My mother-in-law is charging me for a gift I didn’t want, my husband says I should suck it up and it has split opinions
BEWARE of anyone bearing gifts – especially if they want you to pay for them.
That’s the experience of one beleaguered woman, whose mother-in-law expected to be reimbursed for hers.
She was bewildered by MIL’s actions and disappointed by her husband’s, who was lacking in the support department and told her to just suck it up.
Fearing she may have overreacted and with no one else to turn to, she took her dilemma to the online forum Reddit.
She hoped they might be able to shed some light on the behavior of her ill-behaved family members.
First, she set out the scenario to Redditors, who lapped it up.
Over 12,000 responded to her post.
“My MIL bought me a new coffee machine. I don’t why as the one I have is still working fine but whatever, I accepted.”
But there was a catch with this gift.
“Before leaving, she told me I needed to pay her $30.
“She said that she planned on putting only $50 in the gift but the cheapest coffee machine she could find was around $80 so I needed to put the $30 she added for the machine.”
This lady was staggered at the request: “She said it was just a matter of principle and that if I had manners I’d pay her. She then left.”
MIL then started working on her son, saying if the $30 didn’t appear, the unwanted coffee machine would be going back.
To her amazement, her husband revealed he had become attached to the machine.
“He said to just give MIL the $30. I told my husband if he wanted to keep the machine then he should give his mom the money she wanted.”
But he wasn’t listening and her frustration grew.
“He said I needed to do it because the gift was originally mine, even though I never asked for it.
“He added I was making this harder than it needed to be and was selfish to not pay the extra $30 for the coffee machine.”
Browbeaten, she was beginning to think she should just go along with it.
“I have a hard time seeing how I’m wrong so I’m coming here because there might be a chance that I am in the wrong,” she asked Redditors.
She continued: “Should I just give his mom the $30 like she asked and be done with it?”
Whoa, hold on there, said the community. The overwhelming response was one of sympathy for her.
But opinions were split between who was worse: her MIL or her husband?
“Am I getting that right, what f*cking planet are your MIL and husband on? Seriously if the money is that much of an issue and hubby wants the machine, then he needs to pay Mommy back,” was the furious reaction from one person.
Another was incredulous: “What the hell is this? Somebody brings you a gift and charges you for it and your husband thinks this is ok?”
“This is insane and not how gifts work. Box it up and return it to her,” suggester a third person.
“Since when do you ask for money for a gift you bought someone? Give the thing back,” was the view of this commenter.
This Redditor figured her other half needed to take a long hard look at himself.
“Your husband is super selfish. Giving a gift and asking for money back is extremely rude and tacky.
“He is acting like a child and needs to deal with HIS mother, and not make you deal with this bullsh*t.”