Over 12,000 users on Reddit responded when asked what the moment that broke their ability to serve other people without being thanked or respected for their deeds. These people were walked all over without even a thank you for their service, so it changed how they thought about doing charitable deeds in the future. 

Whether it was a beggar who just wanted more or a neighbor who borrowed so much that it should be considered stealing, these people were all taken advantage of for being helpful, so they decided to stop helping out at all.

Bargain Shopper Takes Advantage of Stranger’s Kindness

Unsplash

“I posted a futon on marketplace and the first person that hit me up gave me a sob story about needing something for their kid to sleep on.

I was only asking $20 for it but they asked if they could get it for free. My wife and I agreed to give it away, so I took it to our meeting spot at Home Depot.

2 days later this guy had the futon posted in marketplace asking $50. My wife and I Facebook stalked him and his wife and everytime they posted it, we would hijack the listing letting everyone know the story of how they got the futon.

I don't give [stuff] away anymore, no matter the story they give me.”

Story credit: Reddit / archangelmig

She Got Over Her Ex By Having an Affair with My Husband

Unsplash

“I stood by my best friend when she cried to me about her husband cheating. And he definitely was cheating. They stayed married and said they work through it. Six months later she was [sleeping with] my husband behind my back.”

Story credit: Reddit / superwhovianlock

The Worst Neighbors on the Block

Unsplash

“I have neighbors across the road who we extended ourselves to to help out because they had young kids and seemed to be struggling. Well, they were really starting to take advantage to the point where we couldn’t walk out of our house without them literally yelling for us because they needed a phone, a ladder, money, someone to drive them somewhere, diapers, our Wi-Fi password, our wood, etc. etc. This started happening everyday and multiple times a day. It became ridiculous and oppressive.

They have since pulled that with everyone else on our road, wearing out one generous person after the other. Once you realize people are merely moochers and are content to remain so, that’s when you’re done.”

Story credit: Reddit / AjaxkidRN

Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

Unsplash

“I was walking to a concert in downtown Chicago in late November. This happened on North Dearborn right in the loop, if you've never been to Chicago its one of the nicer parts of downtown. It was a cold night, so I was walking with both hands in my pockets and a cig in my mouth. I was approached by a younger dude, who didn't appear to be homeless immediately as he was dressed semi decently and didn't reek or anything. He asked me if he could bum a cig, I was in a good mood going to the concert so I said sure and gave him one, along with my lighter. He handed me my lighter back and I expected he would keep walking on, but he matched pace with me and asked how I was doing. I told him fine and asked how he was doing, he said he's just trying to make it out here. I thought "here we go", he asked me for money because he said he hadn't eaten all day.

Now I had about 200 in cash on me, mostly in 20s, I had maybe a couple smaller bills so its not like I couldn't give him money. But I didn't want to pull out a wad of any size in front of a guy I don't know on the street, and people can judge me or whatever but I'm not in the habit of giving money to homeless people but I always try to treat them with respect and dignity. I politely told him "sorry man I don't have any cash."

He got kind of angry at that point, and launched into a guilt trippy tirade for the next half block or so about how nobody has any compassion anymore and sometimes people just need a little help. I didn't say anything in response. Truth be told I started to feel kind of bad for him, what he said is pretty true a lot of people aren't willing to help other people and sometimes people really just are down on their luck. I was second guessing my decision to turn him down until we reached the next intersection, I was going straight and he cut to the right. I had to stop for the crosswalk, and I watched him get not five steps away from me before he took the cigarette I gave him (that he'd barely sucked on because he was too busy yelling at me) out of his mouth and threw it on the ground. He then proceeded to walk right up to another dude and start talking to him.

Maybe I didn't "help" him much per se, but if he was as down on his luck as he wanted me to believe he would've been burning the filter on that thing before giving it up. I instantly felt vindicated.”

