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The Macbook in my signature with all the upgrades cost I believe $1200. The new Powermac G4 I just picked up cost $100. The HP monitor to go with it cost $110 I believe. Shave 30% off the top and I dont usually have to hear the conversation lol. Then again my gf is actually pretty cool, as long as Im paying half the mortgage and the bills she is usually ok with it.




this right here... again...a mans man... we guys know how to do this stuff...
 
Apple Store's don't accept items from other stores as a return, so that will not work.
 
The sad part is not that you're trying to hide a purchase from your wife. Though that's not right, the inclination is not abnormal. What is frightening is your patience in developing a scheme that takes two years to culminate. I suppose you're right. I don't understand your marriage.
 
it sucks that BB does not sell visa gift card then you could do the buying gift card with a gift card thing.
if not, there are always craigslist or gift card swap website but then you'd take a hit on the card's value.
worse come to worse, tell your wife you're taking care of your friends/family birthday presents this year, and use the BB gift card for the gift (everyone needs a decent pair of headphone) The budget toward other people's presents now goes to yours. this is just a really farfetch and time consuming process though.

Btw, I'm a girl, and even I appreciate your innovation. Your wife might or might not appreciate your reasoning, but I :apple: it.

hope you get your mac soon.
 
For the 'marriage experts' in here who think his marriage is fragile, etc - God, stop over-analyzing everything.

It's not about him being scared of his wife, it's that women tend to remember all the expensive purchases we make, so they can remind us later to buy things for them in the same price category - for e.g.

Me: Nah, those earrings are too much babe, you really don't need them.

She: Oh yeah? Then why did you buy a 4k mac pro?? You could have bought a 699 hp huh? Is it because when YOU want to buy stuff it has to be top-notch? (continue saga..)

They have an uncanny memory for all those types of things - my friend's wife still keeps reminding him of the plasma tv he purchased 2 years ago (he had always wanted one) It's not worth all the little arguments - so when I do buy something expensive I always tell the wife I got it for 50% off :p

And seriously - what the hell is up with these forums? Everyone always makes stupid, unnecessary comments on how a person should live his/her life, or why they need to buy this, etc.. instead of answering the bloody question!
 
Don't forget that if you tell her it's going to cost $800 you will have 4800 to spend - to keep it realistic you have to spend the 800.


And as a married man I understand and salute you
thumbsup2.gif
 
For the 'marriage experts' in here who think his marriage is fragile, etc - God, stop over-analyzing everything.

It's not about him being scared of his wife, it's that women tend to remember all the expensive purchases we make, so they can remind us later to buy things for them in the same price category - for e.g.

Me: Nah, those earrings are too much babe, you really don't need them.

She: Oh yeah? Then why did you buy a 4k mac pro?? You could have bought a 699 hp huh? Is it because when YOU want to buy stuff it has to be top-notch? (continue saga..)

They have an uncanny memory for all those types of things - my friend's wife still keeps reminding him of the plasma tv he purchased 2 years ago (he had always wanted one) It's not worth all the little arguments - so when I do buy something expensive I always tell the wife I got it for 50% off :p

And seriously - what the hell is up with these forums? Everyone always makes stupid, unnecessary comments on how a person should live his/her life, or why they need to buy this, etc.. instead of answering the bloody question!

+1 ,Very well put, especially that reminding part :D
 
How sad that your marriage is so fragile that you can't tell your wife the truth (honey I would like to buy a new computer) or you choose to lie for one reason or another.......

Lame. Why cause an argument if he can get what he wants AND she thinks he paid less than he did. So many women seem like technophobes, but I LOVE new shiny computers

OP, go for it!
 
I think your wife would have to lose her eyes before she believes a big hulking Mac Pro and an Apple LED screen came to $800.

You've knocked off like 75% there.

If you're going to lie, I'd tell her you've bought like $2,000 of credit to spend in Best Buy on eBay for $1100 as someone didn't need it, and you're adding $900 yourself to spend $2,000.

That's a more believable figure for someone who isn't as tech savvy.

I still think this is wrong. You should be honest. If you can afford it - then what the heck.
 
You don't know women, sir. There is no woman in the world who would approve of a $4,000 computer purchase. Unless there was a VERY compelling reason (ie Work) for it, but even then its hard to justify. Its just not worth the hassle.

