Man shares dilemma after $3,000 inheritance from grandparents sparks Christmas shopping argument with wife
A man’s relationship with his wife came under strain after receiving a $3,000 cheque from his past. It was not just about the money, but the letter from his grandparents that came with it.
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He took to the popular subreddit r/AITAH to share his troubles, where netizens showered him with their support.
The surprise inheritance
The man did not have an easy childhood, as his mother left him when he was three years old. He only met her again in his twenties.
“During the time she was away, I would occasionally visit her parents (my maternal grandparents),” he shared. “I remember my grandfather fondly, but barely, and I remember my grandmother being a miserable person.”
Several years after their demise, the man received an inheritance cheque for $3,000 from his grandparents, along with a letter which expressed how much they loved him and how they wished that they had spent more time together.
The conflict that plagued the relationship
While the correspondence moved the man, when he shared the news of the inheritance with his wife, “she immediately started talking about how she wants to use it to buy Christmas gifts for her mother, sister, nephews, etc.”
Shopping for his wife’s family is not new, as the man claimed that most of his family had passed on. However, he stated that they were not “financially well off” that year, and spending three grand on gifts did not sit right with him.
Moreover, he stated, “I may not have had great memories of my grandparents, but they apparently left me this out of love, and immediately blowing it feels wrong. Que the fight over financials.”
It is at this point that he asked Reddit if he was in the wrong over the subject of spending.
Redditors share their thoughts
For the man who suffered relational poverty since childhood, the check came as a late-stage validation of his existence from his lineage. To him, the thought of blowing through the money likely felt to be a secondary loss.
Reddit users thought along similar lines and overwhelmingly supported the man, with one person commenting, “NTA. You just got it. Your family is dead. That’s how you got the money. You have attached a sentimental feeling to it. Explain THAT to her and that you are not ready to lose the money yet. Seems valid to me.”
“There’s an emotional aspect here for you, and it’s okay to want to wait and see what you want to do with the money,” seconded another.
One person advised, “Buy something meaningful for your family instead of giving it to others. Something they would have liked you to have.”
Despite the differences, the man stood by his wife in the comments. When one person expressed, “Frankly, it’s pretty inappropriate and insensitive for her to immediately try and pressure you to spend this inheritance for YOU on gifts for others,” he jumped in to note, “She’s a great wife and I love her to death.” However, he added that he was pretty upset with the situation.
Looking forward to a resolution
In an edit made to the post, the man thanked netizens for their support and noted that he would have a heart-to-heart with his wife.
“I will talk to her about my feelings regarding the inheritance and make sure I am clear that I’m not ready, or even sure that I want to spend it. I will also let her know how the situation made me feel, and hope I can get her to see my perspective.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
