how do you compensate your partner for the time and money you spend on this hobby

Somnium (Aidan) · #1 30-03-2016, 10:09 PM

I was talking to another IISer recently and we got to discussing how we bribed our significant others as we dropped more money into this hobby. my new set up was not exactly cheap but it is more expensive when you consider the earrings and handbags that a bought for my wife to "even it up"

. i know many of you are lucky enough to have a spouse who shares your passion but i am sure there are those who have to put in some make up time and money for all of the time and money this hobby consumes. any interesting stories out there?

Larryp (Laurie) · #2 30-03-2016, 10:56 PM

Handbags! My wife, being Asian, has a love of expensive handbags. I have bought her three, and I think they cost more than my astro gear, and that's saying something!

Octane (Humayun) · #3 31-03-2016, 10:46 AM

The way to do it is to find a hobby that you both also enjoying doing. In my case, 4WD! She feels involved when we go out camping together now.

H

rustigsmed (Russell) · #4 31-03-2016, 11:09 AM

well as a single man the only one I have to appease is my border collie. and that is easily done by throwing a tennis ball repeatedly during an imaging session

prior to moving to CCD he knew once the dslr shutter went off it was time to play haha.

RickS (Rick) · #5 31-03-2016, 11:13 AM

I bought my wife a new house and astro expenditure is a rounding error by comparison

rally · #6 31-03-2016, 12:45 PM

My goodness the guilt we all carry !

We are each responsible for our own finances, hobbies and expenditure, I'm open about it and there is no issue.

But you should be buying your partner flowers now and again in any case !

LewisM · #7 31-03-2016, 01:31 PM

My wife knows only too well about the telescopes and the antique firearms - they were there when we got married, they will always be there (though continually change

)

There is only one kickback to my hobbies - my wife and kids do NOT buy me presents for birthdays, Christmas or Father's Day - I told them LONG ago that I have enough stuff and enough funds tied up into them to last me a lifetime. It's a fair trade off, and one that I instigated.

raymo · #8 31-03-2016, 01:55 PM

I'm right out on a limb of resentment. My wife HATES my hobby, and
resents every minute I spend with my scopes, even though we live in
one of the worst areas in the country weather and cloud wise,[about 40
imaging sessions per year].
raymo

glend (Glen) · #9 31-03-2016, 02:04 PM

Like Russell I am single but was married for 32 years to a woman that would not let me spend any money on astronomy - it was not on her agenda. Since the divorce I no longer have to worry about it, I spend what I please or can afford with no accountability. There is no pleasing some people, flowers, new houses, new cars, love, whatever .

Allan_L (Allan) · #10 31-03-2016, 02:26 PM

My wife takes as compensation, that she is a free agent for 5 days every month or two while I am away astro camping. Don't get me wrong, we both love each other's company, but a short break away keeps the relationship fresh (as I see it).

kittenshark (Cheryl-Ann Tan) · #11 31-03-2016, 04:15 PM

Guilt... the gift that keeps on giving!

Had one customer, whom we now call "The Guy with the Angry Wife", who comes in and his wife gives him hell every time he comes to the store.

Rang up some items, and came to an amount that was literally too big for his wallet.

"Uh oh..."

"See, I KNEW this would happen! [grumble grumble nag nag]" she told him.

Then she handed over the money he needed for his stuff, grudgingly.

They came back some weeks later and the whole scene repeated itself again.

Well, at least they didn't ask for a discount but I dread what would happen if he wants to upgrade his scope!! :-o

Allan_L (Allan) · #12 31-03-2016, 05:41 PM

Someone here has/had a signature line that went something like:
"My greatest fear is that when I am dead and gone my wife will sell all of my astronomy gear for what I told her I paid for them"

and then there was the "mate's" reply post:
"And when that happens, I hope I am fortunate enough to buy them"

Slawomir (Suavi) · #13 31-03-2016, 06:09 PM

I print my astrophotos on metal and hang them around our house, as well as in my partner's restaurant...as a gift

MattT · #14 31-03-2016, 06:33 PM

I don't. All I do is spend time with my wife doing things. This week it's been spent in Beechworth in N Vic, cycling around various wineries and at night getting out the scope in the campground. She even looked through my 4" f5 frac and was surprised to see so many stars....a good thing.

As for money spent it doesn't add up to much at all.

Matt

rrussell1962 · #15 31-03-2016, 06:56 PM

I don't. I work for my money, she works for hers. I may have thought the exorbitant price for a couple of premium tickets to Madonna could have better gone on eyepieces, but it was not my money. If we spend as many more years together as I hope we will it will all come out in the wash.

kittenshark (Cheryl-Ann Tan) · #16 31-03-2016, 07:38 PM

Oh, oh, reminds me of this even funnier (and rather sad, for us, anyway) incident....

As some of you might know, there is an adult toy store a couple buildings down from us.

One day a guy came in to browse and seemed pretty keen on a scope. His wife wandered out of the store to look at the other shops.

Some minutes later he gets a call from wifey.

"Oh, my wife's at the sex shop next door, I'll see you later!"

We never saw him again.

Somnium (Aidan) · #17 31-03-2016, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan_L

Someone here has/had a signature line that went something like:
"My greatest fear is that when I am dead and gone my wife will sell all of my astronomy gear for what I told her I paid for them"

and then there was the "mate's" reply post:
"And when that happens, I hope I am fortunate enough to buy them"

ah that is brilliant !

rrussell1962 · #18 31-03-2016, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittenshark

Oh, oh, reminds me of this even funnier (and rather sad, for us, anyway) incident....

As some of you might know, there is an adult toy store a couple buildings down from us.

One day a guy came in to browse and seemed pretty keen on a scope. His wife wandered out of the store to look at the other shops.

Some minutes later he gets a call from wifey.

"Oh, my wife's at the sex shop next door, I'll see you later!"

We never saw him again.

Although I am a regular visitor to your emporium, it was not me!

Atmos (Colin) · #19 31-03-2016, 08:15 PM

Being single at the moment, I am buying what I want now because, unless I am really lucky, I won't be buying stuff later

In saying that I think I may be nearly done with my collection. Pick up imaging scope next week, got a 12" dob that I'd like to house up at my dark site (when I get a shed up there) and wanting to buy a luna/planetary scope for the big city lights.

Of course, there will be a lot more I want to buy but as I am looking at buying a house soonish, I suppose that comes first :/

astronobob (Bob) · #20 31-03-2016, 08:55 PM

Compensate - Hmmmpffff, when comes to wife, that word is not in my vocabulary

Tho she understands the word very well