A Gurgaon-based content creator whose Instagram video about invoicing her husband ₹1,000 for special meals sparked widespread debate has said the arrangement was never about "charging each other", but about appreciating the time and effort that goes into cooking.
A few weeks ago, food content creator Priya shared a video where she revealed that her husband pays her ₹1,000 for every café-quality meal that she cooks for him. “I know people will say ‘that’s what a wife does’, but this wife doesn’t,” she said in the video, which has received over 1.2 million views on Instagram.
As the video went viral, it attracted a number of trolls who criticised Priya as “materialistic” and “disrespectful”.
The Gurgaon-based woman spoke to Hindustantimes.com about the light-hearted arrangement with her husband, the trolling she received and more.
From fashion designer to food creator
Priya said she studied fashion design and spent five years running her own clothing label, Concept Kapda, before deciding to shut it down. Originally from Chandigarh, she moved to Gurgaon after getting married in 2023.
"I studied fashion design and ran my own clothing label, Concept Kapda, for five years. Eventually, I decided to shut it down because I wanted to build something where creativity was valued in the way I believed it should be," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"I studied fashion design and ran my own clothing label, Concept Kapda, for five years. Eventually, I decided to shut it down because I wanted to build something where creativity was valued in the way I believed it should be," she said.
{{/usCountry}}Today, she works as a food content creator, sharing healthy recipes online. Her husband works full-time as an architect who runs his own architectural and design company.
“Food has become my creative outlet, my business, and honestly, one of the happiest parts of my life,” Priya said.
(Also read: Why women’s household work deserves economic recognition)
From a joke to ₹1,000-per-meal tradition
Priya said she has always loved cooking, describing it as a blend of her Punjabi family's love for flavour and her own focus on health and nutrition.
"When I got married in 2023, we had conversations about how we'd share responsibilities as partners. Somewhere in those conversations, I jokingly said, 'If I'm making café-style food at home, maybe it shouldn't always be free.'"
What began as a joke soon became a routine.
“One day we were talking about work, household responsibilities and what life would look like as we built a family together. I remember saying that if we both contribute financially, why should cooking automatically become something that’s expected from me simply because I’m the wife?” she recalled.
"My husband said, 'I'd happily spend ₹1,000 on this at a café. I'd rather pay you.' Since then, whenever I make something special, he transfers me ₹1,000."
She added that the gesture is about acknowledging the work behind every meal. For Priya, it is also a way to acknowledge the invisible labour of homemakers.
“For us, it was never about charging each other. It was about appreciating invisible work,” she explained.
Money matters
The arrangement also has an upside — money stays in the family. Instead of spending money at restaurants or on ordering in, her husband gets to eat healthy, home-cooked and delicious food.
The 33-year-old revealed that she earns anywhere between ₹15,000 to 20,000 a month cooking for her husband. Her husband encourages her to save this money for a food business that she now wants to explore.
“The money stays within our family anyway, but he wanted that appreciation to be tangible. He also encouraged me to save that money and eventually invest it into a food business whenever I felt ready—which is something I’m now seriously thinking about,” Priya explained.
“At the end of the day, it’s our family’s money. Whether it sits in his account or mine, it’s still ours. And if those ₹1,000 transfers eventually help me build the sandwich business I’m dreaming about, then I’d say they’ve served a much bigger purpose than just paying for a meal,” she added.
She is also careful to point out that money is not the reason she cooks for her husband. “I don’t cook every single day just to earn the money. I make something when inspiration strikes or when I genuinely feel like creating something special. So it’s never felt like a salary—it’s just become a fun tradition between us,” the food content creator said.
Her response to trolls
“I assume you will also charge him to deliver his babies.”
“Tell me you don’t love your husband without telling me.”
“How much does he charge you for rent, utilities, travel and other stuff? Or does that not suit your agenda?”
“Such a bad idea! We gotta do some things out of love for our family, and cooking is also one of them. Please don't promote such a materialistic mindset because relationships around are already fragile.”
These are just some of the critical responses that Priya received under her video. While many viewers applauded her for refusing to do unpaid labour, she also attracted a fair amount of trolling.
Speaking to Hindustantimes.com, Priya admitted that the online backlash initially affected her.
"Initially, the criticism did affect me. I think that's a very human reaction. Nobody enjoys opening their phone and seeing strangers question their relationship or intentions."
(Also read: ‘Everyone sees salary, few see struggle’: Hyderabad woman opens up about the mental toll of being a working woman)
However, she said the discussion ultimately brought new opportunities.
"The more conversations the video sparked, the more women started reaching out saying they felt seen, appreciated or inspired by the idea behind it. My community grew, brands started approaching me, and I realised that not everyone has to agree with what you do for it to have value."
She stressed that neither she nor her husband intended to make a social statement.
"People often assumed we were trying to offend someone or make a statement. We weren't. It was simply a fun system that worked for us as a couple. If it makes people laugh, great. If it starts conversations about appreciating unpaid labour, even better."