the plan(s)

horrible- Stop playing video games and get a life! Not likely . . . or desireable.

bad - Spend my tax refund that we should be saving for a down payment on a house on an Xbox 360 (and risk my marriage in the process).

okay - Wait a couple years and focus on getting more cheap Ps2 games (there are lots of good ones left to try). Or I could buy a gamecube for 30-40 bucks to tide me over for a while. The problem is that while there are some great games, they aren't nearly as cheap as ps2 games.

good - Start a jar and put all my bakery tips in it until I have 450 dollars to spend on the console and an awesome game. This would take about a year.

better - Work out some agreement with the wife, whereby I allow her one thing in exchange for said purchase. (I.E. When she gets pregnant, or when we buy a house, or if she gets a big fancy fish tank- I can get my 360).

best - Risk sounding like a nerdy, tacky, and selfish ass, and ask my parents and in-laws to buy me gift cards to Best Buy or another electronics store for my birthday (September) and for Christmas instead of other lavish gifts. Voila! The prize will be mine in less than a year.

That's the break down at this time. Perhaps a better plan will hatch soon.