My wife busted me for GAS

[SBassman]

My wife is getting too smart.
She can smell the GAS even without catching me looking at something.

I was telliing her yesterday to make a payment on a gear credit card I have. I had sold a couple of things in the house, and I wanted her to apply the bucks to the credit card balance.

She said - sure, when she does the bills at the end of the month. I said - nah, can you please do it now before we lose track of the dollars?

She said - why do you care when it's done as long as it's done?

[Rule on the credit card - sequential use, can't do anything until previous charge is wiped.]

Then it hits her - ok, what Else do you want?

Busted.

[fish slapper]

You need a new method. My house: "fun money" account. Separate checking account that gets funded by gig money and proceeds from sales of equipment. No putting on credit card unless balance can be paid off at the end of the month from said checking account.

[SBassman]

I'm usually pretty good with the GAS.

I really don't desire lots of different basses like some of you.
At any given moment, I have never had more than two basses.
Amp wise, I'm currently at the lowest point of my playing life, with one single - insufficient - combo, and nothing else. No high powered anything.

My previous GAS has taken the form, not of adding basses to the arsenal, but of trying different things for entertainment value, and then selling what I am not currently using.

Anyway, my return to gigging on bass, after a hiatus, has unfortunately stoked a bit of GAS now. I don't have a long list, but I do have 2 items in the queue:

1. Kala solid body SUB bass. [If you don't know the magic of the Kala basses, do some reading here. These things are amazing and addictive.]

2. GK MB112 ultralight combo.

Off to buy a Lotto ticket.

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by fish slapper

You need a new method. My house: "fun money" account. Separate checking account that gets funded by gig money and proceeds from sales of equipment. No putting on credit card unless balance can be paid off at the end of the month from said checking account.

That's the way we used to do it, but I have been putting the gig money in a Christmas jar for the kids. After we get through Christmas, we are very likely to revert to doing it exactly as you describe. Way better approach than a credit card. Outside of this one deviation we are a credit card balance-less household.

[4001]

Set up the "Momma don't know" fund.

[Vintage Guy]

I have a rule! If I want something,I need to sell something. That way there is usually some funds in my Pay Pal account.

[Baron Von Vik]

Originally Posted by fish slapper

You need a new method. My house: "fun money" account. Separate checking account that gets funded by gig money and proceeds from sales of equipment. No putting on credit card unless balance can be paid off at the end of the month from said checking account.

Excellent, it's what we did too. Just don't make it a "savings" account, because banks will sometimes fine you for excessive withdrawals... not naming any names... *cough BOA cough* account closed.

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by 4001

Set up the "Momma don't know" fund.

I like the concept, and believe me, I have fantasized about it.

But, how do you do that? All the regular funds coming into the house are well known. The gig funds are also well known, and she doesn't forget to retrieve them at the end of the night.

Tell us more.

[By the way, I don't mean to indicate that my wife is a pain about this stuff. She's actually the most generous, awesome angel on the planet, and she's actually happy when she sees me playing and enjoying looking at new equipment. This is just a simple matter of - reality and responsibility. To the extent this old-aged kid can act responsibly.]

[4001]

I've got a bank bag of change that has been building for about three years or so. It's up to just about $300 and is weighing in at 24lbs.. I've got it in an old Christmas popcorn tin. I also keep a certain percentage of my gig money for myself.
Thing is..I really don't suffer from GAS. I would like to re-tolex my cabs and replace my blown Black Widow 15" speaker in my old practice combo amp and I always will need strings, but I'm pretty much done with buying basses and amps unless something requires that I do so.
Having 90% of my current gear before I got married was key.

[dukeorock]

I use paypal as a secret 'savings account' from time to time