Separate bank accounts, besides your joint account. Many that marry later in life or in 2nd marriage have separate accounts to deal with previous debts, issues, or like having play money that is theirs to spend. If you are successful in your own right before marriage you should have the right to have your own spending money. At least that is how it is supposed to work. Depends on the other half and whether they can deal with it.

To all the married guys...I was wondering how you are able to fund your practices within the hobby while keeping it secret from your SO. I will soon be joining the ranks of a joint bank account and fear that my long time hobbying will come to a close unless I figure out a solution. Feel free to PM me. Thx.

Step up and handle all the finances... it works for me because my wife doesn't care to know all the details, just that there is money in the account when she goes to use her card. I pay all the bills, and she doesn't even know the account online password. She could, of course, go to the bank and get a list of transactions but i think that's highly unlikely.

Of course, I may be in the minority and you might have a wife that's more interested in the finances. In that case, maybe a separate account that you could have money deposited into from your paycheck automatically? Others might have better insight on this. I used to fund my hobbying through a separate checking account linked to my online poker accounts but since the crackdown on poker that's a no-go (and I curtailed my playing anyways due to time constraints with kids coming along, etc.)

I take care of the books for the house.....

If you have a wife who watches every cent and a tight budget nothing will work. Otherwise a few ideas.

Find a bank that has a deal too good to refuse. ING will give you $50 to open an account, or maybe there's one more convenient to your office or with drive-thru.

Also, if you have any investments with brokerages lik Schwab or Fidelity, they usually have monet market account so you can move stuff around freely as you 'rebalance' you portfolio. So you can for example deposit $1000 in your bank with $300 cash back. Then transfer back to brokerage and do it again. Same with home equity loans.

go to the grocery store and use the debit card. make little withdrawals each time you go. the withdrawal will be tacked onto your final checkout making it looks like one transaction. do so at any place that allows debit w/cash back (grocery stores, costco, cvs...). happy hobbying!

Hugs and Kisses

1. You have wife and she is not into accounts. If she is, still you can try other things.
2. Love her so much that she never thinks about it that you can do this thing also.
3. Try to open separate bank account and don't get any mail from that bank to home, just online.
4. Don't ever praise any other girl in front of her even the movie actress.
5. Try to act in front of her that you just care only about her.
6. Don't let her short of cash for any her justifiable demands.
7. Try to more helpful in household work, groceries and any boring and necessary work.
8. Be a smart shopper ( using all shopping techniques, coupons etc etc) so your wife always want you to go for shopping for groceries.
9 Just make her comfortable as much as you can and win her trust upon you.
Then you can save money by,
1. Pay for friends lunch meal through your credit card, get cash from them.
2. Open up your own business, as businessmen do not have this problem.
3. If you are employed, just ask advance from your boss and deduct from your paycheck. Just get in cash or if in check, just cash it don't deposit it. If you have been asked ( most probably you will not) by your wife, just make excuse, your company is behaving bad and start cutting pay for minor problems.
4. Try to work overtime if you can get cash even you will not get paid less for that.
5. Use your credit card for shopping and get cash back every time, don't show your receipt.
6. Work with your accountant if you have, just pretend you have bad wife. Can he make some adjustment so you have extra cash. There are many taxes he will make you to pay and pay him cash. Tell your wife, he gives discount if you pay cash to him. Even you don't have or need, just pretend with you wife that you have.

There are so many trick you can pursue your hobby.
Believe me even, you are good husband and get caught sometime, she will be mad only on few days.

Let me know if you need more tricks. I am accountant and have so many.

Just wrote you back.

It takes awhile to save up funds, but I find I enjoy my time more with quality providers when months between sessions.

1) Once a week I take 40 - 80 bucks out and stash half.
2) Every trip to 7-11, the grocery store for "work drinks and snacks" gets 10-20 in cash back added on
3) "Treat" co-workers to lunch and have them cash you back. This does have a side effect of your spouse not liking your lunch partners though, so choose carefully who you toss under the bus.
4) I craigslist stuff on the side from time to time and save some of the funds

I have an online stock account and it does work to siphon funds out of stocks and such, but you need a bank that will allow you to draw from. Bank of America offers paperless checking, but they signed me up for credit cards and kepy sending me offers. I had to close it to stay safe - so if you go that route make sure you ask about it. Oh, and at tax time, you WILL get hit with the early stock withdraws.

Good luck

A lot of energy would be dispensed in all those deceptions and game-playing. Isn't it easier to get a divorce? Imagine how liberated you would feel.

I am married. You don't imagine this game is so enjoyable.
Everything depends upon the nature of your partner. I don't think getting divorce is good idea for hobbying.