Story credit: Reddit / JimothySanchez96

I Thought You Liked Panicking For the Holidays

Unsplash

“anytime my ex had his family over for holidays, I'm talking 5 or 6 people, all from the other side of the country. Ironically, he never seemed to know ahead of time that they were all coming over until like the day before or whatever. Every. Single. Time. So I would prepare the house... because he always had to work until the very minute they needed to be picked up from the airport. And then it was expected that I would cook dinner. Now this is my fault really...because I did it the first time, giving him the idea that I would do it every time. So i ended up always doing it because he "didnt have time" or "I'm better at it". So family would show up, I'd be cooking and cleaning, everyone else would be playing games and socializing, then hours later my ex would he falling asleep on the floor drunk. I finally said NO the last time he told me everyone was coming over. I said NO, I'm sick of being taken advantage of. His response? "I did it for you, I thought it would make you happy. Didnt you have fun all the other times?" To which I replied "I thought you didnt know until today... when did you decide this would make me happy?" Well... I got a hotel room and stayed the fuck away until they all left. Came home to an empty, trashed house. when i came home the family was gone, he was at work (of course) and he left the house trashed. idiot me just cleaned it up and stuck around another year or so after.. just refused to host any "sudden" family get togethers”

Story credit: Reddit / cklamath

Family That Doesn’t Keep in Touch

Unsplash

“When I rushed to another state about 2,000 miles away to help my sister because of a medical issue, and for whatever reason she decided to have her neighbor help her instead, without letting me know. It was 3 months ago and she is fine but still has not contacted me. That was the end for me”

Story credit: Reddit / Kooky-Management-785

Sisters Aren’t Free Handymen 

Unsplash

“My sister is a year younger and I one time did a weeks worth of DIY saving her thousands. I did all the work on an evening, after work until 12am most nights. She never offered me food or tea (despite telling me she would).

On the last day, right before a deadline I had, she needed me to fit a shelf and I didn’t have the tools or time, I said I’d come back next week.

She erupted, I left and she told everyone I did nothing for her, that I’m selfish. I literally have never helped her since.

What really got me was that after ringing the whole family to tell them how selfish I was, she posted pictures of the work on her social media claiming ‘what an amazing job’ SHE had done. Zero thanks or mention of me. Diabolical, even thinking of it now makes me salty.”

Story credit: Reddit / TheInvicibleMan

Just Until I’m Back on My Feet

Unsplash

“Not me but my parents.

My cousin moved in with us for two years when I was a kid, she's 18 years older than me. She ended up being a drug addict that smoked in the house, stole money, couldn't hold down a job, and mercilessly picked on my sister and I until the day she got kicked out.

That was almost 30 years ago. To this day my parents refuse to let anyone move in because they "just need a place to stay until they're back on their feet.””

Story credit: Reddit / Somgr81

Never Falling For a Sob Story Again

Unsplash

“When I dropped my rates significantly to help a struggling family with child care.

Blended family needing to find childcare for thier emotionally damaged children who had been hospitalised by mums boyfried.

Both parents worked and my wages where payed through a charity scheme.

It was hell. They where utterly useless as people let alone parents.

They took the piss and ended up basically doing nothing with the house or children and ended up owing me nearly 2K due to them comiting benefit fraud and pocketing what they should have been passing on to me.

The final straw was when the asked me to baby sit that night as they needed to 'go out on the lash, its been stressful' whilst telling me they couldn't afford food let allone pay me.

Never again will i fall for a sob story.”

Story credit: Reddit / sjjskqoneiq9Mk

The Oldest Child Always Has to Watch the Others

Unsplash

“When my dad was in nursing school, he had a big group over for a finals studying session and one of his classmates couldn't get a sitter. Well, at the time he had four kids and I was 14 and he asked if I could wrangle her kid and my siblings to keep them out of the way of everyone studying. The plan for the siblings was cartoon movies, some popcorn, dinner later. The plans for my father's classmate's kids was... I can watch them for free, no problem.

She showed up with FIVE kids. I now had eight under eight year olds to wrangle and I got yelled at every time one of her kids got near the study group. They were screaming, yelling, messy, hitting each other, biting my siblings demons. After four hours, I was sick of it, the kids were hungry and the adults asked ME what was for dinner.

After a while, it became obvious that dad and company weren't studying- they were talking, laughing, and I could hear them making fun of me. So I gathered up the classmate's kids, walked them over to the group, and said "well, since you're done, I'm done watching your kids" and just went into my room and shut the door.

