6 ms·

Ask HN: How are you making money on the side?

22 points by arkensaw 1y ago

Just wondering what are y'all doing for side gigs these days?

NoTranslationL 1y ago
I make Reflect with my partner. I do it on the side, they do it fully. It’s a private, local-first app to track and analyze your own personal data and run N=1 experiments. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-track-anything/id6463800032 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-track-anything/id64638...
mac3n 1y ago
[flagged]
aristofun 1y ago
Nothing lately. But some time ago - teaching folks coding, selling online courses
Jeremy1026 1y ago
I sell 3D printed paintball bunkers, useful for game planning before/during a tournament, https://pbminimaps.com https://pbminimaps.com.
- sejje 1y ago
  Why are these called bunkers?
  - Jeremy1026 1y ago
    Probably because of this definition from Dictionary.com: n. a fortification set mostly below the surface of the ground with overhead protection provided by logs and earth or by concrete and fitted with openings through which guns may be fired. While they aren't below ground or provide overhead protection. They are made to protect players from getting shot by other players.
- swah 1y ago
  There's always more niches than one thinks.
chistev 1y ago
I'm not.
throwaway889900 1y ago
I've thought about donating plasma. Might do it this Friday or something.
- chistev 1y ago
  "If I draw, you lose, Iron. We donating plasma!"
wmeredith 1y ago
I run an audiophile music recommendation newsletter. It pays peanuts, but it's just past breakeven less than a year in and it's fun. For the curious: https://SeekHiFi.com https://SeekHiFi.com
- szszrk 1y ago
  > A personal one-on-one Zoom call with me to talk hi-fi and music stuff, 60 minute max, once annually after 3rd month of membership, I will not be drawn into an argument about speaker wire That last part... legend :)
- ambivalents 1y ago
  Neat! Subscribed.
- constantinum 1y ago
  This is great! Subscribed. This is the internet I miss. This is also why I love HN
owebmaster 1y ago
A couple months ago I made a partnership with a kiosk bar in Copacabana beach/Rio and brought a group of expats there for a party, me and a friend got 10% of the bar consumption. Some 300 people showed up so it was a good money for a side gig, planning on continuing doing these meetups.
- mv4 1y ago
  I like.
hey_im_Syn 1y ago
I made a lil web game over the course of 5 years - https://syns.studio/more-ore https://syns.studio/more-ore. Made around $3X,XXX so the returns aren't too good but it's something i'm passionate in.
- owebmaster 1y ago
  hey!Found it here and been playing your game since yesterday, quite entertaining! I hope you succeed in growing the fanbase! I'm actually quite tempted to create a similar game based in my hometown that is related to mining. But 5 years I guess I don't have the capacity for that haha.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
dhussoe 1y ago
Investing most of the post-tax compensation from my main job in VTI, and leaving it there.
kjok 1y ago
I run a SaaS to help open-source devs monetize their GPL-licensed SDKs/libs. Going good so far.
beiconic 1y ago
[dead]
abadar 1y ago
I spun off geek-themed speed dating to geek themed singles mixers. They have party games, couch co-op and vs games, karaoke, and get-to-know-you games to encourage strangers to talk to each other. A drink is included with the ticket.
DamnInteresting 1y ago
It's far from a fortune, and its future is uncertain, but I've been earning a bit via donations with my writing/podcasting for almost 20 years now: https://www.damninteresting.com https://www.damninteresting.com I'm also working on diversifying, starting with a free daily word game that I hope gets a little traction on Patreon: https://omiword.com https://omiword.com I have a few other projects-in-progress, if I'm lucky, one will earn a dollar or two.
- burnt-resistor 1y ago
  Hey DI! I haven't seen that site in years! I remember the audio podcast versions of excellent stories. Very neat, odd stories that aren't taught in history books. Perhaps post on various podcast-like platforms and do the merch thing? Keith Olbermann posts audio-only episodes to Youtube. Thom Hartmann does Deezer, Tidal, Spotify, SoundCloud and so on.
- Ginguin 1y ago
  I know it's not always noticed, but the little touches (like the menu, when clicked, spinning to become the x to close the menu) make this absolutely delightful. I hadn't heard about omiword and will be giving it a go.
VirusNewbie 1y ago
Side gigs aren't worth it. If you're at a decent company, my boss feeling slightly more enthusiastic at my potential could mean tens of thousands of dollars more in bonus/stock at the end of the year. I'd rather work harder on work.
- msgodel 1y ago
  I think the current instability is changing that.
  - muzani 1y ago
    Exactly. I would have said the same 3 years ago, but these days, work hard, ship products, get laid off, and management pats themselves on the back for increasing productivity.
- owebmaster 1y ago
  A sidegig can bring you happiness that a few thousands of bonus won't tho. Also, the current market sucks.
- bruce511 1y ago
  It's a good practice to question the premise of the question when writing an answer. (In this case interpreting the question as "how do I make money on the side.") There are indeed other reasons for side gigs, but the parent question here does seem to be focused on the financial side of things. I would agree that work-related progress is likely to be more profitable in the long run. IF (and it's a big IF) there is a route at work to more compensation then that is likely the best use of your time. Of course not all jobs offer that path, and in some organizations it can take a bit of detective work to find out where things pay better, or where more value can be recognized.
- burnt-resistor 1y ago
  You're never going to get moderately rich working for someone else, especially at a corporation without a union.
brudgers 1y ago
I buy and sell older electronic musical instruments mostly from the long tail. It is a rationalization of my GAS, gives me an excuse to take things apart, provides the satisfactions of repair, creates an opportunity to learn new skills, and makes a little money.
- quintes 1y ago
  What is the long tail?
iamflimflam1 1y ago
I run a small YouTube channel - brings in enough to fund my hobby. https://youtube.com/@atomic14 https://youtube.com/@atomic14
jurgenwerk 1y ago
I sell handmade busts and sculptures on Etsy: https://jurgenstudio.etsy.com/ https://jurgenstudio.etsy.com/ Most months the profits can cover my basic living expenses.
muzani 1y ago
Hackathons. Not a huge amount, only around $3000 so far, but it's a good excuse to push certain technology to their limits.
senko 1y ago
Independent consulting (as in, I tell you what to do, not you tell me what to do) for AI integrations (whether and how to add AI to your product/systems, and how to effectively use AI for coding). There's so much BS in AI that there's value in someone you trust telling you what does and doesn't work. Of course, there's no shortage of people doing exactly that, so the clients come through extended network (word of mouth, purely inbound).
ChrisGermano 1y ago
Previously I developed crypto-centric web apps and games for clients, which eventually pivoted to security testing and bug bounties (several apps were in a legal grey area and willing to pay higher than average). These days not doing anything actively making money but slowly working on a Discord trading card game platform that is free and open source but will have a premium version with hosting, additional features, etc.
rozenmd 1y ago
I spend two hours each morning working on my "online laundromat" (an uptime monitoring + status page service: https://onlineornot.com/ https://onlineornot.com/). It's been 4.5 years now, could see myself doing this for another 10 years easily.
ActorNightly 1y ago
My side gig is "reverse". I work for a higher salary, just part time, so I have more free time, and my salary is sufficient enough to let me do all the things I want to do.

