Help - I need an alibi or cover story

[Johnny Appleseed]

Rhona - I like your thinking.

Perhaps honesty is the best but most expensive policy. At least that way it's all in the open and I get to improve the profits of LKBennets for the rest of the year via a retalliatory strike on my wallet via the OH

[smallblueplanet]

Sounds to me like you enjoy feeling guilty more than you enjoy your new lens?

If you shouldn't have bought it then nothing will make it right? So why not just say that you saw it on special offer and had been wanting it for ages? Bit simple I realise but why lie?

[Johnny Appleseed]

My weakness is buying fabric for my quilts. Fortunately Hinmself is not a person who notices fabric! Will she notice a lens?

If you are convinced she will, I think you need to come clean. It was too good an offer to miss. You will treat her to something to the value of £xx (doesn't need to be the same amount, does it ) to keep things fair.

Best of luck, whatever you do!

It's a gamble over whether she will notice the lens or not - perhaps an equal amount on the co-ordinated wardrobe will restore honour all round.

Or perhaps a distraction purchase?

I buy something else for the camera and offer equal value on Item 2, thereby putting Item 1 firmly in the shadows of the forgotten past

That's a win win situation

[jackie j]

My OH is always buying stuff sometimes he tells me sometimes he doesnt, daughter usually spills the beans like the digital photo frame thingy he has bought to keep at the office, that as yet I know nothing about.
Or the new bag to go with his new bike I know about the bike but not the bag, I'm sure there is more, sometimes he comes home and shows me his latest purchase like a coat he recently bought but not always.

[maytreefrannie]

Just chuck it in your camera bag and leave it for a week or two. From experience I know that one piece of photographic equipment looks pretty much like another to the uninitiated. Then take it out and use it nonchalantly and you'll probably never even be questioned. This method WORKS, if it didn't I'd still be using a box brownie.

Speaking for myself, one piece of most types of equipment looks the same as another to me - ask me how anything works and I'll say, 'you press the button,' so ---

This advice is perfect - no need to lie, no need to take it back - win win.

[zazen999]

I'd pop some talc on the box; and put it at the back of the cupboard. Then, under a cunning ruse of looking for some paperwork/pots or pans/an old book [insert whatever is in your cupboard], just cry 'Oh My God', blow the dust [talc] off and start getting all excited/emotional. No need to do any more.

Wait until the talc settles to take it out of the box [obviously].

[Nicos]

I bet you'd be brilliant with a 'little boy lost' look in your eyes....

[lynda66]

honesty is the best policy ....... ie you found it in the bargain bucket ...... and look darling i bought you flowers, and get your glad rags on we are going somewhere posh .....

[bluemoon]

Ah, the seasoned voice of experience bluemoon. Will my nerves take it or will I spill the beans and have an easy conscience?

I wonder if the OH agonises like this over the shoes "she's had for ages" and because I'm a man, I haven't noticed

Conscience? It doesn't come into it, once it's in the bag, it's always been in the bag, this becomes true in much the same way that once the kids' presents are under the tree there really is a Santa.

[Headfry]

Has your lady a hobby? offer to get her something to help with her hobby!
Truth is best me thinks

[squashysu]

just tell her its "because you are worth it", i do that one lots ha ha ah!!!

i am addicted to jeans! say no more !!

[sharonr]

My OH always says "I brought it on Ebay". That always seems to work on me so I now say the same thing to him.

[Pootle]

'Look what I won in a competition...' works!

[Two_Sheds]

I hear "you don't NEED any more plants" (so now I hide them behind the pots ... they all look the same to him ~ he didn't even notice when I dug up half the lawn the other day)

and I say: "you don't NEED any more shoes" (he's the compulsive shopper in this house)

[Polly Fouracre]

As long as you haven't spent the rent/mortgage/council tax money on it why shouldn't you buy something for yourself?
If it was a bit expensive just tell yourself "it'll all be the same in a month's time"
Enjoy it!! Don't feel guilty about it!
(Now, where was that ad. for Pekinese puppies? How much?! Hmmm)