This week on Half Past Chai, you trusted us with your anonymous confessions and wow… you did not hold back.

We talk about:

• Keeping secrets from your spouse

• Emotional baggage from childhood and how it affects relationships

• Cultural pressure around marriage timelines

• Long-term relationships with no parental approval

• Loving someone deeply… and losing them anyway

Nothing is off-limits in this episode. If you’ve ever felt stuck between love, culture, timing, or expectations this one’s for you.

Now settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

3:01 - Our confessions

4:50 - I use a bidet

6:25 - I don’t want to get married

9:29 - Married but texting others?

13:38 - 3rd wheel turned lover?

17:26 - I don’t want to get married

22:40 - I want to move on

What do our parents’ marriages teach us?

This week on Half Past Chai, we’re talking about the lessons we learned from each of our parents’ relationships… the good, the hard, and the things we didn’t learn at all and how those lessons show up in our own marriage today.

We hope this conversation makes you feel seen, understood, and a little less alone.

Now settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

DM Nathan to join Autonomy!

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

2:04 - Parents mess up, and that’s okay

5:27 - Responding with intention

7:07 - We solve problems very loudly

9:57 - Love the way your partner wants to be loved

13:17 - SPONSOR

13:54 - Don’t quit when it gets hard

16:14 - I never said I LOVE YOU to my parents

18:41 - Showing care through actions

20:21 - Forgive and forget

21:22 - Have fun and laugh in life

25:18 - Chose love even when it’s hard

28:29 - It’s okay to show affection

This week on Half Past Chai, we sit down with TikTok finance creator DollarsWithDrew as he reviews our income, spending habits, money mistakes, and how we actually manage life as creators and business owners.

If you’ve ever wondered how creators make money, what financial transparency really looks like, or how to think smarter about your own finances this episode is for you.

Now settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

Dollars with Drew Instagram

Dollars with Drew Tiktok

Get 15% off GHEE here: https://iloveghee.com/discount/HALFPASTCHAI10

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

2:47 - Who is Drew and why money is important.

5:34 - Tracking money is important

9:39 - How much we spent this year

12:01 - How we shifted our mindset on money

17:40 - SPONSOR

18:24 - Why I started caring about money

22:49 - How much we spend on eating out

25:11 - Cars are expensive

30:48 - Personal Care

38:16 - Other expenses

43:00 - Why do we need 2 cars?

47:49 - How much we made in 2025

50:05 - Q4 REVIEW

55:55 - Our NET WORTH

1:02:53 - Dollars with Drew the STORY

What if 2026 is the year you stop explaining yourself?

In this episode of Half Past Chai, we talk about people pleasing... what it actually looks like, where it comes from, and why so many of us feel pressure to keep everyone else comfortable, even when it costs us our own peace.

We open up about our personal struggles with people pleasing, the fear of being disliked, and habits like over-explaining, avoiding confrontation, and saying yes when we really mean no. We also share small but powerful mindset shifts and boundary-setting practices we’re working on as we head into 2026.

This episode is a reminder that you can be kind without self-sacrificing, that disappointment is a normal part of relationships, and that you don’t have to abandon yourself to be a good person.

💛 Question for you: What do you want to change this year?

Follow and DM Nathan for more info about autonomy: https://www.instagram.com/nathan.autonomy

🎙 Submit your stories or questions: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

🏃 Donate to Suketu’s NYC Marathon fundraiser for Team For Kids: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

New episodes every Monday at 7am.

So settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. ☕️💛

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

4:02 - How to stop caring about what others think

9:46 - Stop over explaining your decisions

14:54 - SPONSOR

15:31 - Be comfortable with disappointing others

19:19 - Kindness is a choice not an obligation

26:56 - 2 things you can do in 2026 to take control.

This week’s Questions of the Week episode gets DEEP.

