one who got the controller on the mad grab sale. So I can't say that she was unsupportive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 My advice is to start spending in January, but spending small amounts. If you save up all the spending for the mid to end of the year, it really raises a red flag. $100 a month for 10 months, is still $1000, but it makes is less painful. +1 +1 +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobschm Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 That first year, after some grousing about the time and money I was spending, the wife spent all night outside interacting with the kids during that first show. Now she wants to know what I'm adding NEXT year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwertz Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I'm sure she'll get excited once she sees the show running. But it is best to grow at a controlled rate. A lot of people go crazy at first and then lose interest after a year or two when they start to feel overwhelmed. Keep it fun and don't spend the mortgage payment on lights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indi Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 Indi- he is going to be back in about 16 days . He will not only get to see the show but I asked Kevin to do a special opening night announcement for me that welcomes him home. Then the first song of the show is the Star-Spangled Banner by Madison Rising. I invite all the neighbors down for the opening night so this one will be extra special.And thank you for the salute. It was an honor to serve and an honor to support my hubby. I just hope I don't have to do it again That is just great. Sixteen days, WOW!! Talk about being a short timer. Been there done that. Sounds like it will be a wonderful surprise. Please thank him for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc75067 Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 wife is on board.. i wont go into how much we've ordered or spent for our first year (this year) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overeazy Posted November 5, 2013 Share Posted November 5, 2013 I have the perfect setup with my wife. Its the she doesn't ask and I never tell how much I have spent on this hobby. Having 22 controllers, 16 CCR's, tons of lights and packages always arriving in the mail for me I am sure she knows its a lot and doesn't even want to know. Been married 42 years and she has never asked once how much we have or were its at or what I am doing with the finances. As long as I keep her happy and don't complain when she wants something new it works out fine. Of course at this time of year when I am starting to stress about getting everything set up and wondering why I put myself through this I almost wish she would have put her foot down and made me end the madness. But I know she loves the season and the lights as much as I do and I know she is proud to tell people that I do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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