She Charged Her $200 for Emergency Babysitting; Years Later, The Bill Came Due

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? That moment of sheer desperation when you need a favor from family, a favor so urgent you’d do just about anything. Well, one mom found herself in that exact spot, only to have her step-brother’s girlfriend hit her with a jaw-droppingly high “family rate” for a few hours of babysitting.

The story could have ended there, a bitter memory of being exploited. But this mom has a long memory. Two years later, when the shoe was on the other foot, she served up a dish of revenge so cold, it was absolutely freezing.

Get ready to cheer, because this is a story of beautiful, malicious compliance:

Oh, the sheer, delicious satisfaction of this story. It’s the kind of karmic justice we all dream about but rarely get to witness. You can just feel the OP’s initial panic turning into disbelief and then into a slow-burning resentment that she just tucked away for a later date.

That feeling of being cornered, of knowing you’re being taken advantage of by someone you’ve shown nothing but kindness to, is a special kind of awful. This wasn’t a business transaction. This was a shakedown, pure and simple, disguised as a “family rate.” The step-brother’s girlfriend saw a moment of desperation and decided to cash in. And years later, the OP cashed in her receipt.

The High Cost of a “Favor”

This story perfectly captures the awkward, often painful line between a family favor and a business deal. For most of us, “family” means you help out because you can, not because you see a dollar sign. But the ex-girlfriend saw an opportunity and she took it, demanding a rate that is astronomical for a few hours of casual babysitting.

For context, data from Sittercity shows that average babysitting rates in major cities rarely exceed $25 an hour. The $200-for-6-hours (33.33/hour) she charged was already high, but it was especially egregious coming from a “non-working” family member in an emergency situation. It wasn’t about her “livelihood,” it was about exploitation.

This kind of behavior can do long-term damage to relationships. Reciprocity, the give and take in a relationship, is the glue that holds us together. Dr. Kristen Fuller, M.D., touches on this in an article for Psychology Today, explaining that healthy relationships are built on mutual support, not a transactional scorecard. When one person constantly takes without giving, or worse, profits from another’s hardship, it erodes trust and poisons the entire dynamic.

The ex-girlfriend’s greed didn’t just earn her $200, it cost her any goodwill she ever had.

Here’s what the community had to say.

The consensus was a resounding round of applause for the OP, with many calling her revenge not just fair, but perfectly executed.

Some Redditors felt the OP was too generous, arguing she should have factored in years of inflation for her ‘family rate.’

Others shared their own painful stories of family members who turned favors into financial transactions.

How to Navigate a Situation Like This

If a family member ever hits you with an unexpected and outrageous fee for a “favor,” it’s okay to pause and push back. It can feel incredibly awkward, but protecting yourself from being exploited is more important than avoiding a moment of discomfort.

You can try a soft approach first. “Wow, that’s a lot more than I was expecting. I was hoping you could help me out as a family favor, but I understand if you see it as work.” This gives them a chance to reconsider their approach without escalating the situation.

If they stick to their guns, it’s perfectly acceptable to decline. “I really appreciate the offer, but that’s not in my budget right now. I’ll have to figure something else out.” Setting this boundary is important. It teaches people that you are not a doormat and that your kindness is not a weakness to be taken advantage of. And if that means scrambling for another solution, it’s often better than paying for a favor with a side of resentment.

A Lesson Learned, The Hard Way

At the end of the day, this isn’t just a story about revenge. It’s a hilarious and satisfying lesson in the golden rule: treat others how you want to be treated. The ex-girlfriend set the price, and she ended up paying for it, both literally and figuratively. You have to wonder if she learned anything, but either way, the OP got her $200 worth of satisfaction.

So, what do you think? Was this the perfect revenge, or was it just as petty? Has a family member ever tried to charge you for a “favor”?