Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#1

Post by tetrisman » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 4:28 PM UTC

Seriously, I am sure lots of HN´ers have found many ways to do this, but as with most things in life, there´s always a better away. Would like to see your thoughts/experience either from you or from someone you know.

Thanx

Re: Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#2

Post by madhouse » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 4:41 PM UTC

Inherit, I would say.

Re: Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#3

Post by petervandijck » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 5:44 PM UTC

madhouse wrote: post #2

Inherit, I would say.

Or a divorce settlement from a very rich person, which is similar.

Re: Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#4

Post by riferguson » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 5:52 PM UTC

"Easy", as in least effort on your part, or "easy", as in highest probability of success?

Not at all the same thing.

Re: Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#5

Post by zbanks » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 5:58 PM UTC

riferguson wrote: post #4

"Easy", as in least effort on your part, or "easy", as in highest probability of success? Not at all the same thing.

Great point. That million-dollar homepage experiment where the guy sold pixels for $1 each took almost no effort on his part. "Easy"

The likelihood it would ever work again? Very very very slim. Not easy.

Re: Ask HN: What´s the easiest, legal way to make 1 million bucks?

#6

Post by dasil003 » Sat, Aug 21, 2010, 6:06 PM UTC

It depends on your circumstances. A million dollars is pretty hard for most people to get, but it's certainly going to be easier if you're moving in circles that are used to dealing with those type of numbers.

Consider the "easiest" way to get $20,000. If you live in the US in most places you can probably get it by working at McDonalds for a year. If you are from a rural area in a third world country it's like the million dollar question.

I think this is the philosophy behind flipping startups. If you can prove you can develop something good and useful, then $50M is basically chump change for a large corporation to acquire you. On the other hand, generating enough profit where you can pay yourself a million dollars a year is a very daunting task.