AIBU regarding DH's Christmas present to me.

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Ok get the biscuits ready. DH hates shopping and is not very good at it when required to do so. Fast forward to Christmas. I've done all present buying, including my own (I prefer this as I like to get stuff I want at good price). Bought myself some M&S pyjamas, some socks, a £12 scarf and some make-up that I would have bought anyway but just wrapped for something to open in front of family. DH told very clearly I would like some £35 perfume, it's name and where to get it. This was all he had to do. He arrives home on Christmas eve with three libertys bags and puts under tree. I say nothing, wider family staying with us, wrong time etc. Open on christmas morning, there is a cardigan, a scarf and some soap. Soap, fine I can live with, but clothes all wrong for me. Explain very nicely I'd like to return and can I have receipts. Got these this morning as was going in with friend to exchange purchases today. After he'd left for work looked at cost. Cardigan and scarf equalled £1102. I felt sick, we cannot afford this and he knows I'm saving up to buy a piano for the family. Left a very impolite message on his mobile, and went to libertys with friend where all they would do is give me a credit note to be used in 6 months. We hunted round but nothing obvious that was me or my comfortable price bracket. To explain this expenditure will not place us in debt or financial ruin, but delays things like getting piano, cheaper holiday etc. All he could say was I wanted to spoil you. All I can think is it's irresponsible, lazy impulse buying on Christmas eve at a shop I have never shown any interest in on items I have never asked for. Incidentally if anyone is a libertys fan I am happy to sell the credit note for £800.

I don´t think that Op is overreacting at all.

She wanted 35GBP perfume.i would just regift it!

And got goods of more than 10x that!

There´s a middle ground if he wanted to buy more than the perfume!

"i would just regift it!"-more than 1000GBP

Maybe he knows that everything you buy for yourself is a bargin/sales stuff and he wanted you to have something nice/expensive just for you for a change.

He might have got it very wrong but his heart was in the right place.

I don't understand why they couldn't refund the amount if you had the receipt. Did you need his card to put the money back on?
I'd be more annoyed with the shop than with him.
Nothing wrong with asking for a receipt so long as you make it clear you appreciated the thought - rather than the lack of.

I would be horrified too for the same reasons as you OP. I think you should concentrate on trying to recoup the money as best you can! Clearly you cant regift an £800 cardigan! I am not that familiar with Liberty, but I would say homewear, perfume you wanted originally. gifts for other people for birthdays etc. Or hopefully sell the credit note on Ebay or to someone on here?
I wouldnt be concerned about an affair, why would that make him want to buy you Liberty stuff?!

ThePeoplesPrincess

99p shop? I cannot afford to buy myself luxuries like perfume but fancied some and went to 99p Shop. I found a British one called, would you believe it, Princess and it's quite nice.

I wouldn't have even gone to LIberty;'s though never mind spending that amount on anything. I thought my son was daft to go to Fortnum and Mason on a trip to London and came home with a £3.50 small bag of crisps!

No issue with libertys, was clearly stated on receipt that exchange or credit note only, no refunds. Cantspel I think you're right.

Please get over this, my DH was like this, once he bought dd1 a pony on Christmas eve, telling me at about 3pm so I was rushing around madly trying to get something for DD2 and DS. He died suddenly aged 53 Jan 23 2011 and I would do anything to have to deal one of his bonkers impulse presents. Be grateful for what you have got, nothing lasts for ever.

pressed post too soon. Re the price tags, could it be that he got the things and didn't look at the price until it showed up on the till and was then too embarrassed to cancel it?

OMG I misread, as £102, not £1120, and still got annoyed at OP's DH, as he didn;t buy her the one thing she specifically asked for, and instead spent 3x that on stuff she didnt want.....then I realised, £1120!! What a plonker! Agree with someone uppost who said the shop should really refund your DH as long as he takes the card used and the receipt.

I re-iterate....what a plonker.

£1102????? OMFG on 2 items?

WOW just WOW!!

OP did he at least got the size right :o

I know this is completely beside the point, but what was the soap?

I can't imagine what really expensive soap is or what special things it does.

Please satisfy my curiosity, OP!

I think it sounds as though he tried to do something really special. Do Liberty's still have a furniture department? They used to sell some really amazing "one off" things - absolutely beautiful rugs if I recall correctly. You could exchange for something really special.

I adore Libertys and many a time when I have been desperate for something to wear for something special I have found something in there - perhaps not first choice, but something decent that has lasted for years and years and been interesting in a useful sort of way. Go on, wait till the Spring stuff comes in and get an outfit and a summer coat that will last you for ten years or more.

Pianos are forever being offered on my local free cycle groups you know. At least one a week. Then you could legitimately blow the grand on yourself!

Would Liberty's break the credit note up into smaller denominations (e.g. £50, £100) for your to eBay and perhaps gift, e.g. if you usually spend £50 on MIL you could give her a voucher?

Agree that he was probably trying to do what he thought was the right thing. But YANBU because it is such a lot of money!

I do get about spoiling someone-but that to me is perhaps a slight upgrade on something that you know someone wants/likes.

My husband knows that I would never wear a scarf/cardigan combo to the value of OPs presents.

I just wouldn´t feel comfortable.

And like the OP we could afford it-it just isn´t me.

Ilovegeorge. Salutary words. Thank you.

How is it possible for a cardi and scarf to cost over a grand?!!

Sounds like my DH ...... We had some 'words' a few christmases back over jewelry - I HATE jewelry. Nuff said. He hasn't done it again. I know he did it to 'spoil' me but I HATE jewelry. I particularly loathe ruby. And it was spectacularly identical to a ring I inherited from my dearly departed mother - so a pointless waste of money as it's sat in the jewelry drawer, never worn.

he spent over £1k on a scarf and a cardigan?! I would have been furious if my DH had done this.

My DH also once took advice from someone else about a last minute gift. Again turned out to be not quite me and a bit flash (not £1000 flash)

Crunchbag, thanks for making me laugh over this. Incidentally the cardigan comes only in one size as this "helps garment flow" apparently. And thanks to all for points of views. Think I'm there on this one. He's been a plonker, but one with good intentions. The situation is retrievable financially (sort of) by looking again at homewares or selling on eBay. All is well. Now just need to start shopping at aldi again to make up piano fund shortfall.

I don't personally think there's anything "spoiling" about wasting over a grand on two things you don't like. It's just an offensive waste of money no matter how well-off you are.

And I shall get meself dahn the 99p shop Brittania

Was it this cardigan? £785!!