As the oldest kid, I was ALWAYS volunteered by my parents to babysit kids I didn't even know the names of. It got old REAL fast.

Now if someone asks me to babysit because they heard that I have 18 brothers and sisters, I demand $50 up front and a written agreement that I get an extra $10 for every hour +$10 per kid. I haven't babysat in ages.”

Story credit: Reddit / heyomeatballs

Just Steal the Lost Dog

Unsplash

“One day I found a puppy, dirty, hungry, and just scared and lost. I gave him a good meal, and some love, and went to drop him off at the address on his collar.
The dude thanked me, then proceeded to beat the crap out of the dog (telling me to mind my own business when I tried to get him to stop), carried him by his collar to a 5 ft short chain in a muddy patch with a crappy broken 3-wall "doghouse" where im guessing the dog spent 100% of it's time.
I called the cops, but they did nothing (the dog technically had shelter, which qualifies bc 3 walls and a roof, even if it was filled with holes and it gets 20° at night here.)
ps. I stole the dog 3 weeks later.”

Story credit: Reddit / blitzen_vixen

Never Staying Late Again

Unsplash

“I was working at a fast food place when I was a student. I usually did overtime to help everyone clean up and close the restaurant until about 1am because we were so understaffed.
I guess people got used to me staying late because one night when I was supposed to finish at 11, I overheard some of my colleagues (the stereotypical mean girls) say how bad the clients had cluttered everything tonight and how it was going to be a mess to clean up. Then they say 'but hey, [me] is gonna stay late tonight again, let's leave it to her, she always does the cleaning anyways', followed by laughing and some [complaining] about me.
That night I clocked out at 11 after doing all of my tasks at the counter and left. The girls stared at me in shock and when I was outside I saw one of them standing in the middle of the restaurant with her hand on her forehead, looking at the mess she would have to clean before going home.
Weirdly, after that day, they started cleaning earlier without waiting for me to do everything!”

Story credit: Reddit / bigfishcherrycoke

It Was an Accident, But This Won’t Be

Unsplash

“I was 17 and still in school. The corridors were empty as my teacher sent me out to go do her a job. So I was just walking down the corridor when this girl carrying a bunch of books bumped into me and she dropped the books (like you see in a movie) so I apologise because I wasn’t really paying attention and I bend down and get the books for her and hand them to her expecting at least a small thanks. But no. Instead this chick had to say “I have a boyfriend so never ever purposely bump into me just so I can talk to you. You should’ve walked away.” As she begins to turn away I grab her shoulder which makes her turn around and I knock the books out of her hand and say “now that was on purpose” and I walked away whilst she was stood there speechless. Some of you may think that was messed up but I don’t really regret a single bit of it as she got was she deserved.”

Story credit: Reddit / retrobread_

I’m Her Daughter, Not the Chef

Unsplash

“My mother and her new husband had moved into a new place and invited all the "kids" over for Christmas.
In previous years we would buy a whole turkey dinner from somewhere so no one (me) had to cook, so imagine my surprise when my husband and I walk in, my mother walks out of the kitchen, hands me a spoon and says, "Good, you're finally here", and goes to sit down in the living room.
After a quick and awkward conversation, it was determined that my job was to make sure everything currently in progress (or not even started) got to the table on time, while everyone else socialized. Basically, I was the help and should have realized that, so any feelings I had about that were my fault. I was a good cook, and my mother taught me everything (not) so I owed her.
So I did, and not knowing the family dynamics, my new step siblings were very thankful and appreciative of all my efforts, which caused a meltdown from my mother about how we all should be thanking HER.
That was the first time I used a phrase that has come in handy for these situations, "I'm so sorry, it will never happen again."
And it never did. They weren't happy when they finally realized what that meant.”

