Meet writer Nidhi Thakur, who runs popular travel blog Untravel.in.
On October 19, a PR agency approached her with a gig, offering her a measly ₹100 for a sponsored post on her website.
A PR agency just offered 100 INR for a new post on my blog. I feel so honored & grateful! Started blogging only for this day.
Now if you've ever freelanced as a writer, you know the pain of being offered underpaying jobs or, worse, being asked to work for free "for the exposure".
Well, Thakur decided that she wouldn't take it anymore, and sent a hilariously sarcastic reply rejecting their offer.
Thakur told them that she was an alcoholic and would, regrettably, be unable to take up jobs that didn't even pay enough to cover the tab for one drink.
Hi,
That's very sweet of you to offer. If you took the time to go through my website at all, you will know that I live in Himachal. I'd like to confess that I started my blog after shifting here, and I made that shift only and only because alcohol is cheaper here than in Mumbai. Unfortunately, even keeping these discounted rates in mind, 100 INR does not cut the line for a 30 ml Old Monk with Coke. Or Smirnoff with orange juice. Or a Blenders Pride on the rocks. You see, as much as I'd love to work with you, I'm a bit of an alcoholic and I don't see the point of working if it doesn't buy me a decent drink. So, with a heavy heart, I'll let this pass. :) I'm sure you will find many more blogs, with much higher quality of content and readership, who'd trade a limb to work at 100 INR. It does sound like a dream offer! Quite bummed I'm not worthy of it.
Best,
Nidhi Thakur
Thakur's reply got dozens of retweets, as people appreciated the fact that a writer had finally stood up to underpaying corporates.
Fellow freelancers also shared their own horror stories involving lowball offers.
@ChhotaRecharge nope. I got a mail offering ₹100 for 10 tweets and ₹50 for 300 word post.
"This happens all the time. And from the reaction I received to my tweet, it happens to all bloggers. If you know your budget is ₹100, you shouldn't reach out to bloggers at all," Thakur told BuzzFeed.
