Funding the hobby discretely from your Significant Other (SO)

Hobby requires funding. For me it is not a cash flow issue, but more of how to keep it discrete and not raise red flags on transactions with my SO.
Most of our expenses are paid through credit cards so use of cash is limited which makes it difficult to discretely take funds out for hobby activities.
I am inquiring from my fellow hobbyists here on what are other avenues that they use for saving for hobby without leaving open trails / transactions and raising suspicion. Thanks.

Pick up gun collecting as a hobby. Assuming she's not into guns and isn't super nosey then a multiple of sins can be explained away by the cash you took with you to a gun show.

Or if you have an ATF that you see often and some trust has been built, then maybe gift cards could be an option.

There are some girls that also take credits cards. I would definitely ask around and locate those providers.

Finally, there are some stores that if you run a transaction as debit they have to give you your refund as cash.

I save up my "lunch Money" . . .almost literally. I squirrel away cash $20 at a time. Its folded into a poclet amd turns into a flat folding Bingaman whenever it can. This money has already been "allocated" or authorized and is off-the-books so to speak. It can be spent at a gun show or on camera gear—or the Hobby.

Scheduling time away is often more difficult for me to arrange. Coordinating that I do not have to account for and hooking-up with a provider may not always work out even if spending the cash doesn't have to be explained away.

It is a challenge.

I try to set a pattern with cash purchases, then over time, use cc for those while still taking out same amount of cash.

I assume you have direct deposit into an account she sees?
Next raise, have the overage sent to a different account and don't tell her about it.

I made my distaste for credit cards known a long-while back. We both made it a point not to use credit/debit for everyday purchases as it's too easy to let it get out-of-hand. I take cash out regularly for lunch/dinner/entertainment spending and she never really questions it. Our rule is, use credit only when it's a large purchase we just don't have the cash for now, but can pay off next billing cycle.
Makes it easy to peel off a bit extra for hobby activities.

p.s. I misread the title of this thread when I first clicked on it. Substituted "directly" for "discretely", which puts an entirely different spin on the question.

Get a hobby or other activities that require cash. Shopping at the farmer's market, mom and pop store, buying stuff on Craigslist, whatever fits your lifestyle and personality.

Always get cash back from purchases with a debit card.

Pay with a debit card or check and return for cash (check store's policy).

Use your card to pay for meals with friends or coworkers, then collect the cash from them.

......
Use your card to pay for meals with friends or coworkers, then collect the cash from them. Originally Posted by Your Naughty Muse

genius

Most of these ideas have holes. You have to set precedent. Once there's a joint account and she knows your income, its so much harder. Fathers teach your sons about cash.

Sell things you don't need on Ebay, Craigslist, ect.. ,then either get paid in cash or set up a Paypal account that only you have access to for payment.You can also start a hobby making things for sale such as craft items, jewelry, ect.. and use the money from resulting sales for this hobby.Where there is a will there is a way!!

Use your card to pay for meals with friends or coworkers, then collect the cash from them. Originally Posted by Your Naughty Muse

genius Originally Posted by GlobeSpotter

Thx. Learned that one in college...lol

I skipped the other favorite from those days...pay for your friends' gas with your gas card, then collect cash from them. It seemed a bit juvenile...

Like others, my finances are under close scrutiny. My wife does the books and she knows where every penny goes. It's awesome to have a good money manager in the house, but it makes it awkward. I do squirrel away what I can, when I can. I've done the 'buy lunch and collect cash' thing too.

For those advocating diverting money from the paycheck, look at a few paystubs first. Mine list the direct deposits right on them, so setting up another account and sending some into it would stand out like a sore thumb.

The one thing I have going for me is an ounce of gold I bought years ago when I worked in a bank, that no one but me knows about. It'll net me over a grand when I sell it (probably next week). That'll keep me in pussy for a while.

Pick up gun collecting as a hobby. Assuming she's not into guns and isn't super nosey then a multiple of sins can be explained away by the cash you took with you to a gun show Originally Posted by SAangel27

THIS^^^^^

Make sure you drag her to a few gun shows......so she sees how lots of guys have cash to buy and sell guns to get the best deals.

And make sure you show her a new gun once in a while.

And its a fun hobby, too!

Crafts for pussy. LMAO

For those advocating diverting money from the paycheck, look at a few paystubs first. Mine list the direct deposits right on them, so setting up another account and sending some into it would stand out like a sore thumb. Originally Posted by rothers

Paperless transactions emailed to your work address that she doesn't have access to...
You think I just pulled that out of my ass??
lol