AIBU to want to buy myself an Oura ring for my 40th birthday?

[HannahTheBanana]

I’m turning 40 in two months and would really like to buy myself an Oura ring as a birthday present. It feels like a milestone birthday and I genuinely feel I deserve a proper treat.

I come from the mentality that it’s OK to treat yourself sometimes, especially when you work hard. I’ve also been dealing with six months of ongoing complications after a miscarriage last year, which has been emotionally and physically exhausting, and this feels like something just for me after a very tough period.

My partner is strongly against it, mainly because it costs £499 and isn’t a necessity.

Context: over the summer I overspent on my credit card and had to dip into our savings, which I fully accept wasn’t great. Since then I’ve been more careful. We have joint finances, a monthly pocket money allowance of £350 each, and I earn more and therefore contribute more to the joint pot. We’re also planning some work on the house, so we’re trying to save as much as possible and every penny counts.

I feel frustrated because this would be my one-off treat for my 40th, not a regular spend, and I’m not asking him to buy it. But every discussion turns into an argument and I end up feeling like a child being told off.

AIBU?

Have you repaid the savings?
is this more important than work on the house?

people will want to buy you gifts for a milestone birthday, why don’t you ask them for a contribution to the ring and get it that way?

It's not something I would buy, OP, but that's not the point.
Assuming you're working, then you can buy whatever the heck you want - I'm astonished that you've even discussed it with your partner, tbh. You have to decide whether it's worth it and you can afford it - at 40 years old, you should be making your own decisions!

Of you have a personal allowance, then why don't you need to discuss it? Save up from your £350 a month and job done.

I wouldn’t buy one because DH told me they’re sized and so you’d need to replace it if you gained or lost weight. It makes no sense when many people buy these to track fitness and get into shape so will be losing weight, or gaining if they’re building muscle. Watches have adjustable straps, they make way more sense.

If you would be buying it out of savings from your personal spending money, then it’s not his business.

I got one as a gift last year and like it.

Save up out of your own savings.

I'm sure they're on offer in John Lewis.

Are you buying it out of money you've saved or chucking it on the credit card and expecting to use joint money to pay it off? I am bad with money op, I know the temptation

There alot of sales on and I got mine for £250

This - I wouldn’t count an Oura as a gift!! I got a whoop for my birthday and was unimpressed 😅 save up for a month and a half and you’re sorted.

I don’t understand why your husband would have a say in what you choose to spend your own money on! Unless it means that you can’t meet your monthly contribution to the bills, in which case buy it on your credit card.

Not enough info....

If you dipped into £100k of savings and borrowed 2k which has been repaid. Yanbu

If you dipped into 5k of 10k savings and repaid 1k well.....

It also depends on if you dipped into it to buy yourself clothes and eat out or you dipped into it to buy school uniforms and food
...

I got an oura ring from my dh for christmas it was £100 - there are cheaper options out there no?

I’ve no idea of there are different types of ours rings, but they’ve got them for £299 at Argos at the moment.

You can buy one when you can afford it 🤷‍♀️

I couldn’t spend that amount without waiting 3 months.

I waited all year and waved up for a an Apple Watch for the same reason but I hate it and I’m getting a Garmin instead.

What will you gain from it, surely you know if you've had a crap sleep or are stressed?

You are clearly someone who struggles to spend within your budget, using credit cards and savings rather than saving the money first. Also these rings look like the latest gimmick so I wonder if you are also someone who is easily drawn to the latest trends and things that are heavily advertised. If you really must have it, just save an amount each month until you have the money you need to buy it, without putting it on credit or dipping into savings. The other advantage to delaying buying it is that you may find you don't want it anymore after the period of delay.

Really? Not a gift? So what would you class it as?

It's not like anyone else would be using it, and it's not a cheap item. And it's way better than most jewellery as it serves a useful purpose.

The Ringconn gen 2 is much cheaper, especially in the sale, and doesn’t have a monthly subscription charge to use the app. Maybe look at that as a cheaper alternative that is very very good

To answer the op, you have £350 per month to spend on anything you like. You can get an Oura for £250. Which means you should be able to get one for yourself in the two months timeframe, and still have £225 pm for anything else.

I think maybe just treat yourself on your allowance. Or maybe as a friends DD asked family for a contribution. Instead of present for a Bracelet of Similar cost.instead of individual present

This! It’s not £500… in fact the 4 is £249 in JL, Boots, Argos.

Personally I wouldn't spend £500 on a treat if I'd been overspending on a credit card and dipping into savings less than a year ago. But nothing wrong with the principle of buying yourself a treat for your birthday.

Thanks!

Yes, I dipped into savings over the summer to clear a credit card balance, but I’ve been responsible about fixing that and getting us back on track. I was irresponsible spending 1k on clothes and shoes and other stuff to make myself feel better after the miscarriage…
And yes, there are cheaper fitness trackers out there — I’ve looked, and of course you can spend much less. But I’m talking about something that’s meaningful to me for a milestone birthday after a really tough year. It’s not about fancy stuff for the sake of it.