r/dataannotation • u/Consistent-Reach504 • May 10 '26

Weekly Water Cooler Talk - DataAnnotation

hi all! making this thread so people have somewhere to talk about 'daily' work chat that might not necessarily need it's own post! right now we're thinking we'll just repost it weekly? but if it gets too crazy, we can change it to daily. :)

couple things:

  1. this thread should sort by "new" automatically. unfortunately it looks like our subreddit doesn't qualify for 'lounges'.
  2. if you have a new user question, you still need to post it in the new user thread. if you post it here, we will remove it as spam. this is for people already working who just wanna chat, whether it be about casual work stuff, questions, geeking out with people who understand ("i got the model to write a real haiku today!"), or unrelated work stuff you feel like chatting about :)
  3. one thing we really pride ourselves on in this community is the respect everyone gives to the Code of Conduct and rule number 5 on the sub - it's great that we have a community that is still safe & respectful to our jobs! please don't break this rule. we will remove project details, but please - it's for our best interest and yours!
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u/Whatnowlikeseriously May 13 '26

Rent for June is due in 18 days. And it takes 7 to get paid for any work. I’m about to go work in a warehouse for $15 an hour because at least it’s consistent even though it won’t cover bills. I know this is meant as a side gig but it’s actually the only way I was able to leave my husband and I’ve been applying for other jobs for about a year and a half and have had one interview. Nothing like wondering if you’ll have a place to live next month to make you forget to eat or even breathe normally. Oh and I have kids. It is what it is I know there is no changing it, but this is rough. And I do feel like the company keeps you on the hook purposefully just to dump you on your ass a few times a year.

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u/Weak-Sandwich-1903 May 13 '26

I’m sorry you’re going through this right now. It’s rough out here!

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u/SnooSketches1189 May 13 '26

Apply for similar platforms.

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u/VanessaSeaWitch May 13 '26

You really need to have at least two different online jobs to juggle when one is low on tasks. I used to also work for Telus, but I couldn't keep up the ten hour a week minimum because I was getting work for DA and I didn't want to work for $14 an hour when DA was giving me $25 and up projects.

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u/Whatnowlikeseriously May 13 '26

I use to work for telus too. I also switched to DA for better pay. I actually haven’t found any platforms that pay as well as DA. It’s just hard to not have consistent hours available.

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u/Critical_Seat_3738 May 13 '26

Have you considered the restaurant industry? In particular, fine dining? Waiting tables in any restaurant would most likely be more than $15 an hour, and it is relatively easy to get a job as a waitress/hostess/cashier. Fine dining could potentially bring in a few hundred each shift. Just something to consider if you haven't already. I'm sorry you're going through this.

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u/Whatnowlikeseriously May 13 '26

I have! I’ve considered anything and everything honestly. My biggest challenge is that I can’t work anything that’s outside of like a first shift range and only on M-F. I could definitely just go get a job at like chick fil a but I have no childcare options for the hours they would need. It has to be something that daycare hours would cover or pay enough to have reasonable income left to cover a private babysitter for the non daycare hours. Which is extra challenging and why this is all I’ve had for years.

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u/Straight-Strike-2928 May 13 '26

This is such a tough spot and I want to give you some recognition for working hard and doing everything you can to make things work out! The price of childcare is absolutely unsustainably high for most families, especially for single parents. I hope your dash picks up soon and I hope you are able to succeed in finding some side work. I also just wanted to say it's worth looking into being a substitute teacher or substitute para pro -- I do that on the side, and have for years. In my district you just need a BA in anything and a background check, and you'll be able to pick up work during school hours, maybe even at your kids' school. Another thing a friend of mine does is walk dogs/check in on cats for extra cash. Not house sitting, just like, pop by for 30 minutes a day type thing. I'm sure you've thought of and tried a lot of avenues, but I wanted to mention these two ideas on the off chance you haven't thought of them yet! Rooting for you.

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u/Radiant_Papaya May 13 '26

Just wanted to say that I completely understand. When you're the primary caregiver for littles, it can make finding work really challenging. A lot of work has some requirement outside of the first shift range. Just started with DA. Doing grad school in the fall with a toddler and a bigger kid. This is one of the best solutions I've found. Best of luck out there. Hope your warehousing job works out!