Woman Wants to Get a New Phone, but Her Fiancé Told Her to ‘Wait’ for His Parents to Buy Her a New One

A woman is wrestling with guilt after buying herself a new phone, even though her fiancé had asked her to wait for a gift from his parents.

Posting in Reddit’s “Am I the A——” forum, she explained that her old phone was broken and she needed a replacement as soon as possible. Her fiancé, however, wanted her to hold off for about a month so his parents could surprise her with a new device at Christmas.

“My phone is broken, and I need a new phone. I have no issues getting a new phone; however, my fiancé wants me to wait for another month until Christmas for his parents to get me a new phone,” she wrote.

Despite his request, she decided to go ahead and purchase a phone herself — a choice she now feels conflicted about. “I already pay for my own phone, but I feel like an a—— for getting a new phone and not waiting,” she admitted.

Many commenters immediately took her side, saying it was unreasonable to expect someone to go without a working phone for that long.

“It’s a nice thought, but most people can’t even live their lives without a smartphone for a week, let alone a month,” one person pointed out. “Like, what are you even doing right now if you need to call someone?”

Another commenter agreed, noting that a phone isn’t just a luxury anymore: “At this point in time, most adults need a phone to exist and live and work. A month is a VERY long time without a phone.”

Some users suggested there might have been more going on behind the offer from her future in-laws. They speculated that the gift could have been a way to bring her onto a shared family phone plan, which raised concerns for some.

“You should both be on your own plan together and not with his family,” one commenter wrote. “No reason to still be tied to the family plan. Even if it’s cheaper, there’s a privacy issue.”

Others warned that joining a family plan could come with strings attached.

“When they add you to their plan, they can see EVERYTHING! Depending on the company, they can even read your text messages,” another user claimed. “They can cyberstalk you. And if they’ve downloaded anything onto it, they might be able to see everything you do.”

Not everyone saw red flags, though. One commenter argued that the fiancé’s parents may have simply wanted to do something kind.

Someone suggested that the couple’s miscommunication is at the heart of the issue: the parents might have been trying to be generous, while the woman was focused on her practical need for a working phone.

“Her refusal to accept their gift is rude and could be interpreted as rejection,” the commenter wrote, noting that turning down a planned gift can feel personal — especially in close families.