To be subtitled purses and televisions.

So my wife and I were having a quiet conversation right before going to bed.  We usually have our best chats laying (lying?) in bed right before we fall asleep.  The subject centered around my parent's new HD TV.  I was telling her how awesome the picture was and asking her if she noticed the difference between the picture of their TV and ours.  (I know that you know where I am going but don't jump ahead...  live in the moment).  So here is an excerpt from our little late night convo :

WIFE : Sure the picture is nice, but there is nothing wrong with our TV.

THEHUSBLOG : But our tv is early generation HD so the picture quality is not as good, and we only have two HDMI ports, so at most on that tv we could only put cable and a blu-ray player.

WIFE : (totally ignoring my point) I just can't justify spending that much on a TV.

THEHUSBLOG : What about purses?

WIFE : Wait a minute, my purses are not nearly as expensive as a TV!

THEHUSBLOG : But we are talking about one tv and you have literally dozens of purses.

WIFE : So? (seriously at this point in the conversation I could feel my wife cross her arms in a defensive posture in bed)

THEHUSBLOG : Here's the deal.  You like purse, you like shoes and that is totally cool with me.  You like what you like and you want what you want and I never stand in the way of that.  If you want a purse and we have the money you do not have to justify that to me.  It is something you want and it makes you happy so who am I to stand in your way?

WIFE : That all sounds well and good but my purses are only a couple hundred dollars (remember we don't have kids so we can use terms like only a couple hundred dollars) and the TV is over a thousand.

THEHUSBLOG : But if I save up my own money, and buy a TV with cash that is only mine (we give each other a small amount per paycheck as personal money) I would still have to justify it to you.

WIFE : You are so right honey you win the argument, you are so wise and sexy...  (okay she didn't say that.  Instead she let out a noise letting me know that she was done talking about HD TVs for the night)

We all value different things.  In marketing it is called the "Utility of a product."  When someone tries to sell you a slap chop, they are not selling you a cheap plastic piece of crap that cuts things.  They are selling you time.  Time you will save chopping your hard boiled egg for salad, or nuts for your homemade sundaes.  To my wife a purse is not just a bag of leather that holds things, it is an accessory that complements her outfit or shows a little of her sassy personality.

To me a HD TV is a great way to unwind.  I don't want to just watch TV, I want to escape to world where a serial killer who kills other killers is a good guy(Dexter), or watch Stranger Than Fiction(one of my all time favorite movies) in crazy High Definition.  To me a thousand dollars broken out over the hours and hours of TV that I will enjoy is only pennies a day.

So next time your spouse wants to spend money on something that you think is stupid.  Take a second and try to see the utility through their eyes.  We don't have to completely understand all the wants and needs of our significant others but we do have to respect them...

-TheHusBlog

ps : Sorry this is a little late

pps : This also marks my first Husband's Guide post without a definition pause, I will do better next time.