Story credit: Reddit / ScammerC

Squatter’s Rights

Unsplash

“Had a friend years ago who was a bit self centered & prone to stretching the truth, but he was a nice enough guy with a rough backstory and my friend group liked him, so I cut him a lot of slack. I like to host and I have friends staying over pretty regularly -- back then, I usually had one or two people spending the night on any given day. Anyhow, over the span of a couple of years this guy starts abusing that -- staying over for days or even weeks at a time, eating my food and drinking my liquor without contributing, that sort of thing ... While constantly talking about his grand plans and day dreams as if they'd already happened. A little sad, but also pretty annoying after a while. Anyhow, I sit him down one day and let him know he's gotta head home, and that he's free to come over and hang out but I'm not comfortable with him staying over for the time being. He leaves, I think it went remarkably well and head out to work...and it turns out that he broke in while I was away at work and stole a bunch of my sister's things because "his birthday was coming up and neither of us even thought to get him a gift." It takes a special person to rationalize how burglarizing someone is really their fault. Anyway, all slack and sympathy went out the window immediately ... Called the cops and he's dead to me.”

Story credit: Reddit

After-Hours Fees Can’t Be Ignored 

Unsplash

“I used to frequently stay late at work for clients who showed up to the veterinary clinic last-minute with a non-emergency problem and no appointment. Then three times in a row, three different people were told up front about the after hours fee, agreed to pay it instead of scheduling an appointment for the next day, and all of them called back the next day fussing that they shouldn’t have been charged extra for keeping us 30-60 minutes past our scheduled hours and that we were terrible and trying to scam them by charging for our time (even though we told them up front and they had another option). It was exhausting and demoralizing- we did more than we had to for them after already working a full day because a desire to help is why we’re all here in the first place, and they responded by saying our time was worth nothing and we suck. The entire staff said “[screw] that.”
Now - unless it’s a literal life and death situation - if we can’t fit someone in before closing and they didn’t have an appointment it’s a firm no. I’m in this profession to help others and I still work late for real emergencies when they happen or if an appointment runs longer than expected, but I’m done sacrificing my personal time for entitled people who don’t actually need it.”

Story credit: Reddit / RoseFeather

She Said She Would Pay Me Back

Unsplash

“When a "good" friend of mine that I worked under had cancer and wasn't able to pay some bills I loaned her $200 just to help. I was only 18 at the time and felt bad because she had kids, it was right around the holidays and was I just wanted to help however I could and be a good person in life. She promised to pay me back when she could.
Turns out she lied about having cancer, was stealing from the company I worked at, scammed my other co workers, and would come in after calling out of work for her chemo to make fraudulent returns while I was overseeing the store by myself because of her calling out.
Got that [lady] fired and got promoted to her position after”

Story credit: Reddit / Bigfatsmelly

He Didn’t Pick Up the Free Furniture 

Unsplash

“I had a 7' couch I didn't want to move, so I put it out on the front lawn with a sign that said "FREE." A guy came by and said, "I'll be right back to pick this up." I changed the sign to "SOLD" and he never came back.
Hauled the couch back out to the front lawn next week with a "FREE" sign. Another guy came by and said he wanted the couch. I told him, "Give me $10 and I'll hold it for you." He handed me a $10 bill and was back in 15 minutes with a pickup truck. I gave him back his $10. People are nicer when they've got skin in the game.”

Story credit: Reddit / YesRocketScience

Community Ties Mean Nothing

Unsplash

“This is more specific to the teeny-tiny town I used to live in. Used to believe I was valued by the community. Used to actually believe in that community spirit, that soul, if you will. I had seen it and participated in it.
When I left my marriage of almost 13 years, there had been about ten years of domestic violence. I well and truly thought the community would help me out if I needed it and reached out, as I had seen so many other times in the 15 years I had lived there. Nope, got quite the opposite. Nobody believed me. People who I thought were friends disappeared. People who I thought were friends played the, ‘It wasn’t really that bad was it?’ card. People that I thought I could trust to help keep me safe by not tell anyone where I was living went straight to my abuser with that info. Hardly anyone would even speak to me, even just to say hi, when I needed acknowledgement most.
[Screw] all of [them].”

