If a man is cheating on his wife, it’s probably more than just stolen kisses and secret dates. Affairs are all about gestures, gifts, and anything else that mimics romance and creates the illusion of love. In that sense, if a man is leading a double life, the best indicator of that is often the things he buys that aren’t intended for his wife.
Granted, every case is different. But there’s also a certain uniformity in the gifts men buy for their mistresses.
Whether it’s to impress her, quiet her, make themselves feel better, or atone for their guilt, these purchases say more about the affair than words or feelings ever could.
Here are 10 things cheating men buy for their mistresses — and the reasons why they buy them.
10 Things Cheating Men Buy for Their Mistresses
1. Lingerie
Okay, this one needs little to no explanation. Lingerie, sexy underwear, provocative panties, and the like are some of the most common things cheating men buy for their mistresses. It’s intimate, personal, and not the kind of thing he’d buy for his wife — especially if there’s any chance she might find it and get suspicious.
It’s also a way of keeping the affair exciting and passionate. He may buy it to make her feel wanted or desired, or simply to satisfy his own fantasies away from home. The thing about lingerie is that it’s not typically a “practical” gift — it’s an emotional, sexual one, and it’s often the first thing a wife will look for when she suspects an affair.
Related: When A Woman Is Cheating, She Will Make These 10 Mistakes
2. Perfume
Perfume is quite symbolic. It lingers, it marks a presence, and it’s personal. The fact that a man is buying perfume for another woman is rarely, if ever, innocent or “just because.”
A cheating man may buy her a scent he finds intoxicating, one that reminds him of her, or one he simply knows she’ll like. Some even keep a spare bottle at her place or in the car so she can reapply before they meet. The irony is that the very same scent could end up being the giveaway. Perfume is hard to hide on clothes or skin, and many wives have literally sniffed out affairs because of it.
Related: 9 Ways People Discover Their Partners Have Been Cheating On Them
3. Phones or SIM Cards
When it comes to long-term affairs or more serious infidelities, some men may go as far as buying their mistress a separate phone or SIM card. Why? For privacy, of course.
They don’t want their wife seeing a name she doesn’t recognize on the screen, and the best way to text, call, and stay in touch is to keep a “secret” phone with a new number. In some cases, the mistress gets a new phone or SIM card, and the man uses a second phone exclusively for her.
It’s a major red flag, as it shows not just financial investment but also logistical planning. It’s an indication of his intentions and deceit — and proof that the affair isn’t just impulsive but premeditated.
Related: If Your Husband Does These 15 Things, He’ll Never Cheat
4. Jewelry
A classic and one of the favorite gifts among cheating men. Jewelry is romantic, sentimental, and flattering — a sure way to make any mistress feel special and important.
Of course, subtlety is key. He won’t buy the same type or brand he would for his wife. Instead, he’ll likely choose something more understated or trendy, depending on the mistress’s age and style.
Necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are all common choices. But rings? Those are rare — and if he’s buying his mistress a ring, it’s not just a fling anymore. That’s not a man fooling around; that’s someone stepping into a whole different emotional mess.
Related: Why Do People Cheat in Relationships?
5. Luxury Handbags and Shoes
When guilt and ego mix, the result is often expensive gifts. Many cheating men feel compelled to buy designer bags, shoes, and other luxury accessories for their mistresses. They may want to impress her or prevent her from feeling like “just the other woman.”
Luxury items make her feel appreciated and pampered, and in his mind, they justify the affair: “She’s happy, she likes me, I must not be doing anything wrong.”
Many affairs survive on this kind of exchange — gifts become a currency of affection, with material goods replacing genuine emotional connection.
Related: 10 Ways To Tell If Someone Is Lying About Cheating
6. Hotel Rooms and Getaways
Not exactly a gift she can “keep,” but one of the biggest expenses a cheating man will make. Secret hotel bookings, weekend getaways, or “business trips” that have little to do with business.
Hotels are the safe zones of an affair — neutral ground with no evidence at home and no risk of bumping into family or neighbors. Some men even pay in cash or use aliases to avoid leaving a paper trail.
Unexplained hotel bills or weekend trips with flimsy excuses are often where the real “gifts” end up.
7. Clothes and Accessories
Buying clothes for another woman might sound innocent — until you realize how personal it actually is. He knows her size, her taste, her favorite colors. That’s not just a fling; that’s familiarity.
Cheating men often enjoy “dressing up” their mistresses. He might buy her a dress to see her wear on a date or a coat for their winter meetups. Sometimes he disguises it as help — “You said you needed something new for work,” or “I saw this and thought it would look great on you.”
But underneath it all, it’s an act of possession. It says, “You’re mine, and I want you to look a certain way.”
8. Financial Help
Gifts don’t always come in boxes. Sometimes they come in the form of “helping out.”
Rent payments, car installments, or cash “for emergencies” — these are all ways a cheating man might financially support his mistress. It’s not necessarily generosity; it’s about control and loyalty.
Dependence breeds attachment. If she’s financially reliant on him, she’s less likely to walk away or expose the affair. This dynamic is especially common when there’s a power or age gap. He convinces himself he’s just “looking out for her,” but really, it’s a way to keep her quiet and compliant.
9. Tech Gadgets
Phones, tablets, smartwatches, laptops — they all make the list. Cheating men buy tech items for both practical and symbolic reasons: to keep her happy, reachable, and connected.
Sometimes it’s just another excuse to stay in touch. A new iPhone or tablet becomes another communication channel — and if he’s clever (or sneaky), he’ll make sure her messages stay hidden or apps are locked.
Technology becomes the bridge between their two worlds — one he can control with a single text or video call.
10. Personal Care and Beauty Treatments
Finally, there are the “indirect” gifts — the ones he doesn’t hand her directly but secretly pays for. Salon visits, spa days, nail appointments, massages, or even cosmetic treatments.
On the surface, it looks generous — maybe even harmless — but the message is layered. He wants her to look a certain way, to stay attractive and “new.” He’s maintaining the fantasy of the perfect escape, and beauty treatments help keep that illusion alive.
He may even frame it as supportive: “You deserve to be pampered.” But beneath that is a deeper motive — keeping the illusion intact. Affairs thrive on fantasy, and beauty maintenance is part of the performance.
Why They Buy These Things
It’s tempting to think these gifts are just products of physical attraction or seduction, but in truth, they’re rooted in emotional imbalance and compensation.
Cheating men buy gifts to:
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Ease their guilt and try to “pay up” for their betrayal.
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Buy loyalty and keep their mistress happy — and quiet.
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Maintain control and play the role of the provider.
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Feed their egos and feel desired in two separate worlds.
Whatever the reason, these gifts come at a price. Whether it’s financial or emotional, they’re built on lies, secrecy, and deception.
Final Thoughts
Gifts can tell stories that words cannot. A cheating man’s purchases often reveal his intentions — and what he’s trying to hide. From lingerie to luxury handbags, everything he buys says something about what’s missing in his marriage.
The truth is, affairs rarely start with gifts. They start with attention. But once that line is crossed, gifts become the language of the affair — expressing everything he won’t say out loud.
So if you’ve ever felt something is “off” in your marriage, pay attention not just to what he says, but to where his money goes. Sometimes, the receipts tell a story his lips never will.
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