Husband pays homemaker wife for chores, says her labour shouldn't be worth Rs 0

A Reddit post about a government officer paying his homemaker wife a fixed monthly amount for housework has gone viral. The arrangement has highlighted unpaid domestic labour and financial independence within marriage.A Reddit post has gone viral after talking about 'salary' for homemakers. (Photo: representational/pixabay)What if a homemaker’s unpaid work came with a monthly pay cheque? A Reddit post about an Indian couple doing exactly that has sparked a discussion about recognising domestic labour and giving financial independence to the spouse who manages the home.The discussion began when a Reddit user shared that their elder brother, a government officer, gives his homemaker wife a fixed amount every month specifically for managing the household.The woman takes care of cooking, cleaning and other daily responsibilities, while her husband separately pays for groceries, bills and other household expenses. The monthly amount, the user explained, is entirely hers to spend, save or send to her parents without having to ask for permission.The reasoning behind the arrangement is fairly straightforward. “If they hired a maid, cook, or home manager to do all this, they’d have to pay them market rates. So why should the labour suddenly be worth Rs 0 just because a spouse is doing it?” the post read.The Reddit user also clarified that the arrangement is not meant to create an employer-employee dynamic. The couple considers themselves equal partners, with the monthly payment serving as recognition of the wife’s contribution while also giving her money of her own. See the post:The idea struck a chord with several Reddit users, who largely supported the arrangement while acknowledging that couples may choose to manage their finances differently.“Sounds better than the wife doing all the house hold chores and still not being appreciated for it in some way,” one user wrote. They added that they believed husbands and wives should ideally split household work and financial contributions equally, but concluded, “whatever works for them.”Another user focused on the question of financial dependence within marriage.“I like this idea. For years female chores is not considered work and somewhere or other it gives man authority whenever wife asks husband for money,” they wrote.A third user said the arrangement could also make everyday spending less uncomfortable for a homemaker.“Its good actually. You know asking money for even small things she wants to buy would feel like daunting if she is not getting that salary,” the user wrote. “Also, she is doing all the chores and spending time on it so she deserves it.”The debate ultimately goes beyond the idea of a “salary” for a homemaker, raising questions about how couples recognise unpaid domestic work and whether financial independence should have a place within marriage.- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 10:01 IST