My Struggle in Web Scraping & Data Mining: Still Haven’t Earned a Single Dollar
Hey everyone, I'm Abdu from Egypt.
I’m a broke electrical engineering student, living alone, far from my family, trying to survive while studying. I thought learning Web Scraping & Data Mining would be my ticket to making money online, but reality hit me like a truck.
Months of Hard Work, $0 Earned
I spent months learning, building scripts, and mastering data extraction. When I finally launched my first Upwork gig, I was excited… but guess what? Not a single job. Not a single dollar.
I wrote hundreds of proposals, crafted the perfect profile, even offered free work just to get my first review—but nothing worked.
Then Upwork Decided to Make Things Worse
Now, they charge for connects, meaning you have to pay just to apply for jobs. And when you’re struggling to afford a meal, how the hell are you supposed to pay just to beg for work?
I Refuse to Give Up – But It’s Getting Harder
Instead of relying on Upwork, I started hunting for clients myself:
Joined Facebook & LinkedIn groups, pitching my skills.
Built a portfolio to prove my capabilities.
Cold-messaged small businesses needing data extraction.
Did it work? Barely. Some interest, a few messages… but still, not a single client willing to pay.
What I’ve Learned the Hard Way
Freelancing is a war – you don’t just “sign up and make money.” It’s brutal.
Skills mean nothing if no one knows you exist. Marketing is everything.
Platforms aren’t the only option. Sometimes, you gotta hustle harder to find clients.
I Need a Break – Or At Least Some Guidance
I’m at the point where I’d do ANYTHING just to get that first paid project. I don’t care if it’s the lowest price, I just need to prove to myself that this isn’t a waste of time.
If anyone here has advice, a connection, or even just some brutal honesty, I’d appreciate it. Because right now, it feels like I’m running in circles with nothing to show for it.
Hey everyone, I'm Abdu from Egypt.
I’m a broke electrical engineering student, living alone, far from my family, trying to survive while studying. I thought learning Web Scraping & Data Mining would be my ticket to making money online, but reality hit me like a truck.
Months of Hard Work, $0 Earned
I spent months learning, building scripts, and mastering data extraction. When I finally launched my first Upwork gig, I was excited… but guess what? Not a single job. Not a single dollar.
I wrote hundreds of proposals, crafted the perfect profile, even offered free work just to get my first review—but nothing worked.
Then Upwork Decided to Make Things Worse
Now, they charge for connects, meaning you have to pay just to apply for jobs. And when you’re struggling to afford a meal, how the hell are you supposed to pay just to beg for work?
I Refuse to Give Up – But It’s Getting Harder
Instead of relying on Upwork, I started hunting for clients myself:
Joined Facebook & LinkedIn groups, pitching my skills.
Built a portfolio to prove my capabilities.
Cold-messaged small businesses needing data extraction.
Did it work? Barely. Some interest, a few messages… but still, not a single client willing to pay.
What I’ve Learned the Hard Way
Freelancing is a war – you don’t just “sign up and make money.” It’s brutal.
Skills mean nothing if no one knows you exist. Marketing is everything.
Platforms aren’t the only option. Sometimes, you gotta hustle harder to find clients.
I Need a Break – Or At Least Some Guidance
I’m at the point where I’d do ANYTHING just to get that first paid project. I don’t care if it’s the lowest price, I just need to prove to myself that this isn’t a waste of time.
If anyone here has advice, a connection, or even just some brutal honesty, I’d appreciate it. Because right now, it feels like I’m running in circles with nothing to show for it.
