Every time we grocery shop together, my husband Jason suddenly gets a “very important work call” the second we hit checkout.

“Oh, babe, I gotta take this,” he says, walking off like clockwork, leaving me alone with a full cart and a hefty total.

Last time? $347.92.

Cashiers even started giving me the look — you know, the “girl, I see what he’s doing” kind of look.

At first, I let it slide. But after months of this disappearing act?

I was DONE.

So, I came up with a brilliant plan to STOP THIS once and for all.

The night before our next shopping trip, while Jason was fast asleep, I grabbed his phone.

Now, before you judge, no, I didn’t snoop through his messages. I wasn’t trying to invade his privacy—I was trying to expose his little scheme.

I went to his settings and blocked my number. Then, I took it a step further: I added a silent ringtone for all his contacts. That way, when he tried to fake his call? Nothing.

The next day, I was practically giddy as we filled our cart with groceries. I knew exactly what was coming.

As we approached checkout, right on cue, Jason pulled out his phone, tapped it, and held it to his ear.

“Oh, babe, I gotta take this. Super important. You got this?” He started walking away.

But then… silence. No ringing. No vibrating.

Jason froze mid-step. He pulled his phone away, stared at it, and tried again. Nothing. He tapped at his screen, his face twisting in confusion.

I smiled sweetly. “Everything okay, honey?”

“Uh, yeah. Just… weird. My phone’s not working.”

“Oh no! That’s terrible! But since there’s no call, you can stay and help me pay, right?” I tilted my head, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Jason shifted uncomfortably, his hand gripping his wallet like it physically hurt to pull it out.

The cashier, an older woman named Linda, smirked. “Looks like it’s your turn, buddy.”

Trapped, Jason had no choice but to cough up the $289.74.

I almost felt bad. Almost.

But I wasn’t done yet.

Later that evening, I decided to confront him. “Jason, do you think I haven’t noticed? Every single time it’s your turn to pay, you magically get a call. You really thought I wouldn’t catch on?”

He had the audacity to laugh. “Babe, come on, it’s just a joke. You know I love you. And you’re better with money anyway.”

I crossed my arms. “A joke? You’ve been doing this for MONTHS. You think dodging responsibility is funny?”

His grin faded. “I… I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

I let out a slow breath. “It is a big deal, Jason. Marriage is a partnership, not a free ride. If you can’t even split grocery costs fairly, what else are you cutting corners on?”

He looked down, fidgeting with his fingers. “You’re right. That was really selfish of me.”

I softened a little. “Look, I don’t mind handling things sometimes, but it’s about respect. I need to feel like we’re a team.”

Jason nodded. “I get it. I promise, no more fake calls. From now on, we split it fairly.”

And you know what? He actually kept his word. The next week, he paid without hesitation. No fake calls, no excuses.

Lesson learned: If someone keeps dodging responsibility, sometimes you just have to outsmart them at their own game.

If you enjoyed this story, like and share it! Have you ever caught someone in a sneaky scheme? Tell me in the comments!