When My Husband Used Our Car Savings for a Paris Trip with His Mom, I Knew It Was Time to Teach Him a Financial Lesson

My Husband Spent Our Car Savings on a Paris Trip for His Mom – So I Taught Him a Financial Lesson

I was furious when David revealed that he had used our automobile savings. But my rage reached a new height when he disclosed that it was for his mother’s trip to Paris. Even though I was shocked, I felt I had to take action to discipline him.

I never thought I would find myself planning how to discipline my own husband over money. But I had no choice after David’s most recent antics.

This is how it all transpired.

Our home is a crowded and chaotic place, but I adore it.

There is never a dull moment as a mother of three children under ten. Cereal spills, lost socks, and the inevitable argument over who gets the last waffle are the beginning of mornings. I’m exhausted from cold coffee and sheer willpower by the time I drop them off at school.

However, I wouldn’t swap it for anything.

David, my spouse, is a wonderful man. He works hard to provide for his family, is a dependable partner, and is a loving parent. He has a QUIRK, though.

We’ll term it his propensity for making snap judgments.

I’ve come to expect that when he begins a sentence with “So, I’ve been thinking…” throughout the years.

For example, when he made the decision to turn our garage into a home gym.

“Consider the savings!” he exclaimed. “No more gym memberships!”

The price of all the expensive equipment he ordered online was something he neglected to mention.

Then there was the project in the backyard. He said he would construct a treehouse for the children.

Rather, we had a partially completed platform that occupied the yard for weeks until he became disinterested.

We have always been adept at handling our funds in spite of these peculiarities. We set objectives, create plans, and follow through on them. Or I do, anyway.

And saving for a new car has been our main objective for the last three years.

Our present van dates back to before we had children. It has endured a great deal, and the dents and scratches bear witness to its illustrious path.

We needed something bigger, safer, and more dependable now that we had three growing children. And we came very close to accomplishing our objective.

Cutting corners, foregoing holidays, and repeating “next time” to every small luxury for three years. At last, we had saved enough money for a substantial down payment on a new car.

I believed David and I were in agreement at that time. I had no notion that he had other plans. Concepts that would completely upend my universe.

I finally got the kids into bed one Friday night after a long day of arguing with them. I sighed as I fell into the couch and relished the unusual silence in the house.

At that moment, David entered the living room with an odd expression on his face and his hands in his pockets.

Starting to transfer his weight from one foot to the other, he said, “I did something today,” I sat up straighter at his tone.

“Oh?” With caution, I said. “Something good or… one of those somethings?”

David smiled like a child preparing to demonstrate a scientific experiment. “Well done! Really nice, I mean.

I crossed my arms. “Alright, hit me with it.”

He inhaled deeply, as if he had been waiting all day to reveal this shocking revelation.

His eyes brightened as he shouted, “I bought Mom a trip to Paris!”

I briefly believed I had misheard.
Saying “I’m sorry,” “You bought what?”

“A trip to Paris!” he said again, beaming broadly. “She’s always wanted to go, so I figured we should make it happen. I wanted to offer her something special because of all that she has done for us.

As I tried to take in the words, I blinked.

“David… that’s… really generous.” But my heart was pounding. The numbers didn’t add up. “Where did you get the money for this?”

For a moment, his smile wavered, but he pushed it back. “Well, you know… from the savings.”

I inquired, “What savings?”

He responded, “I…uh…used the car fund,” hardly looking at me.

It was unbelievable to me.

“Hold on. You spent the automobile money? The three years’ worth of savings we’ve had?”

He shrugged, attempting to maintain his easygoing manner, but I could see his nervousness beginning to show.

“Look, Lisa,” he said first. “Anyway, we weren’t quite there yet! I reasoned that we still needed a few thousand more.

“You figured?” I raised my voice in disbelief. “You can’t decide that on your own, David! You bought your mom a vacation with the money we need for a safe automobile for our kids! That’s absurd! It was for our children! “For us!”

Defensively, he crossed his arms. “It’s also my money! And we’re talking about my mother here. Being grateful has no monetary value.

“Gratitude?” I sprang back, getting off the couch. “David, you did more than simply give her a lovely present or take her out to dinner. You traveled to Paris using the money our family had saved! Are you even able to hear yourself?

