Let's talk food money: what most Hong Kong families do when a helper asks for an allowance.

Why most families just feed her

The simplest reason most Hong Kong households never make the switch: whatever's already being cooked, she eats too, so there's no separate shopping list to keep. If she's cooking, she's using ingredients already in your fridge for a meal she's making anyway. It's less an active decision than the path of least resistance, and for most families that's exactly the point.

When cash actually makes more sense

A cash allowance tends to come up in specific situations rather than as a general preference: she spends long stretches of the day out of the house, taking an elderly family member to appointments or ferrying kids between activities, or her schedule genuinely doesn't line up with household mealtimes. In those cases, handing over a monthly amount and letting her manage her own food is often simpler than trying to coordinate two different eating schedules under one roof.

The number isn't yours to set freely

If you do go the allowance route instead of providing meals directly, there's a government-set minimum you're expected to meet. We've laid out exactly what it is and how it's calculated in our guide to the food allowance rules. Worth reading before you name a figure, since going under it isn't something your helper can simply agree to waive.

Making it work day to day

Families who switch and are happy with it tend to do a few things consistently: agree the amount up front rather than negotiating it after the fact, and revisit it if her circumstances change, a new posting further from home, a shift in her hours. Checking in occasionally about whether it's actually covering three proper meals is worth the two minutes it takes. An allowance that's technically compliant but leaves her skipping meals to save money has just swapped one problem for another.

Trust cuts both ways here

However you land on this, it's worth remembering the request itself is usually about wanting more control over her own money and time, not dissatisfaction with your cooking. Families who treat it as a reasonable ask rather than an inconvenience tend to find the conversation easier than they expected.

Sorting out the practicalities

If you're weighing this decision as part of a wider look at what a helper actually costs you each month, GMA sets out the full picture: wages, allowances, and our own fee, before you commit to anything. See the full monthly cost breakdown, or get in touch if you want to talk through your specific household setup.