Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#61

Post by avip » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:23 PM UTC

memset wrote: post #7

I make and sell staff paper notebooks for musicians: https://www.themusiciansnotebook.com/ I'm an avid saxophone player and am taking evening classes in theory, so I made this to solve a problem that I myself had. Nothing else like it on the market! Every part of this notebook is automatically generated with a bunch of python scripts: the cover design, the interior, the line placement, the margins. The program basica…

That’s brilliant!

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#62

Post by hhs » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:24 PM UTC

rayraegah wrote: post #13

Launched in 2016 for free. Started making money in 2018 with $3,000+ MMR. Referral only (side) business. I work full-time as an engineer/principal in growth. I conduct a form of ethnography, embedding myself in the lives of consumers the way Margaret Mead did among Samoans. I interviews my subjects and the people around them, itemizing the contents of their home (photographing and videotaping), and accompany them as…

This sounds interesting. Did you build an app for this type of ethnography? And do you collect and make sense of qualitative information?

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#63

Post by josephmxm » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:25 PM UTC

Back in college I started Alphalux, A men’s accessories mostly bracelets business. I was a full time college student and was working at a pharmaceutical company full time. I would custom order bracelets at Alibaba with my logo on it. Would pay wholesale price of $0.75 per bracelet and would sell it for $10-$30 dollars on Etsy and my website. It was fun while it lasted. I was making $3-4K a month until dropshipers ruined the market.

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#64

Post by mtbkrdave » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:25 PM UTC

Built a site where you can custom-tailor a writing pad to your handwriting/style... https://www.blankslatepaper.com/

So far it's been slow; like @memset, I've got the product done but struggle with driving traffic/sales.

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#65

Post by xiphias2 » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:26 PM UTC

samsonradu wrote: post #30

xiphias2 wrote: post #9

Investing. It takes a lot of time to have an understanding of filtering the good long term stuff from the bad short term strategies, but it's worth it.

Would like to hear more about this, specially from an European perspective and EUR-denominated investments.

I'm focusing on Bitcoin and physical gold / silver, as I view stocks and houses overvalued, but I always get downvoted here on HN when I go into details, that's why I prefer if people read a lot for themselves.

I like Mike Maloney's youtube series as a start on macroeconomics.

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#66

Post by jswizzy » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:27 PM UTC

tehlike wrote: post #52

hkhanna wrote: post #15

I'm a lawyer who doesn't do much (any) marketing. But when someone gets referred and calls or sends an email asking for help with setting up an LLC, helping wind-down or sell their business, or even something small like reviewing an NDA, I can jump in. I'm solo, so I don't have any overhead and I can charge far less than anyone else. This is also entirely a side gig, so volume is so low that I can be responsive, help…

Is your specialization in corporate law?

bird law

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#67

Post by xiphias2 » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:28 PM UTC

vasili111 wrote: post #16

xiphias2 wrote: post #9

Investing. It takes a lot of time to have an understanding of filtering the good long term stuff from the bad short term strategies, but it's worth it.

Online? If yes, which platform do you use?

If you're going long term, the platform doesn't matter at all. With short-term trading quants have a huge advantage (I went through an interview at a hedge fund, I know how smart they are, but their downside is that they have to have high sharp ratio to attract investment). I'm always looking at 5 year+ investments only

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#68

Post by coldtea » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:28 PM UTC

dom96 wrote: post #48

muzani wrote: post #2

I did a coffee kiosk once. It went well, but required a large amount of energy and focus. We did a little twist on the business model. Starbucks sells nice places to sit down. We sold drugs. The model, from logo design to promotions, was designed to create a habit loop where people would get their morning coffee from us. It was so profitable that I seriously considered making it my full time career, expanding cafes a…

> We sold drugs. Drugs? As in prescription drugs?

No, as in mind altering drugs: coffee.

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#69

Post by eznc » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:29 PM UTC

Started a CNC machining side business. Always had an interest and found a broke down CNC mill for cheap. Fixed it up and have been doing quick prototype and small runs for locals by referal only. Its fun and more than offsets the cost of the machine.

Re: Ask HN: What is your money-making side project outside programming?

#70

Post by rocketpastsix » Sun, Apr 21, 2019, 3:29 PM UTC

Not a side project per se, nor am I making enough to retire anytime soon but I give bike tours of the city I live in. Its a fun way to explore the city, meet fun people, and learn something new. On a good weekend I can pull in $100 in cash plus a small check from the bike shop I tour out of.