Does Your Husband/SO Have An Expensive Hobby, Too?

[Iowa Lizzy]

My husband's newest hobby is SCUBA. He's taking classes to become a Master Diver right now. On top of the cost of the classes and equipment, you have to factor in that we live in St. Louis the only way to dive in salt water is to plan a (not cheap) vacation. Oy.

HOT, I love your acronym!

 

[Alistra]

Yet another cyclist hubby here! He does buy parts and tools, but my hobbies are still much pricier than his!

 

[Haven]

Yes, another cyclist husband here. He has 3 bikes right now but he keeps talking about more. Plus all the accessories are absolutely endless, and they wear out and need replacing. But it's his thing, and although I worry about him out there competing with cars, it makes him happy. He's even thought of part ownership in a bicycle shop for retirement, just for "fun".

My husband is a cyclist, as well. The hobby wasn't so expensive seven years ago when he was just going for short (~15 - 20 mile rides) two times a week. As time goes by and he gets more serious, though, the equipment really goes up in price! I was all proud of myself for secretly saving up $1,000 to buy him a new bike for his 40th, little did I know that 1K doesn't buy much in a bicycle!

He just brought home a 2011 Trek Madone 5.2, by the way. Apparently it's a mid-range bicycle at around 3K. And that doesn't include the pedals, or the new seat, or the new shoes, or . . .

I love his cycling habit, to be honest. He just handed down his old Giant road bike to me. The frame's a bit small for my height, but nothing a raised seat and some lowered handlebars can't fix.

 

[TristanC]

Hmm, thanks to you ladies, I realise I should not hold back and just indulge in whatever it is that comes my way... I have Sooooo much catching up to do.

 

[MAC-W]

Just wondering if most PSers have husbands/SOs with expensive habits of their own to balance out our jewelry buying.

My husband doesn't have any expensive habits to balance mine out, which makes my jewelry spending look worse! (Although...guess that leaves more money for me to buy jewelry with? ) He doesn't mind me buying jewelry, but he doesn't buy any big ticket things regularly. He does like cycling and has an expensive bike, but he bought it several years ago and isn't the type to own more than one bike at a time. I think I'm going to buy him an expensive watch for our 10 year anniversary to make up for my jewelry habit!

Oh heck yeah! He's way worse than me.



I have jewellery and archery.

He has cars, golf and watches, and consequently wants me to have nice cars and watches as well (I dont play golf).

Overall he definately spends more than me but his is in large occasional chunks whereas mine is smaller chunks more frequently so he thinks I spend more than him. LOL.

But I earn more than him so I'm happy with my level of spending and I dont have a problem with his level of spending either cos I get pleasure out of seeing him happy - WIN WIN!

 

[MAC-W]

Snowboarding, the fact that I am home alone with the kids while he is off playing in the snow usually adds to my justification for planning my next purchase. In a few years we can all go together but until them I hope to be a bejewelled martyr.

LOL - I love this phrase.

I hope you dont mind if I borrow it. (It will work so well for my next 'justification')

 

[gardengloves]

yep, that would be boats... I thought I was free and clear when we sold his 41 foot sail boat, which we sailed from Maine to Key Largo in let's just say " somewhat challenging nautical conditions" up and down the intercoastal waterway and back by the ocean, but after 3 years without a boat- this spring, he couldn't take it and we are back on the water - so now we have a small used power boat, and we are back at sea...I'd take golf ( he plays) and gardening ( when he golfs) any day, but DH likes to be on the water, and the mechanical challenges of spiffing up an old boat.

It's a new perspective being on a power boat after years of sailing - racing by making a wake for the sailors... I used to hate those power boats zipping by and rocking us-. but now really love how fast we can get to a cool cove or beach, we drop the hook,jump in for a swim and have a picnic lunch.

In this photo, I look very nautical, but I actually severed to winch line... fortunately, hubby is able to repair anything! - this was in the Chesapeake...

 

[Dancing Fire]

there AIN'T no cheap hobbies...

 

[gardengloves]

Days like this don't come cheap. Full rubbers, gale winds.... NOA warnings for small crafts..., If I recall, there may have been a Coast Guard helocopter hovering overhead radioing us if we'd seen a boat they were searching for.

 

[centralsquare]

Seem like a dangerous (and expensive) hobby!!! He must love it, though!

