My SIL Promised to Pay Me for Her New Roof – I Never Got a Dime Out of the $18,800 She Owed, but She Got What Was Coming t

I’m a 35-year-old dad from Michigan, running a new contracting business to support my wife, Sarah, and our two kids. Money’s tight—skipping meals to pay my crew, delaying my son’s sneakers. When a hailstorm damaged my sister-in-law Tanya’s house, she begged for help. Despite my packed schedule, I agreed, trusting her promise to pay once her insurance cleared.

My crew and I replaced her roof, garage door, siding, window frames, and added custom gutters, costing me $18,800 out of pocket. No contract, just a verbal agreement. Tanya called me her “hero,” but months passed with no payment. She dodged my calls, claiming insurance delays. Then, she showed up in a new SUV, laughing off the debt as “exposure” for my business, even citing a two-hour babysitting stint as payment.

Furious, I planned my move. Tanya was hosting a housewarming party, so I sent my crew to her house, loudly mentioning the “free services” I provided in front of her friends. I also left brochures at her party, detailing the $18,800 unpaid balance. Guests whispered; Tanya was humiliated. Later, her SUV was stolen—she’d skipped comprehensive insurance. Her friends ditched her, but I got new clients and my son got his sneakers. Karma delivered.