Mother-In-Law Buys Son's Wife $80 Coffee Maker She Didn't Ask For, Then Asks Her To Reimburse The $30 She Spent Over Her Allotted Budget

"My husband said he got 'attached' to the machine, whatever that means"

Chelsi

• Published in Interesting
• September 1, 2023

It's pretty thoughtful when people give unexpected presents "just because." It's even more surprising when it's from a person who is supposed to be stereotypically inclined to hate you — for example, your in-laws.

A Reddit OP was caught off-guard when her mother-in-law gave her a brand-new coffee machine. OP already has one, and it works well enough.

Although surprised by the gesture, OP accepted her MIL's gift graciously. As her MIL was leaving the house, she told OP that she owed her $30 for the machine.

She only budgeted $50 for OP's gift, but the cheapest one she could find cost $80. So, OP now owes her the extra cost for a gift she didn't want or need.

OP was confused by her MIL's reasoning. She asked her MIL why she bought a pricier gift that was $30 beyond her budget when she could have bought an item that was within the amount she was willing to spend.

The very image of generosity, OP's MIL replied that the cost didn't matter as long as it made OP happy. OP called her bluff because it obviously mattered if she was asking her to refund the extra amount.

MIL said it wasn't really about the money but the principle of the issue. She said if OP had any manners, she would pay her back, and then she left in a huff.

MIL texted OP's husband that she was still waiting on the $30

She threatened to take the gift back if OP doesn't reimburse the amount

OP told her husband to reply to his mother that she was more than welcome to take the gift back. Her husband didn't want that to happen because he got "attached" to the machine.

He didn't want to pay the $30 himself because the gift was meant for OP. She's supposed to be responsible for reimbursing it. He accused OP of making a simple issue too complicated.

This is the caffeinated hill worth dying on, OP

It's important to set boundaries with people, but specially with a MIL (and husband) like this

They thought they were sleek trying to scam OP out of her hard-earned $30

This petty revenge is guaranteed to provide satisfaction

Redditors couldn't take OP's husband and MIL seriously

To accuse OP of being selfish and lacking manners because she wouldn't cough up the $30 her MIL spent on a gift she didn't want or need is peak comedy

If husband likes the gift so much, then he can pay the $30 himself. He and OP can have their own separate coffee makers.

Who gets emotionally attached to a coffee maker? What does that even mean? As if this is an actual thing that happens!

MIL will do well on eBay. She should hit thrift stores next.

They're really making it seem like OP is the cheap one. Laughable.

I wouldn't use that coffee machine on principle. Redditors were flabbergasted by the thought process of MIL and her son.

What are they trying to pull here? We would really want to know what OP's husband meant when he said he got attached to the machine. Sincerely hope he didn't mean it literally.

Chelsi