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

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.