31-year-old IT professional refuses to be family’s unpaid tech support any longer, starts invoicing relatives with a “Family Tech Menu” of fees for his help, sparking backlash from entire family: 'You're turning into a landlord for computers'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Nov 9, 2025 7:00 AM EST

Trying to teach your grandparent how to stop taking accidental selfies is like trying to teach a dolphin to walk…It's just not going to happen. Every Gen Z knows the pain of having to take on the role of being the family's involuntary tech support guru. Whether it's connecting the WIFI to our dad's iPhone 10 for the 100th time this week, or seeing our mother's face light up when we screen mirror onto the television (For some reason, that one in particular gets them acting as if we invented technology from scratch). So we understand the frustrations of always having to be available for all of our families' tech needs…The only issue? We're not always available at the drop of a hat. So, should we just drop whatever we're doing to ensure grandma doesn't miss this week's episode of MasterChef…Okay, maybe, but that's only because it's grandma! 

However, this son has acted as his family's unpaid tech support for far too long, and has realized that his family's requests are beginning to get a bit unreasonable, igniting a sense of resentment towards them…If their demands were now and then, he would be happy to help, but it's getting to the point where they are literally disrupting him during client meetings, asking how to connect a pair of AirPods (No hate there, that's basically an impossible task!) So he decided that the only way for them to take his full-time resignation seriously was by compiling a pricelist for the costs of his future tech-support services! (Excluding grandma, obviously)

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  • There's no doubt the family group chat is popping off! But how many times a week can we walk out of an office meeting to pick up Uncle Bob's calls regarding some purchase a Best Buy…He has sent through the price list, and you know it's serious when it's laminated! It has a list of each cost of service and a little QR code to scan for payments. So if you thought he was pulling some sort of sick family prank…you thought wrong.

  • Family looking at budgeting papers.
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AITJ for putting an actual price list on “family tech support” after my uncle FaceTimed me during a client demo

    I'm 31M, work in IT and yes I am the person who can fix printers and Wi Fi by just walking into a room.
    via bookishcarter
  • For years my family has treated me like the Geek Squad that works for hugs. It started small, "can you set up Mom's new iPhone, it's just a quick thing." Then it grew.
    via bookishcarter
  • I've missed dessert because I was migrating 4k photos off a cursed iCloud, I reinstalled Windows for my cousin after he downloaded seven toolbars, I drove 22 minutes at 10,40pm to plug in an HDMI cable correctly.
    via bookishcarter
  • They say thank you, sometimes they hand me a cold slice of pizza, and then a month later it repeats.
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  • complained softly, got told I am "so good at it" and that family helps family.
    via bookishcarter
  • Man fixing phone hardware.
    via africa-images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Last week my uncle FaceTimed me during a client demo. My phone was on the table, the ring exploded through the conference room because the Bluetooth picked it up, and now my whole team knows my uncle's contact name is "Bob Printer Panic".
    via bookishcarter
  • He was at Best Buy, swore a blue Yeti mic was broken and wanted me to talk to the associate on speaker.
    via bookishcarter
  • I killed the call, finished the demo, heart racing, then sat in my car and wrote up a little rate sheet in Notes.
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  • Family Tech Menu. Phone help 10 per 15 minutes, house calls 40 per hour, 20 trip fee outside 10 miles, no emergencies during my work hours unless it is medical or literal fire.
    via bookishcarter
  • Payment by Venmo before I leave. Also, if I warn you not to buy something and you buy it anyway, I am charging double to make it behave.
    via bookishcarter
  • I sent the screenshot to the family group chat with a cheerful "starting May 1 so I don't get resentful, love you all".
    via bookishcarter
  • Man fixing a television.
    via elnur

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • It did not land. Mom said I am turning into a landlord for computers. My aunt wrote that "real family doesn't invoice." Uncle Bob said I embarrassed him in Best Buy.
    via bookishcarter
  • My sister, who once had me recover her locked TikTok at 1,15am because she had a brand deal due, texted me privately and said she would pay but I should not "nickel and dime" grandma.
    via bookishcarter
  • I replied it does not apply to grandma, I will do her laptops for free forever, but the rest of you are adults with salaries.
    via bookishcarter
  • Yesterday cousin brought me his gaming. PC anyway, no appointment, just plopped it on my kitchen island, said "I'll bring you donuts later." I pointed at the new little acrylic stand I printed that says Family Tech Menu and a QR for Venmo.
    via bookishcarter
  • He left with the PC, mad. Now I am the jerk who charges family for typing the same Wi Fi password into five devices.
    via bookishcarter
  • AITJ for putting prices and boundaries on something that has been eating my evenings and making my job look unserious
    via bookishcarter
  • Woman making an online payment.
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • traciw67 Ntj. Stop answering calls and texts promptly so that they have to at least TRY and fix things themselves. Put your phone on DND during work hours. There should be no way someone can FaceTime you during a work demo that's on you! Stop being so available. Sorry, Uncle Joe, I won't be around until next week. They have to be more self- sufficient.
    via traciw67
  • RedNugomo NTJ but this is all on you, stop being an enabler and put some boundaries. And for the love of God, be more professional, your phone should be on mute or DND during meetings (specially with important stakeholders, smho).
    via RedNugomo
  • CyberRedhead27 Deposit by Venmo before you arrive. "Family helps family" is code of "Family takes advantage of family".
    via CyberRedhead27
  • Drayden71 Definitely NTJ everyone conveniently forgets they have a brain and about this thing called Google. Boundaries are set and hopefully it makes your life less stressful
    via Drayden71
  • SLCPDSoakingDivision Charge for work interruptions and after 10 pm. $100. Also your cousin is getting a deal at that price Nta
    via j

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venmo family drama tech support drama tech-savvy invoice technology grandma charging business-meetings interruptions extended family family boundaries payment helping
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