When it comes to gift-giving between couples, unclear expectations can lead to hurt feelings.

What was intended as a loving anniversary gesture sparked a bitter debate over whether one party cheaped out.

You’ll want to read on for this one.

AITA for keeping a gift card I received when purchasing a gift for someone else?

For our wedding anniversary, I bought my husband a $200 rangefinder.

The store was running a promotion where you’d get a $50 gift card with the purchase.

My husband knew about the deal, so when I gave him the gift, he asked where the gift card was.

The wife was quick to explain her reasoning.

Since you couldn’t use the gift card on the original purchase, I used it to buy him a Christmas gift that he won’t get until December.

He said it left an “icky taste in his mouth” because when questioned about the amount spent, I told him I spent $215.

But he thinks it only counts as $165 because of the gift card.

She tries to explain further.

For context, my card was charged $214.99 for the rangefinder.

I explained that I used the gift card toward a separate $215 Christmas gift, so technically, I’ve only spent $165 on Christmas so far.

His past directives said one thing.

Here’s where I’m confused: When I asked him for additional gift ideas, he told me I had spent enough.

But later, he said he was expecting to get the $50 gift card with the rangefinder, and that’s why he originally said I didn’t need to get him anything else.

For our anniversary, he got me a necklace (on sale for $190) and a Lululemon bag for $40.

Now the wife is left questioning everything.

Now I’m feeling like crap, and I don’t know if I did something wrong or if I’m overthinking it.

AITA?

Is gift giving always meant to be this transactional?

Let’s see what Reddit had to say.

For a lot of people, it’s the thought that counts, but clearly not for this couple.

This husband needs to take his sky-high expectations down several notches.

Perhaps a more thorough explanation could set this couple back on the right path.

But ultimately, the husband’s heart is still in the wrong place here.

The real issue here was this couple’s mismatching expectations.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.