Have you ever bought your own anniversary gift??
 

I have my eye on a piece of jewelry that I would love to have for my anniversary. It won't break the bank and I really want it. Ladies, have any of you gone ahead and just bought yourself an anniversary gift?
Sandy

Yes, it guarantees that you won't be disappointed.

my husband and i go shopping, he gets what he wants and i get what i want
we also do the same thing for our birthdays and christmas. he is into tools and
i always get the wrong one. so this works great. i get fabric and he gets his tools.

We don't exchange gifts, but I have cooked my own anniversary dinner!! When I was young and naive I got married on 1/1/81. First few years, got taken out to dinner on anniv. After a while, I got the sad face and, "you don't really want me to miss all the football games, do you?" So I cook a nice dinner and we are both happy.

Not for anniversary..we very seldom exchange gifts but I have for other holidays..b day and Christmas. I wrap them pretty and shrug my shoulders as they watch me open....no hurt feelings from any one here!

Sinbad has a comic routine about this. He says "The way to get what you want for your birthday, and to never have it forgotten, is to buy yourself your gift - something really nice - like a new car! Believe me, he will never forget to get you what you want for your birthday again after that."There's a lot of truth in that, but I haven't done it. If I really want something I just buy it or take him shopping with me and let him pay for it.

Yes, and it was my own fault, My husband asked what I wanted for our 50th and in a stupid answer I said nothing really, and he took me up on it. I bought him a very nice gift. Well, so far it has cost double what it would have and I have a lot more fabric than I would have.

I'm feeling better about my decision to go for it! He will be surprised when I open it too!
Sandy

Been there too. They don't really think do they??? The post about not wanting anything that is. This past Christmas for example . Geeez!!
Sandys

Hints don't work and if I am direct he says it won't be a surprise. I was always sorry I didn't buy a ring I loved. I bought my Pfaff sewing machine while he was on a golfing week-end. I set it up and used it for about three months before he noticed it wasn't my Singer that I had been sewing with for lots of years. Go for it if the budget allows.

The first 25 I received really nice gifts. It's been all downhill since then. Now that we are retired and living on our SS and retirement income, we hate to treat ourselves and spend the money with every thing escalating in price. I did take an old gold ring from my previous beau and sold it for more than triple what he paid for it. Lol. Hubs did get a gift with that money and me too!

All the time, my husband hasn't thought about an anniversary gift in a long time, of course neither have I. We just buy what we want. We've been married 40 years. Works for us!

I don't wait for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. My husband is pretty good at gift-giving, but if I see something I want and it's affordable, I buy it.

Absolutely! I picked it out, paid for it, and arranged for him to pick it up at the store.
Otherwise I'd have gotten a plastic bracelet from the Dollar Store, or a collection of jams and jellies from a mall kiosk.:hunf:

Jan in VA

Yes and then I show him what he bought me for our anniversary. Makes both of us happy.

My husband use to be great at making sure he got me presents for everything, not so much anymore. If he is overseas when the holiday comes then I don't get a gife even though when he comes home I have a gift for him.
So now I just buy my own gifts outta his money, lOL.

I have. My husband has never been very good at selecting a gift for the most part, and doesn't usually remember dates of birthdays and our anniversary. He usually will have an idea that it may be coming up, but no idea when. In the past few years he has put a little more effort in it. We've been married 37 years.
Some time before our 25th anniversary I heard on a talk show or read that if your husband isn't the type to buy gifts or find out what you want, rather than getting upset about it just go get your own gift. So about a month before our 25th anniversary I was in a shop that had some hand made jewelry, and saw a silver bracelet and a pair of silver earrings that I liked and so I bought them as my own ann. gift. I didn't wrap them or even say anything about it. Just wore them when I felt like it. Some years later someone commented about my bracelet and I just said "I got it for my 25 anniversary". They probably assumed he bought it. The point of it is accept your husband as he is and if you need to do something for yourself go ahead and do what makes you happy.

One of my special friends treats herself and just says with a million dollar smile to her husband - "I just knew you wanted me to have this!" :-)

If I want something I tell my DH what I want, and where to buy it, and if it's something I've seen in an ad, I hand him the ad and tell him that's what I want. I'm never disappointed and he's thrilled that he doesn't have to take his chances and hope for the best. Usually for our anniversary we go out to dinner and buy something really useful for the house, like a security screen door or a chandelier or even a dishwasher.

I hate those women that say.."If you loved me, you would know what I want." Men don't know. They love you, but haven't a clue. Even the kids when you tell them exactly what you want can't get it right. So..Yes..I buy my own and I am so pleased at what "they" get me. "You have to laugh so you don't end up crying."

