My wife just spent over $500 on Halloween – she needs to stop

I am generally a reasonable person.

My wife is a SAHM, “spending their husband’s money” and she has equal access to our funds because she is an equal in the marriage.

She never needs to ask my permission for anything, nor does she have a ‘help’… but Halloween is changing my mind.

“It’s only two pay packets until Christmas… how can we afford this?”

Halloween started at our house a couple of years ago when we joined the neighborhood kids trick or treating rounds.

Then last year, my wife thought it might be nice for the adults to grab the chairs and drinks and take turns taking the kids to several houses.

But this year, she’s upped the ante and wants to throw a party at our house. When she brought it up with me, I said it seemed like too much work for something that was supposed to be casual.

She assured me, “Just plastic cups and a cheese board.”

But between a few helium-filled balloons, bits and pieces for costumes (including a wizard’s hat for me), “intakes” that include an order of sushi platters, soft drinks, beer and wine… I reckon it came to about $530.40 (AUD$800).

And that’s before the so-called “boo baskets.”

Almost half a grand, (1K AUD), on Halloween, a case that doesn’t even mean anything.

And it’s only two pay packets until Christmas.

“We could do with $800 for Christmas”

I think the bottom line is that I’m confused. I admit that Halloween is a thing these days and I would never want my girls to miss out on cute costumes and trick or treating.

But does it have to cost that much? I feel like if we don’t reign it in, it’s just going to escalate next year.

My wife could have asked people to bring a bottle or plate… but they didn’t seem to care about the money at all.

The other thing is, as a father, as a provider, I recognize that Christmas is an expensive time.

And while, as I keep saying, I don’t want to deny my family anything, I wish the insane cost of Christmas had been considered so close to the date.

So I tell my wife that’s $530.40 (AUD$800) out of the Christmas budget? I really don’t want to be the spoiled sport… or should I say, the Grinch.