You all sent in some of the most emotional, complex, and honest questions we’ve ever answered, especially around:

• What to do when you don’t like your partner’s friends
• Whether we ever regret only dating each other
• How to know when it’s time to leave a relationship
• How our finances changed after becoming entrepreneurs
• Navigating alcohol, health changes, and lifestyle shifts
• The “are we official?” conversation
• Our age gap and how it’s affected our relationship
• The funniest moments, biggest purchases, and dream NYC business

This episode is personal, vulnerable, and full of advice we wish we had years ago.

So settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

3:33 - Have you NOT liked your partners friends?

8:27 - Do you regret only dating each other?

12:43 - How do you know it’s time to break up?

14:17 - What do finances look like now that you're self-employed?

17:23 - How much do we make on YouTube & Instagram?

18:47 - Why did we stop drinking alcohol?

22:15 - Funniest experience we’ve had together

25:18 - Does Suketu like running as much as Hallie?

25:39 - Do you apply your Data Science skills now?

26:22 - How do you ask someone to be your BF/GF?

28:24 - What is one quality each of you love about each other?

29:31 - Does your age gap affect your relationship?

31:04 - Most the ridiculous purchase you made as a couple

31:44 - If you guys could open up a shop in New York City, what would it be?

In this episode of Half Past Chai, we’re breaking down 5 key hacks for a long-term, successful relationship... the habits and mindset shifts that have helped us grow closer as a married interracial couple.

Whether you’re newly dating, engaged, married, or years into your relationship, these are practical, honest relationship tips you can start using right away.

Now settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

Book a call with Autonomy or DM Nathan on Instagram:

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

2:14 - 1. Sleep on each other

4:27 - SPONSOR

5:04 - 2. Intentional check-ins/scheduled time together

7:28 - 3. Intentional time NOT together

10:41 - 4. Plan your lives

12:58 - 5. Invest in each others dreams

Why are Indian weddings SO expensive?! 🤯

In this episode of Half Past Chai, we’re breaking down the real reasons Indian weddings cost anywhere from $120,000 to $300,000+ and how that compares to a typical American wedding.

We dive into:

• 💸 The real wedding stats (India vs America)

• 🪔 Why Indian weddings are never just one day

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 How guest lists alone can explode the budget

• 🎶 The true cost of DJs, decor, catering, outfits, jewelry & accommodations

• 🌍 The cultural meaning behind the grandeur

• ⚖️ Pros & cons of big Indian weddings vs smaller American weddings

• 🤝 What a hybrid / fusion wedding can look like when cultures collide

As an interracial married couple (Indian + white), we also share our personal perspective navigating tradition, expectations, and finances and how couples today can find a middle ground that actually feels meaningful.

Now settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Time codes

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

3:56 - The Indian Wedding Stats

7:18 - Our Wedding

10:44 - Every Part to an Indian Wedding

15:04 - Indian Weddings vs American Weddings

21:03 - Pros and Cons of an Indian Wedding

24:47 - How to plan a fusion wedding

This week, we’re sharing unpopular Desi opinions that might stir the family group chat… from Indian food myths to wedding expectations, parents, and mental health.

So settle in, get cozy, and grab your chai. 💛

New episodes every Monday at 7 am. Don’t forget to subscribe, and as always, we love you! Thank you for spending your Monday with us 💛

Book a call with Autonomy or DM Nathan on Instagram:

🎙 Submit your stories: https://www.halfpastchai.com/

📲 Follow us: https://bio.site/halfpastchai

Donate to Team For Kids here: https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/suketu-patel

Timecodes:

0:00 - WELCOME TO HALF PAST CHAI

3:55 - #1 Indian Food Isn’t Healthy

9:05 - #2 Your Parents Aren’t Always Right

11:59 - SPONSOR

12:36 - #3 Chai is BEST in the morning

14:12 - #4 Bollywood Songs Are WAY Too Long

16:17 - #5 Aunties are TOO nosy

21:27 - #6 Living with In-Laws Isn’t the only way

26:49- #7 It’s YOUR wedding, no one else’s

31:18 - #8 You don’t have to be a dr, lawyer, OR engineer!!!

35:14 - #9 Talking about mental health isn’t just American people’s problems

44:07 - #10 What will people say