This is the most sexist thing I've ever read on these forums.
 
Be careful how you go about this OP, in case she goes to the Mac store and finds the exact same silver looking machine with a price tag starting at $2,500.

Btw, you must have a stack of gift cards the size of the average baseball card collection?:p
 
Hi, maybe someone has had a similar experience ?

I've been buying best buy gift cards for over two years now, totaling in 4'000 dlls.

Now I have a giant 4'000 dlls giftcard, and I want a mac pro !
The problem is, I would love one of the BTO options...
Can someone think of a way to buy this through best buy ??? They only list the base configurations, I don't mind anything else but the processors, from what I've heard are not easy at all to replace...

So any advice ? What would you do ?

I'm not going to scold you, over analyze your marriage, etc. I would just like for you to do one thing for me...for us. If/When you get this Mac Pro, let us know what happened. What did you tell your wife? What was her reaction? Etc. I want to know how this story ends.
 
OP: Can you try to resell the BB cards and spend the cash at Apple?

As for the rest, I have my opinion and it is strong but damn if that is not a clever way of getting the cards! One has to give credit where credit is due and this man is quite clever. :D
 
You don't know women, sir. There is no woman in the world who would approve of a $4,000 computer purchase. Unless there was a VERY compelling reason (ie Work) for it, but even then its hard to justify. Its just not worth the hassle.

...

Really? That's so funny because my husband and I bought a Mac Pro and I hardly think I'm the only woman in the world who can appreciate such things. Know what I appreciate more? Honesty. Deceit is a much bigger misdeed than a squabble about a big purchase, at least in my opinion. But hey, this isn't my marriage we're talking about.

That is pretty clever, I must say. Sneaky and dangerous (if caught), but clever. Good luck!
 
What you don't know is that these earrings she wants to buy for 4000K actually cost 8000K. :D

It's not about him being scared of his wife, it's that women tend to remember all the expensive purchases we make, so they can remind us later to buy things for them in the same price category - for e.g.

Me: Nah, those earrings are too much babe, you really don't need them.

She: Oh yeah? Then why did you buy a 4k mac pro?? You could have bought a 699 hp huh? Is it because when YOU want to buy stuff it has to be top-notch? (continue saga..)

They have an uncanny memory for all those types of things - my friend's wife still keeps reminding him of the plasma tv he purchased 2 years ago (he had always wanted one) It's not worth all the little arguments - so when I do buy something expensive I always tell the wife I got it for 50% off :p
 
I don't care what you people think. From my standpoint, it's a sly form of being dishonest. It's not full out lying, but in a sneaky, cowardly way. If you're marriage is that fragile then you have problems, no matter what the situation is. If you really need something, you don't have to justify buying it. If you don't, there are people who will disapprove of you. In this case, you are being a coward and I'm guessing you probably don't need the power of a Mac Pro.

BUT, I'm not here to judge all that. If you really want a BTO Mac Pro, buy one from Best Buy (any configuration) and return it to the Apple Store for credit and buy it online (w/ store credit).

Why did you, then? It's incredible how people have the time and inclination to over analyse everything on these forums. One post, and people are able to damn the OP's marriage!

Fair play, OP. The people hating you for doing this either argue with their ladyfriend every time they want to buy an expensive item, or are just happy to be told 'no'. That or they've never been with a woman for more than 5 minutes.

And I say this as someone with a very understanding girlfriend.
 
No, he just wanted to give Best Buy a zero interest loan. About the best thing he could do now is try to unload them at 90% or 80% of face value and be glad he had not put the money into GM stock.

I was waiting for someone to say something like this... "OMG you should not buy that pair of jeans, stick those 200$ in some kind of Hedge fund and you will be able to live off of it in 500 years ! "
Come on, not everything should revolve around your investments and all that crap, live a little on the edge, and in my case, I can afford not to get any interest on my gist cards, plus It's a pretty convenient way to save money, getting it off your pocket.

I don't care what you people think. From my standpoint, it's a sly form of being dishonest. It's not full out lying, but in a sneaky, cowardly way. If you're marriage is that fragile then you have problems, no matter what the situation is. If you really need something, you don't have to justify buying it. If you don't, there are people who will disapprove of you. In this case, you are being a coward and I'm guessing you probably don't need the power of a Mac Pro.