22 points by arkensaw 1y ago

Just wondering what are y'all doing for side gigs these days?

I make Reflect with my partner. I do it on the side, they do it fully. It’s a private, local-first app to track and analyze your own personal data and run N=1 experiments. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-track-anything/id6463800032 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-track-anything/id64638...

mac3n 1y ago

[flagged]

aristofun 1y ago

Nothing lately. But some time ago - teaching folks coding, selling online courses

Jeremy1026 1y ago

I sell 3D printed paintball bunkers, useful for game planning before/during a tournament, https://pbminimaps.com https://pbminimaps.com.

sejje 1y ago
Why are these called bunkers?
- Jeremy1026 1y ago
  Probably because of this definition from Dictionary.com: n. a fortification set mostly below the surface of the ground with overhead protection provided by logs and earth or by concrete and fitted with openings through which guns may be fired. While they aren't below ground or provide overhead protection. They are made to protect players from getting shot by other players.
swah 1y ago
There's always more niches than one thinks.

chistev 1y ago

I'm not.

throwaway889900 1y ago

I've thought about donating plasma. Might do it this Friday or something.

chistev 1y ago
"If I draw, you lose, Iron. We donating plasma!"

wmeredith 1y ago

I run an audiophile music recommendation newsletter. It pays peanuts, but it's just past breakeven less than a year in and it's fun. For the curious: https://SeekHiFi.com https://SeekHiFi.com

szszrk 1y ago
> A personal one-on-one Zoom call with me to talk hi-fi and music stuff, 60 minute max, once annually after 3rd month of membership, I will not be drawn into an argument about speaker wire That last part... legend :)
ambivalents 1y ago
Neat! Subscribed.
constantinum 1y ago
This is great! Subscribed. This is the internet I miss. This is also why I love HN

owebmaster 1y ago

A couple months ago I made a partnership with a kiosk bar in Copacabana beach/Rio and brought a group of expats there for a party, me and a friend got 10% of the bar consumption. Some 300 people showed up so it was a good money for a side gig, planning on continuing doing these meetups.

mv4 1y ago
I like.

hey_im_Syn 1y ago

I made a lil web game over the course of 5 years - https://syns.studio/more-ore https://syns.studio/more-ore. Made around $3X,XXX so the returns aren't too good but it's something i'm passionate in.

