Yes my computer is expensive, it was £1,400 plus another £400 for the insurance, which is just as well, as it has had to be sent back twice for repairs since I had it in Jan 04. (It was totally free for a year as part of the deal so didn't start paying for it until this Jan).
Plus there's a fair amount of interest clapped on for the priviledge of paying by installment.
It's an Xperian all in one entertainment system, LCD screen, built in speakers, 86GB, 256 RAM etc.
The keyboard and mouse are wireless and you can clip the keyboard to the back of the computer when you are watching it as a TV. The sound and graphics are excellant, better than my regular TV and I can play DVD's/CD's etc in it, listen to radio and so forth (I don't have a separate DVD player, just a video recorder).
I do like it but think it's over-priced and not too impressed with it going wrong twice in 16 months (first time it kept switching off whenever you pressed a key and typing the wrong letters, second time the fan was screwed and I could smell burning plastic and it kept switching off to protect itself so it had to have a new fan. Also, the DVD drive kept jamming which I was then told was a fault with all Xperian's so they put a new drive in.)
It works fine now but it was annoying, esp. as it is my only computer and I was struggling with work without one.
I can't send it back, Lou. The company told me that once it's been installed, you can't send it back unless there is a fault and even then, they have the discretion over whether they repair it or cancel your contract. It is also 16 months old now so I can't imagine they would accept it back now.
I bought it when I was just going for trial with the kids (Jan 04) and I'd lost them, lost H, OW was there, getting on my nerves and it was right after that *nice* letter from my mother so I thought 'If I can't have my family I'll have everything else I want.' So I went into spend mode and basically spent the whole of 04 buying stuff, like your W.
I am now having to pay it off this year and things are really tight as a result. I have decided to make a concerted effort, as when H and I move in, we would not be able to afford all the outgoings (he has a CC himself), then there's all 4 kids, bigger house to pay for, the car etc. It would not be financially viable unless I lower my monthly bills, so I'm gonna do it!
Comfort spending is such a bad idea because it feels great at the time but afterwards, when your life is sorting out, and you feel the pinch, it's not so great. Tell your W, because you don't want her actions causing you to be on welfare.
You're right, my H would build me a computer for free (his cheapest systems start at £200) - he did build me a cheap one as a Christmas present one year when we were still married, but at the time when I bought this one, he was acting as if he hated my guts, so I couldn't ask him.
His brother is a computer technician also, I should have asked him instead
Oh well, I shall keep it for 10 years (I'm not one for wasting things - I did buy a lot of stuff that year but I use all of it regularly, I only have 2 pairs of shoes and my main pair has holes in both soles I only just noticed that, after wearing them nearly every day for 2 years).
Re your W, I would definitely get her to take over paying your bills so she gets a sense of responsibility and work on being more tolerant of each other's activities (she doesn't like your computers, you don't like her radio) - you live together so can't you both put up with what the other one does, i.e, she stop nagging you about computers and you go to bed earlier and put up with her radio at least a few nights out the week.
You will never improve your R if you aren't more tolerant with each other. At the moment, I see you treating each other as room mates.
Also, I'm getting a distinct lack of respect for her from you due to your frustrations with the money/lack of sex etc.
I suggest you hand over the bills to her, let her deal with it. Tell her upfront, work on being friends more because until you are both genuine friends with each other, how can you expect to be lovers?
Intimacy, sexual and otherwise, doesn't develop in a climate of disrespect and resentment.
Just trying to say this in a friendly way to help you.