 

[portia]

If I stayed up 24 hrs. a day and spent, spent, spent? I still couldn't come close to what my husband spends annually

Times 100, Gemgirl. Only with my DH it's vintage cars. 3 so far, all needing (and getting) restoration. I've never asked the cost, I don't want to know.

For years it was like this: a Maserati, a Sting Ray & a van den Plas in the garage, but no curtains in the living room. Nasty threadbare carpeting. No vacations except to car shows. Dinners out? Ha! Takeout was a fancy night. It makes him so happy, I don't complain (much).

But when he retired I put my foot down on adding more cars, so now he writes books about them. His 5th was just published; he's working on the 6th one. Much cheaper! Now I get to buy stones instead -- if gold would just go down, I'd even get to set them!!

JewelFreak, This is exactly like my parents relationship. My mom is such a good sport. She even accompanies him on car rallies (rain or shine) on hazardous roads *and* drives some not so easy to drive cars on occasion. So what types of cars has your DH written about? I do some vintage racing and love seeing them on the track.

 

[gardengloves]

Centralsquare- On a clear day, sailing was a thing of beauty... my husband is very skilled sailor-sailed for many years up the coast of New England and had progressively larger boats ... he loves the challenge, is very mechanical , knows boats, mariners protocol- understands the dynamics of wind in sail and sea currents but honestly I was plenty scared, sailing was beautiful most of time with episodes of sheer terror as weather came in and seas whipped up, but it was a good boat, and many happy times

 

[portia]

My DH is into photography and cooking. I know you're probably thinking how can cooking be expensive, but let me tell you... the professional equipment adds up! Very expensive knives and tools, a sous vide machine, industrial size vacuum packer, coffee roaster, meat slicer, cooking classes, etc. Oh, and let's not forget the gourmet ingredients! His latest endeavor... a hog butchering class. He's so sweet he even invited me. haha My crazy DH!! As far as photography goes, well, he has lots of equipment taking up lots of space in our condo. I think the one that really kills me is his professional printer. It takes up so much space and he barely uses it. Argh!!

 

[portia]

Gardengloves, that looks like a beautiful, pristine sailboat. I totally get what you're saying about wonderful memories with bits of sheer terror thrown in. Mother nature scares the hell out of me sometimes. I can't imagine being in the middle of a huge body of water with multiple sails when a storm blows in. Yikes!

 

[jlp86]

Oh My Goodness yes...anything to make his precious Mustang look better! He could spend thousands on that thing. Also, I think the more expensive it is the more appealing it sounds. He would love to learn to fly but thankfully that has not happened yet. He also is big into boats but since we are living in the city without an option of having a boat he does not have one currently.

 

[centralsquare]

Centralsquare- On a clear day, sailing was a thing of beauty... my husband is very skilled sailor-sailed for many years up the coast of New England and had progressively larger boats ... he loves the challenge, is very mechanical , knows boats, mariners protocol- understands the dynamics of wind in sail and sea currents but honestly I was plenty scared, sailing was beautiful most of time with episodes of sheer terror as weather came in and seas whipped up, but it was a good boat, and many happy times

Sailing is such a thrill...I admire anyone that knows how to sail and maintain a boat. I'm just a tag-along once in a while with some friends.

 

[Bliss]

Wow, I'm feeling lucky over here! DH's only hobbies are expensive tech gadgets for our home entertainment system and tons of tech toys. Currently in our home, we have 5 laptops. Why do we have 5 laptops and 2 desktop computers with only 2 people in the home? I don't know! Oh, and he has 3 tablets - iPad, Zune and another one. The iPad is "for the baby!" Ha!!! Also, he is a DSLR fanatic (has both the Nikon and Cannon latest and greatest) and has a ton of new lenses for every single possible scenario - I don't mind this one because his number one joy is taking photos of me and our baby together. All in all, though...I don't find his hobbies to be particularly expensive, just EXTENSIVE.

DH used to be into watches and cars but since we had a baby, he no longer spends on himself like a good Daddy. His new hobby is buying everything baby related!!! Biggest sucker ever! Pretty dress in a shop window? He'll take three in different colors! Educational toys? Sold, sold and SOLD! Books? Sure! His motto is, "Only the best for M!" It's kind of cute but yes, dads are primo suckers for their little girls. He just can't say no! I find myself returning a lot of it, though! She grows too fast to wear all the little duds he buys for her!