Birthdays on a tight budget require making thoughtful choices about where the money goes, and the man in this story tried to do exactly that.

So when his dad sent him some unexpected cash for his 30th birthday, he bought a book he had been waiting on and asked his wife to hold off on getting him anything else for his birthday so they could save the rest of the money.

But instead of being understanding, his wife threw a huge fit and called it an insult to the gift-giving process.

She’s still waiting for an apology, but he doesn’t think he’s in the wrong.

Read on to see how the internet felt about it.

AITAH for wanting to pick out my own birthday gift.

I will be 30 years old in about a week and I don’t have a ton of disposable income right now.

My dad kindly and randomly just sent my wife and I $200.

So he used the money for some things he’s been wanting and saved the rest.

So I bought myself a book that I have been wanting that costs $60 — one I didn’t think I would be able to get for my birthday — and I asked my wife not to get anything else so we could save the rest of the money.

She took this as an insult and said that picking out my own gift ruins the point of a present.

She’s angry and waiting for me to apologize, but I’m not sure if I’m really in the wrong.

He further clarifies his stance.

My dad was randomly sharing some casino winnings, unrelated to my birthday, with no message attached other than telling me he sent my wife some money.

My wife and I have a joint bank account, and I don’t have any apps to receive money from people, so my dad has my wife’s Cash App that we have used in the past.

He’s confused on the mixed signals his wife is sending him.

I talked to my wife before I bought the book, and it was her idea that I could get the book when she saw my dad sent us some money.

She was just upset when I told her “don’t buy me anything else.”

I bought the book early so it could be delivered in time.

His birthday, his gift. It’s as simple as that.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who wasn’t keen on contributing more to a coworker’s gift than originally planned.

What did Reddit have to say?

His wife seems to be misunderstanding the point of the gift.

This user also doesn’t understand what the big deal is all about.

Picking out your own gift is pretty customary.

Many families have their own gift giving traditions.

Wanting to surprise your partner on their birthday is sweet, but turning a practical request into an argument two days before that birthday is the opposite of a gift.

This man was transparent and reasonable with his logic, and he tried to make a decision that protected their shared finances.

On a joint account with limited income, that is exactly the kind of thing partners are supposed to prioritize.

The best gift she could give him now is giving this argument a rest.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a couple whose new neighbors’ construction noise is ruining the whole neighborhood vibe.