‘I’ll quit if you buy that car’: Low Income Wife Insists On Buying Expensive New Car, Husband Puts His Foot Down

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jun 28, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Hey there internet-goers. In marriages, there will always be ups and downs. From petulant disputes about what to eat for dinner, to arguing about where to live in the next few years, couples are bound to fight about something after spending so much time together. Maybe you want a dog, but he doesn't. So, how does one manage these ins and outs of marriage life and decision making? Everyone does it differently. Some prefer a mature, sit down conversation, and some prefer rock, paper, scissors. 

This story is about a couple fighting over money and material items. The wife, who makes very little money and no benefits, wants a new and expensive car. It's only natural that the breadwinner, her husband, will be weary of this sudden exorbitant purchase. They get into talking about it, and the rest is history. See for yourself what happens between them, and what advice the internet interjects to them. 

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  • 01
    r/AITAH ⚫ 16 hr. ago • bakedn8er AITAH for telling my wife I'm quitting my job, if she buys a car?
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 02
    We have three vehicles. A 2010 truck that is rarely used and is a "back up vehicle". Her 2016 suv and my 2009 "beater" I drive to work. We recently managed to get them all paid off. They all run fine. We have been using the extra cash flow to pay down our "vacation" credit card so we can vacation around Christmas. She works, but it's a free lance job
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 03
    and comes with zero benefits. My job is the one paying the bills, and keeping us healthy. She has being doing toddler math and has determined we can afford for her to sign a note on a newer vehicle. It is a big SUV with a v8, so her now 20ish mpg will go down to MAYBE 15. At first I tried to talk her out of it. Then I informed her that I will not be
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 04
    signing my name to the note. She kept on saying she would work more. (We have played this game before, it only lasts a month or two). She kept on about this Tahoe, finally I got all the way fed up. This has gone on for weeks. So I told her if she signs the note for a new car, I was quitting my job. Edit: The vacation card is used exclusively for vacations to
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 05
    protect us from fraud and scams. We do this because most people who fall victim to those sorry bastards are in big cities, which is where we vacation usually. I always pay it off upon return home, assuming no funny business happened on the transactions. HOWEVER her father died unexpectedly, her mother could not afford the
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 06
    burial, so I paid for it instead of paying the vacation card off. Instead of resuming the vacation card payoff, I doubled down on the highest interest rates. The car auto loans. Now I resumed doubling down on the vacation card with the auto loan payments gone, I use all of what would have been used on auto loans to
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 07
    pay the vacation card. I now owe less than $1000. Which will be taken care of next month. (Assuming she doesn't get the Tahoe) For all who are curious. This is a hill I'm willing to die on. If the ship sinks, it will sink in shambles and she can have her half of nothing.
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 08
    Edit#2 Boy did this post gain traction! I will sort for top comments and answer a few questions. I plan to show her this post in the morning, so it can fester while I'm at work. After work I'm sure there will be quite a discussion over the matter. BOLO for an update by tomorrow evening.
    via u/bakedn8er
  • 09
    Rileyisntmyname • 15h ago NTA. She's fiscally irresponsible, something you two should have a lengthy discussion with.
    via u/Rileyisntmyname
  • 10
    KTMEISTER ⚫15h ago NTA. If she wants it, then she needs to work more NOW to purchase it in cash LATER. You've spent probably years to become debt free, this is fiscally irresponsible. There's a difference between needs vs. wants. Wants can be saved for.
    via u/KTMEISTER
  • 11
    • EngineerLostonP... 16h ago ΝΤΑ She already has the newest car, if anything you replace the beater since it's the oldest.
    via u/EngineerLostonP
  • 12
    But the way things are with high payments now I wouldn't even do that if it runs good still. Save the money.
    via u/EngineerLostonP
  • 13
    Heeler Haven • 15h ago NTA We had to replace my car. No choice, it needed replacing. We had a budget that we could afford to pay in full, if we went over that it would be financing, and we really didn't want to add a
    via u/Heeler Haven
  • 14
    car payment to our financial planning. Finding the right (used) car that came in on budget was difficult (thanks covid.....), especially with dealerships doing bait & switch and being generally unsavory guess what, I got an awesome car that's an upgrade to my old car, fits my needs better, gets
    via u/Heeler Haven
  • 15
    much better gas mileage for long distances, and with trade in and discounts came in just under our max budget. It doesn't have absolutely everything I wanted, but has everything I need, has been reliable for a few years now, and we didn't go into debt to get it.
    via u/Heeler Haven
  • 16
    If she is that desperate for a new car she needs to work more hours/bring in more income to clear existing debt. Then save up to buy her "dream status symbol" whilst being grateful she has a reliable, working vehicle in the meantime. Her way of financial thinking is a slippery slope to financial
    via u/Heeler Haven
  • 17
    slippery slope to financial disaster - especially if your income is ever compromised.
    via u/Heeler Haven
  • 18
    Italianlce603 16h ago NTA. If you're putting vacations on credit then you can't afford a new car and annual vacations. Tell her to pick one.
    via u/Italianlce603
  • 19
    ZucchiniPractical... • 13h ago She has being doing toddler math Lol this killed me and I will be stealing this because that is the perfect description of what she is doing. But no, you are definitely NTA.
    via u/ZucchiniPractical
  • 20
    teresajs 15h ago NTA Her current vehicle is only 8 years old. Save for two or three years to put together a nice down payment for the next vehicle purchase.
    via u/teresajs
  • 21
    NonchalantPartia... • 14h ago NTA. Don't finance it under the promise to work more later. She should work more now to buy it in cash. Make her actions be the proof. 99% sure she won't do it.
    via u/NonchalantPartia
  • 22
    Also, pay off credit cards should be #1 priority.
    via u/NonchalantPartia
  • 23
    Substantial-Air33... 15h ago She's fiscally irresponsible. You're going to have to deal with a lifetime of that. Separate your finances. NTA
    via u/Substantial-Air33
  • 24
    Soonretired1 • 14h ago A Tahoe ??? That's a 60k vehicle... ...it would be cheaper for you to get in the PP truck and run
    via u/Soonretired1

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