Story credit: Reddit / OutcastTraveller

If She Needs Money, She Should Sell Those Luxuries 

Unsplash

“We have helped out my sister in law a few times with money/bills. Never a lot, $50 here, $100 there. Usually for some bill to avoid services being cut off. I’m usually the more heartfelt one in my marriage, but I ended up being the one to put my foot down.
Went over to her apartment once. She had two big flat screen TVs, new couch, new fridge, kids on PlayStation or whatever console she got them. It was all Rent-a-Center stuff, but that was the end for me. I didn’t have any of those things myself, not to mention the incredibly bad financial decision those things were with the high interest rate. Part of me felt like I was taking food out of her kids mouths, but realized that no, her poor decisions was doing that.”

Story credit: Reddit / red_eye_rob

Go Buy Your Own Lawn Mower

Unsplash

“Had a newish neighbor ask if he could borrow our lawn mower....sure. Well more or less every week he would come and get it out of our garage, use it to cut his grass, put it away without cleaning it or adding gas. In the fall we "mentioned" it was a good time to get deals on a new mower. He never talked to us again.”

Story credit: Reddit / FireandIceT

We Don’t Like Your Ideals, But We Love Your Cooking

Unsplash

“Partner and I moved provinces, only family in our new area is partners aunt and uncle and their kids about an hour from us. They invited us down for Christmas a few years ago. Nothing too fancy, just family. Cool. They’re pretty religious and we’re pretty gay, so I’m always a touch hesitant spending a lot of time, but it was Christmas and family and yadda yadda yadda.
We get there and I ask if they need any help with anything, just general good guest stuff. The aunt then reveals that the reason they invited us was for me to help in the cooking of the turkey and sides. I’m a good cook, and I don’t mind helping out and she’s not the most confident cook so it’s not a huge deal. So I follow her to the kitchen and nothing has been done. Like. Turkey is still in the plastic. She says the oven is a bit finicky and that she’ll leave me to it.
Like. Literally expected me to come and cook them the whole Christmas dinner. My partner was out in the yard with his cousins playing on a frozen pond, his aunt and uncle were drinking in their living room, and I’m pretty well being treated as the help for the next few hours.
Partner comes in and sees me in the kitchen, comes and chats and realizes the reason we got invited was for me to cook for them. He’s pissed. I’m just carrying on. I serve up dinner, we eat, and then we leave right away.
A couple days later he chews his aunt out on the phone and we haven’t seen them since. Evidently in the call she had made some comment about not abiding by our “lifestyle choice” but made an exception cuz of the way my partners mother raved about my cooking.”

Story credit: Reddit / duhbell

Never Donating on Social Media Again

Unsplash

“Was donating baby/toddler clothes to a mom in need through one of those Facebook donating pages. She didn't have a car, I did so I drove 30 minutes away to deliver the stuff all for free. Got in a bad accident less than 5 blocks from her house. So I texted her to see if she could come get what she was able to because my car was totaled. She wouldn't walk the 4 blocks then reported me to the group and got me kicked out for "not following through". I ended up with a fractured sternum, yeah [screw] that, never again.”

Story credit: Reddit / LifeIsSweetSoAmI

He’s Worth Less Than What He Took From Me

Unsplash

“A “friend” of mine borrowed a game off me once. About month later I remembered an asked for it. he told me he couldn’t give it back because he gave it to his younger brother for his birthday ... would have asked for money but i knew it would have been difficult and the way I saw it, was easier to just lose him as a friend. His friendship was worth less than the value of a cheap game”

Story credit: Reddit / Danman500

I Get No Help in Return

Unsplash

“The day I realized that no one wanted to help me in return.
Look it's not about doing something for someone to get something back and I will ALWAYS help whoever I can that needs it. But when the same people consistently ask for help or money or what have you, without actually wanting to help you when you need it, or just hang out or be friendly in general, it's a huge red flag.”