owebmaster 1y ago
hey!Found it here and been playing your game since yesterday, quite entertaining! I hope you succeed in growing the fanbase! I'm actually quite tempted to create a similar game based in my hometown that is related to mining. But 5 years I guess I don't have the capacity for that haha.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

dhussoe 1y ago

Investing most of the post-tax compensation from my main job in VTI, and leaving it there.

kjok 1y ago

I run a SaaS to help open-source devs monetize their GPL-licensed SDKs/libs. Going good so far.

beiconic 1y ago

[dead]

abadar 1y ago

I spun off geek-themed speed dating to geek themed singles mixers. They have party games, couch co-op and vs games, karaoke, and get-to-know-you games to encourage strangers to talk to each other. A drink is included with the ticket.

DamnInteresting 1y ago

It's far from a fortune, and its future is uncertain, but I've been earning a bit via donations with my writing/podcasting for almost 20 years now: https://www.damninteresting.com https://www.damninteresting.com I'm also working on diversifying, starting with a free daily word game that I hope gets a little traction on Patreon: https://omiword.com https://omiword.com I have a few other projects-in-progress, if I'm lucky, one will earn a dollar or two.

burnt-resistor 1y ago
Hey DI! I haven't seen that site in years! I remember the audio podcast versions of excellent stories. Very neat, odd stories that aren't taught in history books. Perhaps post on various podcast-like platforms and do the merch thing? Keith Olbermann posts audio-only episodes to Youtube. Thom Hartmann does Deezer, Tidal, Spotify, SoundCloud and so on.
Ginguin 1y ago
I know it's not always noticed, but the little touches (like the menu, when clicked, spinning to become the x to close the menu) make this absolutely delightful. I hadn't heard about omiword and will be giving it a go.

VirusNewbie 1y ago

Side gigs aren't worth it. If you're at a decent company, my boss feeling slightly more enthusiastic at my potential could mean tens of thousands of dollars more in bonus/stock at the end of the year. I'd rather work harder on work.

msgodel 1y ago
I think the current instability is changing that.
- muzani 1y ago
  Exactly. I would have said the same 3 years ago, but these days, work hard, ship products, get laid off, and management pats themselves on the back for increasing productivity.
owebmaster 1y ago
A sidegig can bring you happiness that a few thousands of bonus won't tho. Also, the current market sucks.
bruce511 1y ago
It's a good practice to question the premise of the question when writing an answer. (In this case interpreting the question as "how do I make money on the side.") There are indeed other reasons for side gigs, but the parent question here does seem to be focused on the financial side of things. I would agree that work-related progress is likely to be more profitable in the long run. IF (and it's a big IF) there is a route at work to more compensation then that is likely the best use of your time. Of course not all jobs offer that path, and in some organizations it can take a bit of detective work to find out where things pay better, or where more value can be recognized.
burnt-resistor 1y ago
You're never going to get moderately rich working for someone else, especially at a corporation without a union.

brudgers 1y ago

I buy and sell older electronic musical instruments mostly from the long tail. It is a rationalization of my GAS, gives me an excuse to take things apart, provides the satisfactions of repair, creates an opportunity to learn new skills, and makes a little money.

quintes 1y ago
What is the long tail?

iamflimflam1 1y ago

I run a small YouTube channel - brings in enough to fund my hobby. https://youtube.com/@atomic14 https://youtube.com/@atomic14

jurgenwerk 1y ago

I sell handmade busts and sculptures on Etsy: https://jurgenstudio.etsy.com/ https://jurgenstudio.etsy.com/ Most months the profits can cover my basic living expenses.

muzani 1y ago

Hackathons. Not a huge amount, only around $3000 so far, but it's a good excuse to push certain technology to their limits.

senko 1y ago

Independent consulting (as in, I tell you what to do, not you tell me what to do) for AI integrations (whether and how to add AI to your product/systems, and how to effectively use AI for coding). There's so much BS in AI that there's value in someone you trust telling you what does and doesn't work. Of course, there's no shortage of people doing exactly that, so the clients come through extended network (word of mouth, purely inbound).

ChrisGermano 1y ago

Previously I developed crypto-centric web apps and games for clients, which eventually pivoted to security testing and bug bounties (several apps were in a legal grey area and willing to pay higher than average). These days not doing anything actively making money but slowly working on a Discord trading card game platform that is free and open source but will have a premium version with hosting, additional features, etc.

rozenmd 1y ago

I spend two hours each morning working on my "online laundromat" (an uptime monitoring + status page service: https://onlineornot.com/ https://onlineornot.com/). It's been 4.5 years now, could see myself doing this for another 10 years easily.

ActorNightly 1y ago

My side gig is "reverse". I work for a higher salary, just part time, so I have more free time, and my salary is sufficient enough to let me do all the things I want to do.