Anyone buy DVC without spouses knowledge?

[ducklite]

Our "discussion amount" isn't hard and fast - and doesn't include necessities like car tires - there is plenty of cushion in savings for that sort of thing (DVC is not a necessity).

Same here, which I why I keep telling him to go buy them already!

When I say we talk about purchases over $200, it's more of a "you'll see a charge for $300 from "X" because I bought some widgets."

I'd say that the item has to be $1000 or more and be a "want" as opposed to a "need" before we actually talk about whether we should buy or wait. We both tend to be fairly frugal, and often after we wait for a few days we deceide that we really didn't want whatever it was all that much anyhow.

 

[smt7]

I sort of did. I told DH I was joining a Disney club, but didn't elaborate that it was a timeshare because he thinks of those as bad. We trust each other financially - he's actually bought two cars w/o me knowing and one of them was, for us, super-expensive. Usually we make decisions together but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

I finally decided to sell the first DVC - it was at BCV and too big for us, since we live in CA. And then I came clean on the whole thing. It turned out BCV had gone up a bit in price and it had been an OK investment. I think this made DH a DVC believer.

I went on to buy 2 smaller contracts at VWL and AK, this time DH knew what DVC was and was OK with it. Our fun DVC vacations have convinced him that it's a good purchase.

BTW my experience is that a non-Disney loving spouse can be won over by doing fun non-theme park stuff in Orlando.

 

[Safari Queen]

I support us -- DH's income is barely 25% of mine, at best. With DVC, we sat together at SSR for the initial purchase but we both knew I was paying for all of it. Since then I've added on three times and told him afterwards. He just laughed, knowing I'm obsessed. He's happy to take the vacations and doesn't have issues with it at all.

 

[salmoneous]

Your post (and others) make me wonder...does your spouse go with you on your DVC trips to Disney or do you mostly visit VB and HH or cruises?

I get more vacation that her, so often go on trips without her. We have no kids - my Disney trips usually revolve around my brother and neices. Of the last 4 trips to WDW, she's been on 1.

But you can't image a better person to have with you at WDW. She never uses her fastpasses, is always willing to watch the little one when everyone else is on a ride, etc.

 

[dznymom1]

I have to say I can't imagine ever making a purchase like this unless DW was completely in agreement. But then again I can't imagine taking separate vacations from her either. Maybe that is why our marriage has lasted 35 years.

LOL, that made me smile as I did buy my first couple of DVC contracts without telling my DH, we do take some separate vactions and we have been together over 30 years and still going strong. It really depends on how each person's marriage works, but it is definitely not worth it if it will put a strain on either the relationship or the finances.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Gosh.. I've been married 32 years and my wife and I started out with completely shared checking accounts. We now have our paychecks deposited into different accounts and transfer money for bill paying.

Even though we do have separate checking accounts.. we both put nearly all our money into the bill paying account.

We cannot keep anything secret from the other... we like it that way. We are one.

 

[RLRDA]

But you can't image a better person to have with you at WDW. She never uses her fastpasses, is always willing to watch the little one when everyone else is on a ride, etc.

Sounds great!

 

[3DisneyKids]

The only way I would buy a DVC contract without my spouse's knowledge would be if:

1. I knew he loved Disney vacations and was interested in DVC.

2. We were financially comfortable enough to afford such a purchase.

3. I was doing it as a surprise gift for HIM and needed to keep it a secret.

Other than that, I wouldn't buy DVC without consulting him first. If I did.....OH BOY, would he make me pay him back.....all year long!

lol--this is exactly what I did and why I did it.

As others have said...DH and I always talk about every purchase. Heck, even a $200 vacuum cleaner requires three discussions and reviewing Consumer Reports, etc.

And still, I bought DVC without telling him....here's how and why...

He knew what it was and it was something we had talked about. He loves Disney and no matter where we travel, we always get a suite-style hotel room....so DVC was a perfect fit for us.

I would NEVER have done this if it meant debt. I do a lot of contract work and happened to get a contract for just the amount of our SSR contract. Mind you, this was the equivalent of "over time" - we combine all of our finances, so this did not take away of the income that goes into the house account. It was paid in full without touching any of the house money.

I gave it to him as a 40th Bday present.

On hist Bday, I told him that my present to him was to go away without the kids to WDW for F&W. Great, he was thrilled. Fast forward to the day of the trip...(still hadn't told him about DVC and I purchased in May, this was Oct.)...we were in the car on our way to the airport and he starts talking about his friend at work..."He just bought into some Disney time share thing...you can stay right on property and he gets points...they own at that horse resort..." Meanwhile, of course, I had been on the DIS boards for the past YEAR doing research, etc.

Finally, I just said...pull over. He did and I reached into the backseat and pulled out his present...it was a baseball cap that said DVC Member on it. I also gave him the vacation planning guide that you get with purchase. And said, "Happy Birthday, we're already owners!"

Ok, so that gave us A LOT to talk about on the rest of the way to the airport, while waiting for the plane, while ON the plane, etc. He was definitely happy about the purchase...primarily, though, because it felt "free" to him. It was all paid for and paid for with funds from outside of our operating budget (so to speak), without dipping into savings, without going into debt, etc.

So, for us it worked out fine. All that being said...would I do it again without telling him? NO WAY. The stress was HORRIBLE. I had to make sure that the FED EX packages arrived on days he would be at work. I had to give the guide only my cell phone number. I got a Yahoo e-mail account so he wouldn't see any e-mails from my guide in my Inbox. I stopped just short of getting a P.O. Box for all of the DVC mailings that come (I actually did get one, but cancelled it). I felt like I was having an affair with my Guide!