Story credit: Reddit / BlorpusDorpus

He Wasn’t in a Rough Patch, He Was the Rough Patch

Unsplash

“Met a guy who had hit a rough patch. We had great chemistry and he made me laugh (ugh the bar was SO low). He gave me a sob story of why he was getting kicked out of his communal house and I offered to let him stay with me because I live alone and have my own place.
HUGE MISTAKE! He hadn't hit a rough patch, he was the rough patch. Barely paid for anything and would get wasted while I was at work and be a total ass hole when I got home. Got fired from his job, ate all the food I'd buy and make excuses as to why he hadn't found another job yet. The absolute kicker was when I went home for my Nonna's funeral, he treated it like a mini vacation in my place. Invited friends over, played music so loud the cops got called and when he was supposed to pick me up from the airport, he was wasted at someone's house at 8 am. Never felt better than the day I kicked him out. No more financial and emotional abuse. Finally felt like my place was mine again.
I've learned an expensive lesson. Don't help people that won't help themselves. When nothing is their fault, there's a serious issue. Run fast and far.”

Story credit: Reddit / vikinglizzie

She Won’t Accept Food, She Just Needs Money

Unsplash

“I'm a teacher. A parent of a former student contacted me in an emergency situation, couldn't afford to pay bills, and needed help. She was super helpful to me in my first year teaching, so I asked friends and family to help out and raised her about $2,000. Never again. She has contacted me every few weeks since then, always with a new reason why she needs more money (and when I offer food and clothing resources, she refuses it). It has placed me in such an awkward situation and I regret ever trying to help her out in the first place”

Story credit: Reddit / mynameissarah

Don’t Let Strangers In Your House 

Unsplash

“We were asleep one night with window open. We wake up bc there is a couple walking down the road arguing. The girl is closer than the guy. Next thing we know the girl is banging on door begging to come in. We call police. They get there and couple gone.
They tell us that’s a common ruse being used in area to get you to open door so they can rob you.”

Story credit: Reddit / hideout78

If It’s Listed For Free, Just Take It

Unsplash

“When my dad was moving out of state, he listed a bunch of stuff for free on Craigslist that he just wanted to get rid of. One of the things was a fairly nice Weber charcoal grill and some guy emailed him and demanded multiple pics from every angle and that the grill be deep cleaned before he'd take it. My dad didn't even reply and just blocked the guy. An hour later, someone else said they'd take it if it was still available and my dad was more than happy to give it away to them.”

Story credit: Reddit / apocalypticradish

Not All Beggars Are Poor

Unsplash

“Worked in Baton Rouge for a decade (1999-2009) and would regularly give the homeless I saw around town - generously if I can say that without being a douche bag.
In 2008 I was on a run for work and a guy caught me near the Target on Siegen lane. He had nothing he was homeless and on top of it had been robbed an hour ago. No worries, empty my wallet for the man, we all need help. Coming out of the shopping complex I see him hiding in the bushes opening a pack of smokes on a laptop while on his iPhone.
Then a month later, saw a man I regularly donated to on Government street. I would catch him on weekends - but this weekend my drop-offs started early so I saw him as he arrived in downtown BR. I sat behind the TV station waiting for a pick-up, and this cat gets out of a new car, changes into dirty clothes and grabs his sign from the trunk and heads off to his corner.
I have given food and connected people with charities, but I have not given a penny to a "beggar" since then.”

Story credit: Reddit / Worlds_Best_Coffee

I Can’t Watch Your Kids Anymore

Unsplash

“I lived next to someone just like this. 2 young kids, very friendly, then they just take advantage of you.
I made the mistake of telling them I was a nanny and offering to babysit all of one time.
After that it was seriously at least once a day they’d drop of their kids. It wasn’t even like the kids were easy. 2 kids, still in diapers, who were little terrorizers.
I finally told them to [screw] off after they yelled at me for not being available. They knocked on my door, left their 2 young kids waiting there, and peaced out.
I wasn’t even there. Cops were called after a toddler in nothing but her diaper was wandering the apartments.”

Story credit: Reddit / princessnanny

She Told Me She Had Cancer

Unsplash

“This is so [crazy], I had a female friend who told me she had cancer as well and I told her I would help take her to treatments etc, turns out she didn't..she was just trying to get close to me to break up my marriage. People are so [crazy].”

Story credit: Reddit / Beastman33

Her Hometown Turned Their Backs on Her

Unsplash

“The same thing happened to my Mom when she finally left my Dad. I was far too young to understand it at the time, but her hometown just up and turned their back on her! In some cases even her own family, no one believed her, accused her of lying. and would report her every move back to my Dad. It got so terrible she ended up leaving her hometown behind and moving somewhere completely new.”

