Wyldfire said:
Even though my female perspective is rarely appreciated...since I stopped in for the first time in months I will be nice and offer you some help.
It sounds to me as if your wife is doing some therapeutic shopping. A lot of women do this when they are feeling stressed or upset about something. By the sound of her moodiness and disgruntled demeanor it's a pretty safe bet that this is exactly what she's doing.
I will tell you what I see.
A LOT of women (especially mature women) try to hide a huge deficiency such as sluttines or addiction or alcoholism or conpulsive spending in order to lure a man into marriage.
Hiding those things that most men consider deal breakers can be done if the woman is experienced and disciplined. However, she can only do this as long as things go "well". When she start feeling stress or when things don't go her way, then the woman starts coming out again to her true self.
This is what I have referred as the "hibernation" phenomenum.
Women go into "hibernation" from the deal breakers I mentioned above in order to lure a man into marriage. But these same women will come out from "hibernation" once the stress factor kicks in.
That's why I STRONGLY preach the "past is important".
If you genuinely want to try to salvage the marriage the two of you will need to sit down and try to figure out the source of her stress and find out if you are both willing to commit to working through the problems.
Good approach. However, this is the problem with the approach you suggested (which is a good one); in order to keep certain women (especially a woman over 35, which is almost impossible to change) in the "hibernation" stage, the man MUST focus on her. He will have to probably neglect other important things in his life such as his career, family, friends, health, fitness, etc.
The most likely source of the stress is a conflict between her job and other roles she has. It sounds like her job is pretty demanding and stressful and if her way of coping is going out and spending more money than she should that is causing friction in your relationship. That is just adding more stress and thereby leading her to behave even more irresponsible with the money.
It might be her job now. It could be gray hairs tomorrow. And the menopause three weeks from today. And the fact that he wants to buy some power tools might be the stress factor a month from now.
Whichever the source of her stress...the problem in here is that she will come out from "hibernation" and deal with the stess by overspending (other women by slutting and others by using alcohol or drugs).
First things first...you need to try to avoid conflicts over money as much as you can. I know it's hard because you don't want to go into debt...but in the long run...if you don't work with her to try to reduce the stress rather than add to it by fighting she is not going to get a handle on the therapeutic shopping problem.
I would not gamble my RETIREMENT on this. And this exactly what he is doing...gambling his RETIREMENT $$$ and financial stability. Too much at risk.
Rather than argue, simply ask her to try to think of some things she could do to help her stop overspending. If you do it calmly and using a supportive tone it should help reduce the friction significantly. You can lead and control the situation a lot by choosing to act instead of react....take the lead...and keep your cool.
We can rationalized with very few women. The reformed "sluts" or reformed "overspender" or reformed alcoholic/drug addict is impossible to rationalized with. Now "reformed" is no other thing that a hibernation stage. Especially, if she had that behavior during her adulthood live.
The excessive spending is as much a stress trigger as it is a stress reliever...so she's stuck in a nasty cycle. She's gotta know everyone is pissed at her, so that is just adding to it all. You have to be the stronger one and step in and stop the cycle...lead her but let her think she solved it herself. That's why you ask her what she thinks she can do. Be as supportive and understanding as you can possibly be...not because you have done anything wrong or because she hasn't screwed up. You haven't done anything wrong and she HAS screwed up. Unfortunately...the worst thing you can do for the situation is point that stuff out. She already knows it anyhow. Just guide her towards a solution and let her come up with it...then she won't be given an excuse to be resentful, angry or back out...because it was her idea.
I say that life is too short. And a 40+ woman that has been part of his life for ONLY a couple of years and which has NO CHILDREN with him is not worth the sacrifice and effort.
Oh...and if she isn't receptive to this then you may as well file for divorce before she puts you in the poor house.
She will either be receptive...or say, "sorry, I will work on that". But once the stress comes back...she will be out of hibernation again.
The point in here is that she has ALWAYS been like this. She has a history (past is important guys) of being like this. Even prior to marrying him.