for trouble

for (all) one's trouble

In exchange for the effort that one has made. Usually, the "reward" that such effort yields is negative. A: "But you've been so much better about getting to work on time!" B: "Yep, and all I got for my trouble was the boss criticizing my typing skills instead." And what did I get for all my trouble? A lousy commemorative pin.
See also: trouble
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

for (all) one's trouble

in spite of one's efforts; in return for one's efforts. (Implies that the "trouble" was not worth taking, or was harmful.) He got a punch in the jaw for all his trouble. For her trouble, she got only honorable mention.
See also: trouble
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • for (all) one's trouble
  • for all one’s trouble
  • for one’s trouble
  • begathon
  • go for the fences
  • make an effort (to do something)
  • spare no effort to (do something)
  • make every effort (to do something)
  • make every effort to do
  • an all-out effort
References in classic literature
It is certain, so many overthrown estates, so many votes for troubles. Lucan noteth well the state of Rome before the Civil War,
Another way to explain the relative higher shareholders' fund/total assets ratio for trouble a firms, is that troubled firms usually have more difficulty in attracting outside funds.
NoFauxxx.com was a modest success for Trouble, riding the coattails of the alt-porn revolution.
The head of Good Releasing saw a rough cut of Roulette and not only offered to distribute it for Trouble, but also wanted to sign her on as a director for their proposed new line of queer-themed films, Real Queer Productions.
Mobs of fans from both sides roamed Katowice's streets looking for trouble and the Polish skinheads - in bomber jackets and DM boots - were just as keen on a fight as the English "designer yobs".
A spokesman for the National Criminal Intelligence Service said yesterday: "A number of supporters went over there with a view to having a fight and simply roamed the streets looking for trouble."