Woman Gifts Mom a ‘Brand New’ iPhone, but She Complains About Not Getting the Most Expensive Version

A 29-year-old woman has decided to stop giving her mom gifts after realizing that nothing she ever bought was appreciated.

In a Reddit post, the woman explains that her 54-year-old mother has been living with her and her husband for the past three years.

“We don’t make her pay for anything — rent, phone, car, etc. She’s completely free, and I’ve told her her money is her own,” she wrote.

Recently, when the new iPhone 17 was released, the woman decided to surprise her mom with an upgrade. She and her husband bought the phone for her, choosing a smaller version because the larger one would be too big for her mother’s hands.

At first, her mom seemed thrilled with the gift. But within days, her excitement faded once she realized there was a “better” model available.

She then asked her daughter to exchange the phone for the larger, more expensive version. Frustrated by her mom’s lack of gratitude, the woman refused, insisting that “they’re all brand new and basically the same.”

This wasn’t an isolated incident. The woman said her mom has a long history of being difficult to please when it comes to gifts.

“Whenever I give her something, she always wants something else,” she wrote. “I once gave her a Fossil watch for Christmas, but she kept asking for the Guess watch I’d won in a raffle. I’ve only seen her wear the Fossil one a couple of times.”

The same thing happened with other gifts too — like when the daughter bought her a Kate Spade wallet, only for her mom to insist she wanted a Coach one instead.

After too many similar situations, the woman decided to stop buying presents altogether. Instead, she began giving her mom money or taking her out to eat occasionally. Though she’s discussed the issue with her mom before, it’s always brushed off with a laugh.

The latest phone incident brought all those frustrations back. Her husband finally told her that if her mom doesn’t like the gift, she can start paying for her own phone and plan.

Now, the woman is asking the Reddit community if she’s wrong for deciding to stop giving her mother gifts altogether.

Many commenters sided with her, saying her mom’s attitude needed to be confronted.

“Take back the phone,” one person advised. “Ask her why she’s never satisfied and whether she’s still happy with the free living situation. Why keep giving her things if she’s going to complain? Maybe it’s time for her to start contributing.”

Another added, “Stop buying her expensive stuff. She’s gotten spoiled — let her start paying for her own things.”