“Pre-owned hair dryer as birthday gift” – M’sian Says BF Insists on Splitting Bills 50/50, Even at Hawker Stalls

Does the price of a gift, especially from your partner, matter? A Malaysian woman recently expressed her frustration after tolerating her boyfriend’s habits for some time, saying that he “saves too much.”

She was particularly upset about receiving a secondhand hair dryer as a birthday gift, which he bought online.

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Although the seller described it as “unused,” she still had concerns about the product’s safety. However, it wasn’t just about the hair dryer, the woman also shared her struggle to cope with his lifestyle, which revolves around saving as much as possible, even when dining out.

“He wants to go Dutch all the time, even when eating at hawker stalls.”

In her anonymous post, she revealed that apart from being overly frugal, he insists on splitting the bill every time, even for cheap meals.

“I even suggested 70/30, but he insisted on 50/50, which, to me, feels like I’m his friend, not his girlfriend.”

She added that sometimes she hinted she wanted a snack, expecting him to buy it for her, but instead, he told her to go ahead and purchase the RM25 snack herself.

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Despite her frustrations, the woman clarified that her boyfriend isn’t a bad partner, he has treated her to meals and gifts during his travels abroad. She also noted that in their few-month-old relationship, she has cooked for him and given him gifts.

Another source of frustration, she said, is his lack of communication as he sometimes barely texts or calls in a day, claiming “there’s nothing much to talk about.”

Hidden beneath all these issues are her feelings of exhaustion and doubt.

“I just want a man who doesn’t mind putting in some effort. Going Dutch isn’t wrong, but I don’t want a relationship where independence turns into ‘caring less.’”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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