Story credit: Reddit / Pawsie

Never Let Anyone Live With You Without a Contract

Unsplash

“In freshman year of college, my friend of about two years got kicked out of his parents house. He said he needed somewhere to stay "for the night" till his parents cooled off.
I said you can stay a week if you want but more than that and you'll need to pay me rent (he made pretty good money, more than me even). I was kind of hoping to find someone to split the bills with anyway.
A week rolls by and he hasn't even looked for another place. His parents aren't letting him come back.
I ask him if he's going to stay, he says "if it's alright with you" I say sure, just pay me half the cost of the apt every month. He said he can't (I know damn well he can). I say "well then you gotta go"
He asked if he could stay another week. I said no. He got pissed at me for that. I then got pissed at him for getting pissed at me. I gave you a place to stay and you are mad at me??? Totally ended the friendship.
Never let anyone into your place unless you have a signed contract”

Story credit: Reddit

Good Luck on Your Search

Unsplash

“Somebody put one one of those "free items" sites on Facebook that she needed an outdoor playscape thing for her kids who were going crazy during quarantine. My kids are now older, but we had this cool plastic Little Tykes "fort" that was in great shape (those things are beasts). It had a slide and a little play area. Perfect for the age her kids were. I drive a pickup so even offered to deliver it. She went full [beggar mode] on me and said she was looking for a more elaborate one with more things to do. Like the giant wooden ones. Good luck lady. I'm done with you all.”

Story credit: Reddit / I_Liked_WaterWorld

Everyone Takes Advantage of the Guy With a Truck

Unsplash

“When I had a truck during college. EVERYONE suddenly wanted me to help move them.
Most were cool and gave me money or ordered pizza (unprompted btw).
One time however some dude I barely knew needed some help. I show up, and nothing is packed in his apartment. He had a giant fish tank and lived on the 3rd floor with no elevator. It was a nightmare and I never got a dime nor food or even some beers. I never talked to him after that.”

Story credit: Reddit / iBelieveinSpace

Don’t Ever Work For Free

Unsplash

“I used to help people plan their trips to Japan. It was very hard to get started on my own so I offered weeks of free consulting to a few people in exchange for a review at the end of their trip. I made their itineraries, wrote a tailored culture guide for each, booked their hotels / restaurants, gave them recommendations, etc. Only one person out of 8 actually wrote a review.”

Story credit: Reddit / FakeCraig

Freelancers Learn Lessons Fast

Unsplash

“After working free of charge as a freelance graphics guy to build my portfolio up, and having a client basically make the most minor of adjustments, and constant revisions - four posters which should have taken me a day tops really....ended up taking 3 months. And when they wanted poster x4, I wanted money - ghosted.
Lesson. Learnt.”

Story credit: Reddit / KairiZero

The Blind Janitor Hears All

Unsplash

“Had a new manager come in to my former place of employment. Immediately this new manager starts firing people for [dumb] reasons and hiring people from her old job to replace them. The walls in that place talked, and few notice the janitor, so when I heard rumors of the next heads on the chopping block, one of which was mine, I decided to be nice and help out the other two. I considered them good friends, and it was the least I could do, right?
I warn one, and he takes it seriously and begins looking for another job, so when the pink slip arrived, he landed on his feet running.
The other promptly goes squealing to the manager in question, who uses that as an excuse to fire me, and THEN fires the person that had squealed. All three jobs were quickly filled by her old friends from her previous job.
I've refused to lift a finger to help a coworker out since. I've had advanced warnings of firing and disciplinary hearings and various other juicy gossip (People for some reason think I hear with my eyes and assume that they can talk in front of me and I won't notice. I'm going blind, people, not deaf.) but I've kept it all to myself. [Screw] 'em.”

Story credit: Reddit / Shishi432234

Don’t Help People Who Won’t Help Themselves

Unsplash

“One time we showed up to help a sister in law and her bf move and they were sitting there when we pulled up, waiting for us to get there to start moving. We unloaded what we had and just left. No need to help those that can't even do the basic to help themselves.”

Story credit: Reddit / Hook-Em