David’s mouth clenched. “You make it sound like I blew it on something selfish.”

I moved in closer, meeting his gaze. “It was self-centered. You made that choice without consulting me, but perhaps not in the conventional sense. You prioritized your mother’s dream over the necessities of our family.

We were silent for a time. There was a lot of tension between us.

He looked aside and murmured, “I thought you’d understand,” at last.

“I would have,” I responded, my tone more composed but forceful, “if you’d discussed it with me first.”

However, he didn’t. I also understood that my silence wasn’t an act of acceptance as he left. It was only the start of things to come.

I performed my role flawlessly over the course of the following few days. I nodded in agreement as David described the surprise trip for his mother, playing the role of the encouraging wife.

He continued to remark, “She’s going to love it,” with a proud smile. “Seeing the Eiffel Tower has long been her dream. Imagine the expression on her face when she learns.

Even though I was gritting my teeth to grin, I was already planning.

First, give Melissa a call.

Melissa, David’s mother, has always shown me kindness and sweetness. The typical hostile connection you read about with mothers-in-law is not what we’ve experienced.

She never meddles in our marriage and is considerate and courteous. I knew I could rely on her to assist me clean up this mess because of this.

Her voice was as pleasant as ever when she picked up the phone.

“Hey Lisa! What a pleasant surprise. “How are you, my love?”

“I’m doing fine, Melissa. However, I wanted to discuss something significant with you.” I inhaled deeply. “David bought you a trip to Paris.”

The line paused for a moment.

At last, she said, “He what?” The shock in her voice was palpable.

I clarified, “He paid for it with our car fund.” “The one we’ve been saving for three years to buy a safe, reliable vehicle for the kids.”

“Oh, honey…” Melissa’s voice grew softer in worry. “I didn’t know. I never would have taken it if I had known! Paris is not necessary for me. All I want to know is that you and the children are doing well.

“I know,” I uttered in relief. “I phoned for that reason. I hoped you would comprehend.

“Of course,” was her response. “Lisa, cancel the vacation. Family comes first.

Step 2: Give the travel company a call.

Luckily, David had reserved a package that was totally refundable. I quickly transferred the funds back to our savings account.

Step 3: Await the consequences.

There wasn’t much waiting for me.

David returned home a week later in a state of terror. He ran a hand through his hair and threw his keys on the counter before exclaiming, “I just got a call from Mom.”

I looked up from the book I was reading without any particular purpose. “Oh?”

“She said you canceled the trip?” His disbelieving eyes were wide. “What the hell, Lisa?”

I smiled warmly and closed my book. “Honey, don’t worry. I did something even better with the money.

David’s forehead wrinkled. “What are you saying? “What did you do?”

I folded my hands in my lap as I said, “I bought the car,” “The one for which we have been saving? The one that our family truly requires?”

His mouth fell open. “Wait… what?”

I got up and jingled the keys in front of him after grabbing them from the counter. “The vehicle is parked in the driveway. What about your mother? After learning what you did, she really contributed the precise quantity we needed.

In startled stillness, David gazed at me.

His voice was colored with disbelief as he eventually said, “You spent all the money without consulting me?”

“Kind of like how you spent it without consulting me?” I arched an eyebrow. “Aside from that, I used it on something that helps our whole family. That seems a bit unusual to me, don’t you?

He struggled to find the right words to argue, but he was unable to do so. He was aware of my correctness.

I gave him a well-typed spreadsheet at breakfast the following morning.

His eyes narrowed as he said, “What’s this?”

I said, “Our new family budget,” and passed it across the table. “Any expenditure over $500 must now be approved by both of us. I’d be pleased to take up all the finances myself if you’re incapable of doing that.”

David rubbed his temples and moaned. “Lisa…”

I spoke calmly but firmly as I leaned forward. “This cannot be negotiated. We have three children to consider. We cannot afford to be caught off guard again.

He paused for a long moment before nodding.

“Alright,” he replied. “You’re right.”

Our money became a team effort after that day. Ours, not his, nor mine.

And I get a tiny thrill of satisfaction every time I see that brand-new, shining car parked in the driveway.

The best teachings aren’t often imparted verbally. Actions are used to teach them. Additionally, this one struck the spot. His pocketbook.