Yes, I know, everyone says that developers are sitting on a gold mine, but the reality is that we are always working to bring other people’s ideas to life. Sometimes it’s rewarding, sometimes it’s stressful, and sometimes it just is.
But the truth is that we are always studying, practicing, and exploring new technologies that we can incorporate into our daily work, and that’s something we can take advantage of.
I’m not going to cover the generic options that every article mentions: sell digital assets, sell on Etsy, sell on Amazon, get into Real Estate, or drive for Uber; and who knows how many other options generated by AI that there’s plenty of material on the internet about. I also won’t cover freelance work because it’s practically another job, and I want to focus on more passive income-style options.
I always evaluate alternatives, and I have a series of options that have yielded real benefits and could help someone make the most of their free time.
These aren’t options that will make you a millionaire overnight; they require effort and consistency, so it’s important to set expectations (I’m not writing this from a yacht in the Bahamas either).
I’ll list them in order of how rewarding I find them, which makes them more enjoyable to do and motivates you to achieve that consistency, repeating them regularly until they become a habit. As James Clear says, make your routine attractive and then satisfying.
1. Writing Articles
I enjoy trying out new technologies, doing things differently, and, why not, breaking things. A large part of our time is also spent fixing that bug that kept you up for days or finding that brilliant solution to a problem.
So my advice here is: share it! Write a few lines, show what you did; it doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to please everyone, and that’s okay. But with 26 million developers out there (yes, that number surprised me too: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-many-software-developers-world-codeninjainc/), trust me, there’s an audience for you, and you will help more than one person.
Did you use AI to solve your problems? Mention it too; some people don’t even know how to craft a prompt. Explain how you did it, how the process went, and how you reached the solution.
So if you have something to say, solve a problem, or add value, write it down; you already have an article.
Where to publish? Medium is my first choice because it’s super easy to write on and doesn’t require much technical knowledge, but there are also alternatives like Substack and Revenue to monetize your content.
2. Demo Applications / Tools / Casual Games
This point is tied to the previous one, why? Because let’s say you solved a problem, and your solution was a script that automated a process, a mobile app that helped you with your tasks, or a game that resulted from learning Unity or any other engine; that’s something you can release to the world.
What options are there? There are several ways to monetize:
Use ads: Although it may seem silly, a viral app can generate income, and the accumulation of apps can create a revenue stream that could eventually be attractive.
An example: I made an app to check stolen cars; it wasn’t very big, and I eventually discontinued it, but during its short life, it generated $80, so it paid for itself.
What did I use in the app? Google Admob, and in that case, it was just a banner. This allows you to monetize your free apps using ads. You can also use Unity Ads, AppLovin, IronSource, InMobi, to name a few. You can also set up reward systems or point accumulation through ads.
In-app purchases / Selling the app in a store
Why not develop an app with free functionality that allows people to use it and encourages them to want more? For that, you have in-app purchases, which you can monetize month by month. You can also sell it directly for a price, but offering a free tier has been more attractive to users.
3. Mini SaaS
There is a trend to solve specific problems with mini platforms. I’ve seen people program them in a weekend, as well as others who take a month to create one.
The important thing here is that if you have the solution to a problem, you can create a mini platform with a payment module (depending on your country, there will be more or fewer requirements to sell online).
What technology to use? In my case, I use the one I’m most proficient in, where I feel secure, and in which I’m most productive in terms of time. There’s no point in trying to build a platform in Go if you’ll abandon it in a month.
I’m currently developing one, so in the second part of this article, I’ll be able to share my experience to help you.
4. Online Courses
Although it’s not particularly attractive to me, if you’re good at something, share your knowledge and teach others.
There are countless platforms that allow you to publish your own courses and monetize them. Some people use YouTube, although there’s work involved in making it go viral. Udemy is another option where people can access your content for a fee, which I find especially great due to the tools available.
Alternatives to Udemy include Teachable, Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning, among others.
In Conclusion…
Right now, it’s never been easier and more attractive to monetize what you do in your free time and turn it into a more rewarding experience. Setting aside the monetary aspect, you’ll find that the interest your content generates and the help you can provide can be incredibly motivating. Now, if we’re talking about money, the limit is up to you and how far you want to go in generating income outside of your 9 to 5. Almost everything you do can be turned into an article or an app that helps someone else.
Happy Coding!