Actually, for creative writers (which are what builders mainly are), that's about par for course in payment. Think about how long it takes to write a short story from conception to final edits and then get $50 for the average sale (assuming you can secure a sale). There are higher paying rates that may pay you up to $500, but competition is fierce. Even for a novel, which could take years to write, IF it gets published, you are lucky if you make $5,000. For the most part, writers make pennies per hour and feel successful when they do.
In any event, aside from legalities raised (I think $20 for an area really isn't payment but an honorarium), I believe most builders generally don't look for cash as compensation but rather the joy of having people participate in something they created. I've personally never expected anything in return for any area I built and never felt cheated. Once I did unexpectedly receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate from an admin at the end of the year and was pleased as punch.
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