Wife Bought Herself Birthday Gift for Husband’s Birthday
A husband called out his wife after she bought herself a birthday gift and wrapped it up for his birthday. However, the wife bought herself a Dyson hair dryer she’d been wanting for months.
Wife Bought Herself Birthday Gift: The Backstory
This couple lives in the UK. They’re both in their mid-thirties and follow a frugal lifestyle. Their goal is early retirement.
Three months ago, the wife started wanting a Dyson hair dryer. Two months ago, she hesitantly mentioned it to her husband. He told her to wait 7-15 days before buying it.
She never brought it up again. Meanwhile, her husband forgot about the conversation entirely.
The Wife Bought Herself Birthday Gift Incident
Yesterday was the husband’s birthday. His wife gave him a wrapped present. Inside was the exact Dyson hair dryer she’d been wanting.
The husband rarely uses hair dryers. He keeps his hair short and only blow-dries it 2-3 times per year. Their current hair dryer works fine.
After opening the gift, he handed it to his wife. She immediately got excited, touching it and examining it closely. This confirmed his suspicions.
He asked her directly: “This gift is not actually for me, right?” She got upset and asked why he would say that. Subsequently, she went to the bedroom and pretended to sleep.
The next morning, the hair dryer box was still on the sofa. She hadn’t touched it since the confrontation.
What Reddit Said
Most people said the husband wasn’t the asshole for calling out the selfish gift. However, they criticized his controlling attitude about money.
Some pointed out that his wife had to “hesitantly” ask for permission to buy something. They noted this suggested financial control issues in the relationship.
A few suggested the husband treats his wife like a child. They criticized his “strategic moves” and “observation” language as manipulative.
Others questioned whether the wife actually wants early retirement. They wondered if she feels pressured into their frugal lifestyle.
The Verdict
Overall verdict: The husband is NTA for recognizing his wife bought herself a birthday gift disguised as his present. Nevertheless, the bigger issue seems to be financial control in their marriage.
For more stories like this, check out our AITA stories and relationship drama categories.
From r/AmItheAsshole (2,355 upvotes)