why would he lie? well, if you were funneling money away from the joint household fund for let's say gambling or a shopping addiction, and you even went so far as to stop contributing to your retirement so you could have MORE money to spend, would YOU voluntarily tell your husband? NO.
he's protecting his addiction. he has made his addiction his PRIORITY. and he will defend it to the death. and lie about it. rationalize, justify, minimize. to get a good sense of the addict mind, find the NA Basic Text online or at a bookstore or 12th step shop and read it.
there is no specific "entry fee" for addiction.....everyone's habit is different, their dealers or connections are different, so there is no way to measure. one could easily spend $100 a day.........or every few days. some more, some less.