Starting my own contracting business was a dream, but it came with its share of struggles. Between juggling bills, paying my crew, and providing for my family, money was always tight. I never imagined that my sister-in-law, Tanya, would take advantage of my services and then refuse to pay me a dime.
Tanya is my wife Sarah’s sister. She’s single, has no kids, and inherited a house from her late grandmother. Despite her comfortable lifestyle, she always seemed to need help but never had anything to give in return. She’d post vague complaints on social media about loyalty while flaunting her new outfits and expensive coffee.
When a hailstorm damaged her house, Tanya called me in a panic. She begged me to fix her roof, garage door, and siding, promising to pay me back as soon as her insurance check arrived. Trusting her, I took on the job, working long hours in the heat to complete it. The total cost came to $18,800, all charged to my credit cards and paid out of my already stretched bank account.
Weeks turned into months, and Tanya kept making excuses. The insurance check hadn’t arrived, the paperwork was delayed, it was sent to the wrong address—each time, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. But by September, I was struggling to keep my business afloat. Sarah questioned why I hadn’t gotten a contract, and I was stressed beyond belief.
Then, Tanya showed up in a brand-new SUV, sipping a Starbucks drink like she didn’t have a care in the world. When I asked about my payment, she laughed and said, “Oh, I thought this could be like a portfolio piece for your business. Plus, I babysat your kids for two hours—that should count for something, right?” I was stunned. The “babysitting” she referred to was the one time she watched our kids while I fixed her front door for free.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. I was furious and stressed, knowing I had bills to pay and a family to support. So, I came up with a plan.
Tanya was throwing a housewarming party and loved to show off her “Pinterest-perfect” gatherings. I had two of my crew members visit her house the day before the party, casually mentioning in front of her guests that the work I did was a “free service” out of kindness. Then, I created brochures with before-and-after photos of her house, my company’s contact info, and the line: “Total unpaid balance: $18,800. Support local builders—especially the ones who show up for family.”
I dropped the brochures off at her party, placing them beside the gift table. As guests started reading them and whispering, Tanya was humiliated.
The next morning, she called me, furious, claiming I made her look like a scammer. I simply asked if she had lied about paying me. Her silence said it all.
A week later, Tanya’s SUV was stolen from in front of our house. She had skipped comprehensive insurance to save money, so she got nothing in return. Karma had caught up with her.
In the end, I got what mattered most: my son finally got his new sneakers, and I learned that kindness is valuable, but so is standing up for what’s right.