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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

First anniversary - mismatch in effort

158 replies

Skethylita · 14/06/2026 18:39

DP and I have our first anniversary in a week. Today he told me that he will not have the money or time to "splash out" on our first anniversary.

I have had a gift sorted for many months - a homemade gift that involved many hours of time and effort (and yes, money, too) that I am trying to get finished in time for next week. He knows about this gift as we have had a traumatic event a few months back and I shared with him what I was working on to cheer us up. He knows when our anniversary is as we will go back to the place we first met at.

I asked him what his plans were before his money concerns and he said a taxi there and back and a little something (he won't tell me what, to save it for the next one). I told him I was disappointed. Not because of the monetary value, but because I expected some thought and effort that wasn't being left until the last minute.

We're both busy and in demanding jobs. We both have had things on full time the last few weeks. But he knew this was coming. He knew how much effort I was putting in. Normally, he is very thoughtful. He also has money (in savings), but his everyday spends are run down this month. Money wouldn't have mattered either way, but I feel like he's setting me up for a bunch of generic flowers if I'm lucky. We have a great relationship otherwise.

It's not about money, but about lack of thought. I told him that much and am quite disappointed. AIBU?

Yes, YABU - Gifts don't matter, even when effort is clearly and knowingly mismatched.
No, YANBU - He knew this was coming and what you put in. He should have got his arse in gear earlier.

OP posts:
SALaw · 17/06/2026 23:19

ClaredeBear · 17/06/2026 18:53

Sorry, I should say congrats on the upcoming engagement- I didn’t mean to overlook that, it’s very exciting.

How can you have an “upcoming engagement”? If it’s agreed surely that means they are engaged?!

Crumpled86 · 17/06/2026 23:38

I'd be disappointed too op so no I don't think yabu. However I would also recognise that for you your love language is gift giving and you put a lot more thought into it than other people. I do too and am often disappointed when I receive a generic gift. For me it doesn't matter how much money is involved it is the complete lack of consideration for what I would actually like.

In your case, he knew the occasion was coming. He has a full time job, you go away a fair bit and it doesn't sound like putting a fiver a month for a few months would have killed him. Instead he chose not to. He chose not to prioritise you and that is upsetting especially when he was the one who kept bringing the occasion up.

Skethylita · 22/06/2026 19:51

Turns out our love language is not different after all. He did make an effort. And then some. looks at the beautiful ring now on her finger

I'll know not to trust him on that front again if he ever tells me he hasn't got anything planned 😁

OP posts:
PussInBin20 · 22/06/2026 20:59

Most blokes don’t care about this kind of stuff so the sooner you accept that, the less disappointed you will be.

I don’t doubt that he thought of getting those thoughtful gifts for you at the time but clearly pushed them to the back of his mind as it wasn’t near to your anniversary. Unlike you, who planned it months before, most blokes aren’t really thinking about it that far in advance (and neither would I tbh).

PussInBin20 · 22/06/2026 21:00

Oh, just seen your update. So glad he met with your expectations and you’re all happy x

Arlanymor · 24/06/2026 02:01

You started a whole thread about his lack of effort and how disappointed you were. And rather than saying: “My bad, I was wrong and assumptive.”

You’re just: “Pretty ring!”

Bleachedjeans · 24/06/2026 06:29

Skethylita · 14/06/2026 18:59

Yes, we discussed this anniversary for a while. It is significant in many ways that I won't go into here, but we've both come a long way from where we were a year back. Not in terms of the relationship (which has always been strong), but all the things surrounding our lives.

Suffice to say we're no spring chickens. My gift involves a record of our journey that I started a few months in. Imagine a fully edited film involving all the videos of our travels across the world and the part of the world we eventually settled in. Something that takes equipment and editing and therefore a lot of time, money and effort.

So over the top! Sorry but you sound a bit soft, OP.

ClaredeBear · 24/06/2026 06:32

Bleachedjeans · 24/06/2026 06:29

So over the top! Sorry but you sound a bit soft, OP.

i think she came to gaslight us! It’s one of the strangest posts I’ve ever responded to.

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