Alyssa Armoogam, 30, met her husband, Mark, 59, on a dating app and says he won her over by giving her a $300 gift - and agreed to a $1,000 weekly allowance
A self-proclaimed "trophy wife" in a relationship with a 29-year age gap claims she secured her husband by demanding a $1,000 weekly allowance.
Alyssa Armoogam, 30, met her now-husband, Mark, 59, on a dating app after setting her sights on an 'older rich man'. The couple clicked instantly and Mark, an entrepreneur and investor, won over the mother-of-two by giving her $300 to cover her babysitting costs. She agreed to continue seeing him if he met her conditions - footing the bill for her beauty treatments and providing her with a $1,000 weekly allowance to feel "secure".
Now two years into their marriage, Alyssa still enjoys receiving romantic gifts like vacations and designer handbags. She hopes to inspire other women to "know their worth."
Alyssa, an influencer from Miami, Florida, US, said: "I don't care if someone is rich if they are an a-----. There is the idea I'm only with him because of his money. It was one of my requirements but I wouldn't have married him because of that. We really encourage the best out of each other. We see the potential in each other."
Alyssa has always had a preference for older men - her first crush was Robert Downey Jr. She said: "When I started dating people older my mom wasn't surprised."
Alyssa was "miserable" and "over" her last relationship when she relocated to Florida in 2018. She decided to try out dating apps but was clear about what she wanted - someone wealthy, attentive, and who considered faith a crucial part of their life.
Alyssa's first question to potential suitors was 'how do you feel about Jesus?' and Mark's response took her aback. She shared: "His answer was so funny. He said 'how do I feel about Jesus? I toured the country talking about him.' I thought 'wow, I wasn't expecting that'. We hit it off from there."
Her second stipulation was 'I'm willing to meet you but you have to cover the babysitter'.
Alyssa stated: "If a dude is going to argue with me about $45 for a baby sitter - he's not worth my time."
When they met for their first date, Alyssa was instantly smitten with Mark. She expressed: "His eyes literally sparkled. He has a very kind soul and his eyes twinkle. I really felt like I knew him. At the end he handed me $300 to cover the babysitter."
Mark immediately texted Alyssa asking to see her again.
She revealed: "He was very persistent. I said 'OK, here are my terms - I want someone paying for my nails, hair and waxing. I want a $1,000 weekly allowance to feel secure and I want to be exclusive.' He immediately sent me $2,000 and said I wasn't going on another date with anyone else. I loved it because I felt he had made it 100 per cent clear how he felt about me."
The $2,000 Mark sent Alyssa allowed her to put a deposit down on a flat for herself and her daughter, Ziya, 11 - who Mark has now adopted. Their relationship flourished and after two years together, Mark proposed in 2020.
The couple exchanged vows in a small legal ceremony in April 2022, and a month later, they welcomed their son, Keanu, two. Alyssa identifies as a trophy wife but believes her marriage is very much a "partnership".
However, Alyssa does enjoy being pampered by Mark. She no longer receives an allowance as they share their finances equally.
She added: "He's such a Pisces. He's very romantic. I told him I like getting little small gifts. He takes that and understands it. He takes me shopping and buys me a Louis Vuitton. That's his normal behavior. That's him romancing me."
Alyssa says the age difference doesn't bother her or Mark, but some people make assumptions. She explained: "When people look at me they make assumptions on who I am and my intentions - because of my age and appearance."
"When people talk to me they see how much love I pour into my family, she added. "There's no question of why we're together. It's not like he's an ugly fat fart. He's a handsome guy. Age - what does it matter if our souls align? "
Alyssa is developing a clothing line for breastfeeding women and is contemplating creating a course called 'dating like a trophy wife'.
She concluded: "When I went into the dating scene I had this idea of what I wanted in a man. I knew what I'd be bringing into that person's life. That's what made me feel firm on my requirements. Women are not realising their worth."