BUT, I'm not here to judge all that...Good, then refrain from doing so.

So you are at a bar about to have a beer and call your wife asking if you can buy another pint ? Or at a restaurant, and tell her you are still thirsty and want another pink lemonade ?

Yeah, I didn't think so. So you spend well over 25$ a week that you don't account to your wife right ?
Or maybe you save money to buy her a present ? When you do, do you tell her how much it cost you ?

So, I'm spending my 25$ a week and keeping it for myself. It's my present to myself.

My marriage is solid, and I don't mind you thinking otherwise, I would just like you to keep it to yourself. If you are going to post, make it something useful.
 
You don't know women, sir. There is no woman in the world who would approve of a $4,000 computer purchase. Unless there was a VERY compelling reason (ie Work) for it, but even then its hard to justify. Its just not worth the hassle.

Sir, I'd say you don't know women. Or at least, not a variety. Because that is an extremely narrow-minded comment.

I'm a female, and wouldn't say no to a $4,000 computer (heck, I spent almost that much myself on one, including some software!), provided that the purchase doesn't put the buyer in financial jeopardy. But that's just common sense.

To hell with diamonds, MACS are a girl's best friend :D

As for the OP, I don't know that keeping the price a secret is the best idea (honesty is the best policy, y'know) but I do applaud the fact that he saved up for it bit by bit, in financially manageable amounts. I think any sensible wife would be pleased by her husband's good economic practices :)
 
wow

I had no freakin idea this would turn into this kind of discussion !

Thanks to everyone who sees the point of my reasoning.

And everyone else, is just being a little uptight.
No, it did not take me 2 years of careful sneaking around and covering my traces, and late night outs with my mistress ! It took me 2 years of casually buying a gift card when I went to the grocer.

Would my wife care if she found out the real price tag ? No, not really. At most she'd tell me what do I need that for, and we'd argue about the value for a couple of minutes.
In the end I think she would be proud to know that I have been saving 4000$ without her noticing ! I'm actually so proud of it, I am doubting if I should come clean. You see I'm incapable of saving AT ALL (you might guess from me wanting to buy a mac pro without actually being a pro --and around here it seems that this is considered a MORTAL SIN--)

Is this way more fun ? Hell yeah ! I feel so happy I pulled this off might go about and buy her something nice withe the "real" money I said I'd be spending on the MP.

So, in the end, relax, don't have to be so grumpy, to all you guys who NEVER lie to their wives, I ask, do you have frequent sex ? If the answer is no, please stop trying so much to be ABSOLUTELY honest, and maybe crank up the other things that make being married FUN !

Oh and I will totally post the outcome here ;)
 
Sir, I'd say you don't know women. Or at least, not a variety. Because that is an extremely narrow-minded comment.

I'm a female, and wouldn't say no to a $4,000 computer (heck, I spent almost that much myself on one, including some software!), provided that the purchase doesn't put the buyer in financial jeopardy. But that's just common sense.

To hell with diamonds, MACS are a girl's best friend :D

As for the OP, I don't know that keeping the price a secret is the best idea (honesty is the best policy, y'know) but I do applaud the fact that he saved up for it bit by bit, in financially manageable amounts. I think any sensible wife would be pleased by her husband's good economic practices :)

Well, thanks a LOT, this is exactly what i'm talking about.
And while you are very cool (and kind of a geek :p), my wife is more about the other stuff in life, stuff without circuits. She doesn't even have an EMAIL acc ! (i know, freaks me out too, but it's also kind of cute)
 
I don't care what you people think. From my standpoint, it's a sly form of being dishonest. It's not full out lying, but in a sneaky, cowardly way. If you're marriage is that fragile then you have problems, no matter what the situation is. If you really need something, you don't have to justify buying it. If you don't, there are people who will disapprove of you. In this case, you are being a coward and I'm guessing you probably don't need the power of a Mac Pro.

BUT, I'm not here to judge all that. If you really want a BTO Mac Pro, buy one from Best Buy (any configuration) and return it to the Apple Store for credit and buy it online (w/ store credit).

So, you question his integrity and then suggest committing return fraud? Nice ;)
 
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