Quote Originally Posted by Irulan View Post
I don't buy this as an excuse to spend another $200 a month for a exercise class . I have an ongoing depressive disorder that is greatly improved and managed through regular exercise and self care, plus regular medication. That doesn't mean I spend what my husband feels is inappropriate amounts of money to manage it.
There are lots of ways to exercise, get that mental refreshment, that don't cost money. Or, perhaps DH might support spending the money to get better treatment to manage your depression, if what you are doing now isn't working for you.
I don't think, nor did I say, that mental health is an excuse to spend money on exercise if you can't afford it. My point is that I don't view the money I spend on exercise as a luxury in the same category as, say, eating out. It's more important to me than that. Yes, I could work out for free, but I, personally, prefer to take classes in a group setting. The social aspect of that helps me just as much as the exercise itself. I generally feel more motivated in a group setting, too. The fact that I have to pay $$ for those classes is acceptable to me--at least until my budget or the economy dictates otherwise. However, that doesn't mean that I have an unlimited budget for exercise. There is a limit to how much I'll spend, and I have cut back on my studio yoga classes for just that reason.

If Bouncy can otherwise afford the class, and she thinks she'll get something from it that she won't get from being on her trainer alone in the basement, then I think she should make that point to her husband. Maybe he'll see her point of view. If he doesn't or if they really can't afford it, then she'll presumably have to come up with a Plan B.