So I am gassing BIG TIME for the new Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster. The thing is my wife would be pissed if I came home with a new guitar. I showed it to her and she said its beautiful, but she can't justify spending the money as we are expecting a baby in November. She said to ask for gift cards for Christmas, but I wouldn't expect $400 in gift cards. Maybe $100. I have a few things to sell around the house, but I don't think I have $400 worth. Theres the layaway option, but then I have to bring it home one day and there will be an inqusition!
Oh what to do? The trials and tribulations of GAS!

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ah, just go, -you get the baby I get the guitar.

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FIGHT!

Good try, but that won't fly at my house!

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Are you nuts? The baby is coming!

You can never rationalize any gear purchase to your baby mama wife from this point forward until your child is gainfully employed and own their own home.

On the bright side, once the baby comes it takes your life over for about 22 years, so you won't have much time to play guitar anyway.

You could do what other dads do. Hide it in your vehicle, give her $100 to go baby clothes shopping "just because you love her." Then while she's gone shopping stash the new gear in your man cave. By the time she sees it a year or two later, you can say you've had it forever and can't remember what you paid but it was used so it wasn't much. That is a time-tested method. It adds $100 to every gear purchase, but hey...it works! Plus it eases that nagging guilt that you are spending your child's inheritance.

As far as layaway...usually they have a time limit on layaways. After the baby comes you'll be spending all your money on diapers, formula, baby food, doctor bills, hospital bills, prescriptions, a bigger vehicle, life insurance, daycare, new clothing plus new shoes every 2 or 3 months, haircuts, corrective lenses, dental visits, presents, parties every birthday with pony rides and clowns....Keep that in mind and if you do go the layaway route make sure you can get it paid off and safely home before birthday zero. Basically whatever you spend now more than doubles.

One final bit of advice. Start the college fund now too. They may want to go to medical school out of state. Congratulations there big daddy!

Thanks for the congrats Bother Dave. This is baby number 2 for us (the first is only 16 months), so I guess everything just gets more expensive from there. I live in Canada so I don't have to worry about doctor bills and I have a good benefits plan at work to cover the rest. The shop says they have no time limit on layaway.
Hmmmm?

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My wife made me promise her I would never have more than 5 guitars at any given time (when we got married, I already had 5 guitars and 3 amps). My numbers have never been more than that, so if I want a new guitar I have to get rid of something. My latest purchace cost me my Blacktop and American Special. Maybe your wife would be more receptive to a like situation. Do you have any gear you can live without? Not only will it bring the price of the new guitar down, it also clears out space in the house.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I will never have a kid. Thanks for the kind words of wisdom, botherdave!

Unfortunately I have no gear I can get rid of. I have a MIA Tele and MIA strat that I will never get rid of, a Squier Jagmaster and Epiphone acoustic that were gifts from my wife and a Squier Tele Custom II that I bought earlier this year. I still have some bonding to do with that guitar. I also have a Squier bass for recording, so I'll need that too!

I told her about the layaway plan over lunch and she said "why, is there something you want?" I told her theres always something I want. She replied "you just got a guitar earlier this year and an amp last year. You can't have a new guitar every year."

I'll find a way...oh yes, I will find a way!

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do what I do, use the credit card and then keep the guitar at work for a month or so. then you bring it home saying you borrowed it from your friend. and a week after that tell her he decided to let you keep it my wife thinks my friends love me ahahahah

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Congrats on the new baby, and the Gas. The two will need to learn to live together. Old Dad's, going to come down with Natural GAS from time to time. It cant be ignored or (DAD WILL EXPLODE). Now we cant have that can we. Idea cut down on the BEER and the SMOKES and any thing else you can live without for a while. Save the extra CASH and when you get to 1/2 the price of the guitar, put it on lay away and pay it off. Save all your receipts and have them ready to show your wife when the big day comes. Your going to have a brand new baby and a new guitar at the same time. Good
Idea or what.
----Danny,

"You get your baby, I get mine."

"It costs well over a million to raise a child to 18 years old. This is only $400."

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

kids aren't as expensive if you keep them locked up in the basement

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I keep my gear in the basement!

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I don't know how I did it but.... Now all I have to do is enjoy and spoil the grand kids then send them home to mama and daddy!! Still can't get anything by the wife though!!

The deal I have with my wife is...I don't ask what she spends on shoes and she doesn't ask what I spend on guitar stuff. However, we don't have babies in the house anymore. Baby "needs" trump everything. Good Luck and let us know if you find something that works.

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'09 Am Deluxe Ash Strat
'09 Mex Standard Strat
'10 Mex Standard Tele
Champ 600
Blues jr.
'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue