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Those options all make the assumption that you have to carve that time out of regular working hours. I'd just like to add an option #6 - work on your project on

Those options all make the assumption that you have to carve that time out of regular working hours. I'd just like to add an option #6 - work on your project on nights and weekends, launch it on nights and weekends, and make the leap to working on it full time once it becomes profitable. Meanwhile, increase your savings rate so that you might be able to make the leap sooner. That way if it gets to the point where you're profitable, but not yet making enough to cover your expenses, you can potentially jump ship earlier than you would've been able to otherwise. It's pretty much the plan I followed and so far it's working well (left my job ~5 months ago). On the topic of increasing your savings rate, some of the ideas/mindset from https://mrmoneymustache.com https://mrmoneymustache.com were helpful.

meddlepal 8y ago
Working nights and weekends is a luxury for the young and childless. It's just not realistic for most people with families.
- Broken_Hippo 8y ago
  Very much this. I'll add that some jobs leave little free time and/or little mental energy during the week once you get basic self-care out of the way.
  - dceddia 8y ago
    I almost added a bit about the > 40 hr/week problem. I can only speak for myself but out of the 3 software jobs I've had none of them regularly required more than 40 hours/week. That's a privilege for sure, but those jobs do exist. Probably not at most startups, and probably not at most sexy well-known companies... but it's a tradeoff (like everything, it seems) -- the shiny line on your resume from AmaGooFaceSoft, Inc. or the tiny chance at a big payout vs. making a decent salary and being able to forget about work outside the hours of 9 to 5. It probably varies by area of the world/country as well. I imagine the long hours are more the norm in the middle of a startup hub city vs. out in the suburbs.
- nicoburns 8y ago
  True, but then all of the other ways listed are also luxuries. So this is seems like a reasonable option for those it is available to (i.e. those without dependants)
- dceddia 8y ago
  As a young (well not that young) and childless, yeah. I don't think this can work for everyone. But it's another option to consider.

meddlepal 8y ago

Working nights and weekends is a luxury for the young and childless. It's just not realistic for most people with families.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago
Very much this. I'll add that some jobs leave little free time and/or little mental energy during the week once you get basic self-care out of the way.
- dceddia 8y ago
  I almost added a bit about the > 40 hr/week problem. I can only speak for myself but out of the 3 software jobs I've had none of them regularly required more than 40 hours/week. That's a privilege for sure, but those jobs do exist. Probably not at most startups, and probably not at most sexy well-known companies... but it's a tradeoff (like everything, it seems) -- the shiny line on your resume from AmaGooFaceSoft, Inc. or the tiny chance at a big payout vs. making a decent salary and being able to forget about work outside the hours of 9 to 5. It probably varies by area of the world/country as well. I imagine the long hours are more the norm in the middle of a startup hub city vs. out in the suburbs.
nicoburns 8y ago
True, but then all of the other ways listed are also luxuries. So this is seems like a reasonable option for those it is available to (i.e. those without dependants)
dceddia 8y ago
As a young (well not that young) and childless, yeah. I don't think this can work for everyone. But it's another option to consider.