Woman Charges Husband $250 for House Chores

Would you ever clean someone’s house for free? Chances are you would definitely ask for a wage in return for your services. But, what if it was your own house? A viral video recently emerged, which showcased a woman’s explanation about why she charges her husband $250 at the start of each month. The video, posted on TikTok by user @themamabrianna in early August, garnered significant support from online users.

In the video, the woman, who uses her platform to provide advice for women trapped in abusive relationships seeking ways to escape, mentioned that she invoices her husband for a substantial amount to cover an extensive house cleaning. Interestingly, the husband remains oblivious to the fact that she is the one performing the cleaning duties.

The TikTok Viral Video

The creator captioned the video:

“On the first of every month, $250 comes out of my husband’s bank account. It’s for our house cleaner. The house gets deep cleaned on the 1st of every month. I asked for a house cleaner years ago when I was pregnant and vomiting ten times a day while also caring for our 1-year-old. At the time, my husband said it wasn’t in our budget. But a few months ago, he asked if I still wanted a regular house cleaner.”

She continued:

“Obviously, I said yes. I told him I’d get it all set up. And that I just needed $250 cash monthly to pay her. So he’s been getting $250 in cash for me every month to pay the house cleaner, but what he doesn’t know, is that I’m the one who’s been deep cleaning the house on the 1st of every month. I’ve just been pocketing the cash. I think I’ll use that cash to find myself a new expensive hobby. My husband doesn’t seem to mind those.”

Additionally, the creator engaged her followers with a question at the end: “Anyone got an expensive hobby recommendation?”

The Issue at Hand

Forbes magazine notes that cleaners in the United States usually ask for a $50 to $100 rate per hour. However, these figures can differentiate based on factors like the residence’s size and the duration required for cleaning. Professional cleaning companies rack up even higher fees ranging between $175 and $300 per session for a standard cleaning service in an average-sized home.

The woman’s TikTok video quickly went viral, amassing over 6.7 million views. Viewers recognized her strategy as a common method used by women in dangerous situations to escape from abusive or financially controlling partners. She shared a link in her bio to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, encouraging those who need to hide money for their escape to seek resources.

One TikTok user’s comment highlighted a shift in perspective of the situation: “I realized my own privilege when my initial thought was, ‘She’s saving up for a big gift,’ rather than, ‘She’s trying to escape.’“

Another person shared: “It’s disheartening that I immediately understood her intention was to find a way out. Maybe the “cleaner” should raise fees to $500 starting this month.”

What do you think, is this an actual cry for help, or just a woman trying to regain her power back?