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As much as it pains me to say it, but my husband and I spoil our kids. It’s pathetic, and something I was determined not to do. My husband is definitely the weakest link. If the kids ask for something, they know they will get it, no matter how expensive it is.
Take my son’s latest obsession: Oculus Quest 2, some sort of virtual reality headset. The cheapest version runs at more than $300, a good bit of cash. Since we just got him several very expensive gadgets, he was told that it would be at least six months or more until we even consider getting this thing for him. Alas…
The other day, my husband had to stop by Best Buy on the way home, in order to get a pair of headphones. I got a call, and here is our conversation:
Him: They have the Oculus Quest 2 in stock here.
Me: And?
Him: I really want to buy it.
Me: But I thought we would wait, so we could at least pretend to be good parents?
Him: I know.
Me: Ok, here is the thing. Why don’t we order it online, since it has free shipping. It will only take a few days. That way I can go through a shopping portal and use my Amex card that has a $25 discount on a $250 purchase.
Him: But I really want it now.
Me: Come on! It’s only a few days. Btw, what cards do you have in your wallet?
Him: Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom Flex.
Me: No “Best Buy” offers attached to either card (after checking the online profile). You really should have a card that is not issued by Chase, in case that bank decides to fire us after all of my shenanigans. Remind me to put an Amex Everyday Preferred in your wallet when you get home.
Him: That’s fine. But can I just buy Oculus now?
Me: Go ahead, but make sure to use Chase Freedom Unlimited, since it earns 1.5 points per dollar.
And guess what? A few minutes later, I get a text message saying he still used Chase Freedom Flex by accident. You only had one job! It’s funny because my cousin-in-law was telling me the other day how she asked her 12-year old to get a credit card out of her purse to pay at McDonald’s. And he goes:”Chase Sapphire Preferred, right? Since it earns 3 points on dining.” This is a 12-year old.
Looking back, I probably could have ordered this VR set online with a pick-up at the store he was in, but it usually takes some time for the order to be processed. Since he was tired and wanted to go home, I didn’t want to create an issue.
And in all fairness, as much as it hurts to lose $25+ miles from the shopping portal, we will survive. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not worth obsessing over. Btw, my son screamed from happiness for two minutes straight.
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Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
ha ha.
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Arcadia Vacations
This sooo describes my wife. I’ve just gotten to the point there I give her a Blue Business Plus and a Citi Double Cash and don’t bother with anything else. If I start getting past 2 card she starts to get really bothered and it just isn’t worth it.
I know those 2 aren’t the best but they’re solid enough for me not to push the buttons of my wife with trying to explain to her which card to use at a particular store.
&2808Heavy I actually think those are solid choices for keeping things simple. You are right not to push things, as this game isn’t for everyone. Are few extra points worth irritating your wife/husband? I don’t think so.
This is what returns are for…
… and you can swap out the new delivered one for the original store receipt one.
@dgodesky There are definitely creative ways to take advantage of Amex offers. But to be honest, it’s not something I would ever mess with. I might buy some third-party gift cards from Best Buy to save 10%.
I laughed out loud at this post because I’ve had almost identical conversations with my husband too.
I guess they’re trying lol
@Tammie They are the crazy ones, not us!! :))
I loved the rant and loved the comments too! I feel your pain. I have had similar conversations with my hubby. Told him to use a specific card and he messed that up. I try to keep no more than 3 cards in his wallet, with stickers on each one saying where to use them (Gas, Groc, Rest., etc.). He loves the vacations but has no patience at all for keeping track on this stuff. I have not found any friends or family or coworkers that are into the “game” like me. So nice to be able to read some posts from people I can relate to! Keep up the great work, it is appreciated!
@Clyn6Thank you for your kind words! Hey, at least your husband tolerates stickers on the cards. That is a no go for mine, and I’ve tried. He actually complains about switching cards for minimum spend, so I try not to even ask him to do that. Instead, I pay things via Plastiq etc. whenever possible.
When people wonder why banks offer these huge sign-up bonuses, that’s your answer right there. My husband is a Chase guy only because that’s one of the first cards he got. He is a creature of habit, as are most folks.
At least he used a credit card to buy it. My mother in law… has a credit card that would give her 3.5% cashback on everything. It’s a Bank of America 2% card with 75% boost because she has large retirement saving with them. But no…being an old school she is, she just uses cash to buy stuff and even at restaurants. Arrrgh…
@tjp74 Ouch, that is painful! Some people are “old school” like that. There is still this stigma attached that credit cards=debt. To be fair, studies show that people tend to spend more when using plastic, so maybe she is onto something.
I had to laugh at this! I pretty much have my hubby trained to at least check with me about anything over $100. Not because of the spending, but of course because of the points. I don’t sweat the small stuff, but I agree, a $250 purchase and not saving $25 would have irked me. It’s all good though… just think of all of the people in the US earning 1% on all of their purchases.😁
@Patricia Yeah, I try to get discounts or extra points whenever I can, and that’s why I prefer that my husband lets me know of any large purchases. I don’t veto his spending plans.
I could tell he REALLY wanted to buy this VR set right then and there, so despite it being contrary to my nature, didn’t make too much fuss. Like our son, he is into instant gratification.
You’re blessed with a beautiful, hardworking, loving family, so it’s ok to do things that make them happy, instant gratification or not. I see only bright futures for you and yours. Also, a big thank you for all of your blogs. I have learned a lot from you!😊
@Patricia Kelly That’s so sweet of you to say! I mean, we are a normal (somewhat dysfunctional) family. Obviously, we have serious issues like everyone else. I don’t always write about them, and this post was more of a silly banter. But we love each other very much, and I hope our kids have fond memories of growing up. Family is everything, dysfunctional as it may be.
An extra step for you. But you can purchase, and return with original receipt to get amex credit
@Ed Unfortunately, the store is one hour away. My husband has to occasionally go to that city for work, and he would never agree to this scheme. 🙂 I did put Amex Everyday Preferred in his wallet, so this never happens again.
Unacceptable. Time go churn p2
LOL
Hey, look in the bright side. At least he did call before making a large purchase so there’s that. And now my kids can come play with this fancy new gadget so I don’t have to buy one. They’ve been asking for a virtual reality headset too.
@Jennifer Ha! My kid has actually been talking about playing with yours using this VR set.
Yeah, I definitely appreciate the fact that my husband checks with me before making any large purchases. To be honest, I almost never object. In this case, I would have preferred to order it online, but I’m not losing sleep over lost points or Amex discount. Life is too short for that.
He needs to kneel on washboard for an hour!
Chris, sorry, not sure what you mean.