Truly, I felt dishonest and deceitful the whole time, even though I knew this was a gift for him/the whole family.

Last comment...the final thing that pushed me over the edge to buying without telling him was that I knew I could turn around and sell the contract and make a pretty decent profit (we bought with my brother's CM discount...and this was before you had to sign the special papers saying you wouldn't flip the property). So, I knew that I could make a couple of thousand dollars by selling if he was really upset with it.

And to this day...if he ever says anything like, "Geez, I wish we had a good chunk of change to buy X" I always ask if we should discuss selling DVC (even though we both love it). You see, I feel OBLIGATED to always offer it as a suggestion since he was not part of the initial decision to purchase.

I am finally getting over that, though...we were at OKW in Agust, sitting pool side, drinking umbrella drinks, watching our amazing kids have the time of their lives in the pool....and we added-on. This time he was 100% a part of the decision.

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I hope my experience helps.

 

[50 years Too!]

Sometimes I'm tempted. But, we have a coowned master contract, so if I did he'd have to sign. Lots of champagne, and slip him the pen....
No, I just have to do the pretty please each time I add on!

Deb

 

[disney-super-mom]

Great story 3DisneyKids! I loved it!

I just want to make it clear though that I would be fine if DH bought a DVC contract without my knowledge.

 

[Bopsmom]

...I just want to make it clear though that I would be fine if DH bought a DVC contract without my knowledge.

... Lots of champagne, and slip him the pen....
No, I just have to do the pretty please each time I add on!
Deb

"Dear Santa........ I've been a very good girl this year...."

 

[solgent]

Haven't read all the responses yet....

We talked about it several times and agreed we wanted to do it. However, in this certain crucial conversation, DH said it was best to wait 9 months to a year because I would be getting a raise then. However, I thought he was giving me the go-ahead. So I put down a deposit. I didn't hide it from him. I excitedly told him about it. He was angry and thought I had just disregarded his wishes and done it despite having agreed to wait. I don't think I had agreed that, but I probably just heard what I wanted to hear.

So I did buy without his knowledge & approval, but it was a misunderstanding.

I apologized, offered to cancel the purchase & forfeit the deposit, and assured him that we could make the payments (we put down half & financed for a year). He forgave me.

We did make the payments without having to stress and we've been twice so far and we both really love it. All's well that ends well!

 

[audrey444]

We went to the DVC tour at Saratoga. DS got bored, so DH took him to walk around. When we found DH, the paperwork had been drawn up, and we needed his signature. He was surprised that I had decided to do it right then. (I do all our finances, so he trusts my financial decisions) We haven't regretted it since.

 

[salmoneous]

"Dear Santa........ I've been a very good girl this year...."

Or, "Dear Santa........ I've been a very naughty girl this year....", depending upon which you think "Santa" will respond better to.

 

[sajetto]

In the beginning my DH wasn't exactly on board with DVC. It took lengthy explanations about use, cost, dues, etc. He didn't think it was sensible...at first. I begged and it didn't work so I got smart and created a very detailed spreadsheet comparing the cost of yearly vacations (both at and away from Disney) to DVC vacations. He got a little warmer to it, but still wasn't sold and I was pretty disappointed that I didn't get what I wanted immediately. However, a great incentive came up and he was finally in so we bought our first contract. I had to talk him into an AKV add on, but he agreed to that as well. There are still times I want to add on more and I am tempted just to pick up the phone and do it, but then I always come to my senses and realize that it wouldn't be wise at all to purchase such a high ticket item without consulting my DH, that is if I still want to continue having a happy marriage.

 

[Bopsmom]

Or, "Dear Santa........ I've been a very naughty girl this year....", depending upon which you think "Santa" will respond better to.

Or depending on how large that "add-on" is on your wish list

 

[Wendy1953]

I didn't but my DH bought them for me for our Anniversary! Our DD lives in Orlando and is a CM, so he figured this would be a great way to be able to visit her often! Since the first purchase, we've added on at VWL and BWV!

 

[TAKitty]

I bought with my DH sort of involved. His ex-wife decided to cause some problems and 32,000 dollars later in court costs (all paid in cash), I decided that I was buying DVC. I considered it my "payment" for all the crap I had to deal with for a year.

So the paperwork came and I signed DH's name (with his approval) and shipped everything off.

I am thinking about an add on this summer if I am not pregnant without his knowledge. It seems we are always needing to borrow points.

 

[Inkmahm]

I bought with my DH sort of involved. His ex-wife decided to cause some problems and 32,000 dollars later in court costs (all paid in cash), I decided that I was buying DVC. I considered it my "payment" for all the crap I had to deal with for a year.

So the paperwork came and I signed DH's name (with his approval) and shipped everything off.

I am thinking about an add on this summer if I am not pregnant without his knowledge. It seems we are always needing to borrow points.

If you're pregnant without his knowledge, hopefully you'll tell him before you're big enough that he notices on his own.

 

[VLee]

My husband knows I own DVC, but probably not as much as I own since I have added 4 contracts since the original purchase of 2 for a total of 550 points now.
Even though we live in Louisiana (community property state), we have separate property agreements, so he does not have to sign off. Likewise, he enters purchases without my knowledge at times. But it is fine, we each fund our own in that respect. He knows I enjoy Disney so encourages my trips.
He travels mostly in his work, so does not have a chance to really go to Disney with us and when he does, it will probably be in the RV, since he would not go without Kristye, his schnauzer.
For me, DVC. For him, his plane.