21-year-old boyfriend 'accidentally' spends his 19-year-old girlfriend's $50 on a video game, claims it was an honest mistake when she calls him out: 'He said I was making a big deal over nothing'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 23, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

It's so easy to take funds intended initially for needs and spend them on wants. I would never spend so much on theater tickets for novelty purses that I couldn't afford groceries or rent. Still, sometimes you need the little pleasure that comes from having hilarious hairclips instead of a $7 family-sized box of Cheez-Its. Is a $7 family-sized box of Cheez-Its a need or a want? Who is to say?

While being cavalier with your own money as a high-flying single person is totally above board, it is a different ballgame when you combine your finances with a partner and have a household. In that case, buying 10 $40 Criterion DVDs when they are outside of your budget actually constitutes crossing a line, and I wouldn't put it past someone to consider that a form of infidelity, especially when their partner is mostly spending the money that they earn. 

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  • The young lady in this story has not even combined finances with her boyfriend, and he's already taking advantage of her. She gave him $50 for groceries, and he spent it on a video game. Instead of profusely apologizing and paying her back, he told her it was no big deal.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10483781888
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    So, my (19F) boyfriend (21M) and I don't live together, but we sometimes grab groceries together when I stay over. Last week, I gave him $50 in cash to pick up some basics while I was at
    via u/JuicyLittlePrincess
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10483783680
    via Alexander Grey

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    work. Later, I asked for the receipt, and he got all weird about it. Turns out, he 'accidentally' spent the money on a new game and said he'd cover the groceries next time.
    via u/JuicyLittlePrincess
  • 05
    I told him I wasn't okay with that since that was my food budget for the week. He got defensive, saying it was an honest mistake, and I was 'making a big deal over nothing.' I said if it was no big
    via u/JuicyLittlePrincess
  • 06
    deal, he could just give me the money back. He refused, saying I should 'let it go' because he pays for things sometimes too (like, an occasional takeout meal).
    via u/JuicyLittlePrincess
  • 07
    I ended up just leaving and buying my own groceries, but now he's sulking and saying I overreacted. AITAH?
    via u/JuicyLittlePrincess
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    C
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09
    Ashamed-Struggle7130 Nta. He is 21 and purposely chose to buy a game instead of groceries. Should have told him to return the game if he felt bad about buying it.
    via u/Ashamed-Struggle7130
  • 10
    jimbojangles1987 What does he mean honest mistake? How was it even a mistake? He got a game instead of groceries, is he saying they pulled the old switcheroo on him after he checked out and gave him a non refundable game instead?
    via u/jimbojangles1987
  • 11
    TheAzureAdventurer Idiot thought "well, both words start with G so it's okay."
    via u/TheAzureAdventurer
  • 12
    your_average_plebian It wasn't even honest, much less a mistake. He stole her money, hid his purchase from her, and only fessed up when she asked him about it. Nothing honest about that.
    via u/your_average_plebian
  • 13
    Kopitar4president • 3d ago He thought "She's such a pushover she's not going to do anything about it" and so far he's right.
    via u/Kopitar4president
  • 14
    janinnaprettiest Yeah, if she lets him get away with these now, he will just walk all over her. Today is just $50 but later it may be $5000 !
    via u/janinnaprettiest
  • 15
    dirtyforker He is going to accident. another girl and say it was an
    via u/dirtyforker
  • 16
    Phenyx890 Literally, like ? If he had the receipt he could still return the game, not act like a petulant child
    via u/Phenyx890
  • 17
    your-yogurt Op he stole from you. that alone wagers a breakup. you dont need this loser, especially at this age
    via u/your-yogurt
  • 18
    PoseidonPoker Yeah just because he's a boyfriend doesn't change the fact he stole your money
    via u/PoseidonPoker
  • 19
    KaetzenOrkester That makes it worse, really.
    via u/KaetzenOrkester
  • 20
    tinkerbell_2369 What's next? You move in together and he "accidentally" spends the money on magic beans? OP please dump this guy, if you let him he will lie and use you up. He needs to figure out how to grow up without you there to catch him. Please report the theft, he needs to face the consequences of his actions. Best of luck to you
    via u/tinkerbell_2369
  • 21
    Ruthless_Bunny Why is he still your boyfriend? Get your money and get gone. This person is so selfish that he'd have you go hungry for a week so he can buy his video game, WITH YOUR MONEY! Have standards. Drop this loser with a quickness. But get your money first
    via u/Ruthless_Bunny
  • 22
    deejaysmithsonian Cuz she's 19 and also doesn't have the maturity we'd all like her to have. But maybe the feedback here will open her eyes a bit.
    via u/deejaysmithsonian
  • 23
    ellensundies Tbh it's taken me 50 years to develop the maturity to stand up for myself against my partner. They say adulting is hard, and boy is it ever!
    via u/ellensundies
  • 24
    faerie W15B Who the f 'accidentally' buys a video game?? "Oh babe I swear, I had all the groceries in the cart but at the last second, a copy of Call Of Duty jumped off the shelf and flew past the scanner and it voided all the food and then I tripped and fell into the cash register money first. It was a mistake, honest!" Screw that, get rid of him. NTA.
    via u/faerieW15B
  • 25
    ForeverFinancial5602 NTA. Its not the food its the lie. And he doubled down on it and is changing the subject to "you're too sensitive" your to sensitive to what exactly? Getting your money stolen and getting lied to about it? Well, I hope you are. Now that you called him out he is still saying that you overreacted. everything about this. Your instincts to leave were correct ?? F
    via u/ForeverFinancial5602

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boyfriend relationship advice relationship-drama reddit story relationships girlfriend reddit thread Reddit toxic relationship dating groceries video games theft money
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