Nope..... but I always buy myself a birthday gift!

Hugs

Caroline

Im' using this, it is perfect! We usually buy what we want but this time it is an anniversary ring that I want. I will tease him that at least it is not that tennis bracelet that I have hinted about fr years LOL. I'm not a tennis bracelet type.
Sandy

Will celebrate 40 years in July and have gotten exactly the perfect give that I wanted for 31 of those years. After 9 years, I learned I could buy what I wanted and thank him for the perfect gift. It has worked great!

Two years ago, I bought myself the best birthday present ever, a Keurig. I love my coffe and have never been able to brew a perfect cup. When my SIL bought my daughter one for Christmas, I found the answer. My birthday came along and no Keurig for me, so I went out and bought my own. It is expensive, but not as much as buying a cuppa in town at a restaurant, or gas station and I can use any brew that suits my taste. Love it.

I buy most of my presents. If I don't buy it I tell him EXACTLY what I want, or drag him with me to pay. He always buys everything he wants for himself, right up to a few weeks before his B day or Christmas. It would never occur to him to TELL someone he'd like this as a gift. My B day gift is the new printer in his office. It will print on fabric. Okay
MaryKatherine

I buy pretty much all my own gifts and so does my husband. We tease each other about it saying "What did I get you for...".

Not only anniversary, but birthday, mothers day, Christmas, etc. Well you get the picture.

Ask yourself one question " What would hubby do?" and go for it. If we don' t treat ourselves right it only breeds discontent and anger. I know from experience and therapy.

I always buy my own presents. If I want something, I save the money for it because if I don't he certainly will not get it for me.

Not all the time, but hints and such never work with my husband. One year I bought myself a sewing machine. For our 25th Anniversary, I said we were going to Alaska and we did.

Most of the time, it is during our county fair and I have have spent many an anniversary at the tractor pull. Oh well. With marriage you learn what works for you, is not necessarily what works for others.

You're supposed to get a gift? Who knew! LOL...have to work on that one : )

Why do you have to say its an anniversary gift? Because if you buy it yourself, for yourself, it really isn't. But so what? If it doesn't break the bank and you like it, get it! Who says you can't get a piece of jewelry if you want to?

A few times at Christmas I have gotten a few things that I wanted and put for To My Husband's Name and for My Name on the label. It's so funny watching his face when he opened the present because he never noticed what the name tag said. We actually had a joke in our house as how it was hard to buy a gift because when we wanted something we just went ahead and got it ourselves. It's either that or I'd tell my daugter when she got old enough and she made sure he knew what to get.

No, but I have given him a picture of the item and where to buy it.

Definitely! After 20 years of marriage, I saved for a year to get a diamond. WE chose the stone and the setting TOGETHER. When I showed it to a neighbor, she said, "Nice ring you bought yourself." Still remember that comment from over 20 years ago! So, if YOU buy it, don't tell anyone but your husband. Most stores will hold a piece until the husband can look at it. If he's smart, he'll also buy it, have it wrapped, and present it like it was HIS idea!

Wow! Love all of the answers! I can't wait to go buy my new ring!
Thanks ladies! I'm loving the stories you share.

Sandy

What a snotty remark! Probably jealous she was. Yes no ones biz on "who" paid for the gift !
Sandy

Many many times. My husband apparently is either bad at this type of thing or does it poorly on purpose. Come on I got a bowling ball for my first anniversary and an ironing board cover for another one!! That doesnt count the butt ugly jewelry that he spent a fortune on.

OTOH, I have a really nice fur coat, a pendant that people stop and comment on and a convertible. All for my birthdays, Christmas or anniversaries from ME!

Since being married I haven't purchased any jewelry for myself. Now DH and I discussed in length the purchase of my 3 stone ring and eternity band. We looked at it together, discussed the price, etc. and then made the purchases. The 3-stone ring was for Mother's Day and then the Eternity ring was for our 5th anniversary. I actually insisted on the smaller stones for each ring...he's too generous for his own good....lol!

So...I would just tell him...Honey this is what I would really, really like to have this year! I now insist on no more bling!
For instance~ we couldn't afford Anniversary or Christmas gifts this year and it was no biggy. Then in Feb I saw the Singer 160 on HSN and it just struck me I have to have this! We discussed it and decided that the Singer would be my belated Anniversary, Christmas and upcoming Bday gift! Everytime I look at that sewing machine I think about how much he loves me! It is the same with the rings! Oh and he tells everyone that he got a Singer 160 for his Bday this year! I luv that guy!