So, you’ve got a great full time job as a developer, But there’s still something missing. Maybe you’re looking for something to build your resume. Perhaps you wish to have your own side business. Or, very possibly, you are looking for a way to make some extra dough. Luckily, these days there are increasingly more ways an individual earn money on the side, often online. Most have heard of doing side gigs such as Uber and Lyft, but what about gigs that are geared towards developers? In this article, I compiled 7 ways to make some extra cash that are geared towards developers, programmers, and those with technical backgrounds.
1. Get a Freelancing Gig
Freelancing can be a great way to supplement your income, and for those successful enough, it can become a full time gig and offer some real benefits. For one, you tend to be in control on picking the jobs that make the most sense for your skills, schedule, and interest. The hard part is building a client base. Luckily, there are a few online sites that can help you get started. Upwork is probably the most well know and largest platform out there, where you can easily sign up for an account and start bidding on projects. There are a whole bunch of other freelancing websites out there as well, one of my favorites being TopTal, which is quite selective in their vetting process of applicants. If online is not your style, you can also try to build your own network of clients. Perhaps of people you know previously and enjoyed working with you, family friends, or schools.
2. Become a mentor for an online education company
There are a few online learning companies which offer programming and coding courses. The most notable of these are Coursera, Udacity, and Udemy. If you happen to take and graduate a Nanodegree program at Udacity, you might be in a good stop to get a side gig. If you’ve gained enough experience and performed well in the course, you could be invited to apply to become one of their course mentors or code reviewers. Udacity Mentors work as contractors and get paid based on engaging with students and reviewing projects, and the hours are flexible. This kind of work is especially rewarding if you enjoy helping other people learn to code and grow as developers. Udacity offers a wide variety of programs including Artificial Intelligence, Android Development, Self Driving Cars, Virtual Reality, and other cutting edge subjects!
3. Start a Technology Blog
If you love writing or have a lot to share, you might consider starting a technology blog in order to share articles, ideas, and code snippets. This method will probably not give you a big paycheck immediately, but if you keep writing quality content and optimize your SEO, you can see your blog grow. If you get enough website traffic, you can earn revenue by running ads with Adsense or using affiliate marketing. If you are successful, this could even turn into a full time gig. Some of the more successful blogs can rake in upwards of 100k or more. Thats nothing to laugh at!
4. Become a Tutor
As a developer or programmer, chances are you have a strong background in Math and Science. STEM tutors are frequently in demand for grade school, high school, and college students. In order to get involved, you might market your own business in your area to parents or around campus, or join a tutoring agency in your area. STEM tutors can make anywhere from $20-$70 an hour depending on the area and level you are tutoring. This is another great option for anyone who enjoys teaching and helping shape young minds.
5. Write your own Trading bot
This one might seem a little “out-there”, but its also one of the more fun ideas on this list. Trading bots are algorithms which detect patterns in markets and execute buys and sells based on its predictions. With the late 2017 craze of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies, companies like Coinbase great exponentially. More and more people are becoming interested in the volatile currencies. Especially in high paced, volatile markets (such as Cryptocurrency), they have the potential to be successful and lucrative. There are more than a few tutorials online that can help you get started. While this could be profitable, like any kind of investment, it’s important to remember that it can also lose you money. Furthermore, it’s debatable how effective these trading bots actually are. I’m not necessarily advising anyone do this, but if you feel up to a challenge and a cool project, it’s a fun one to take a stab at.
6. Make your own mobile application
One thing that you can do if you aren’t already worn out from your full time gig of coding is to consider creating your own personal Mobile App. Both the App Store for Apple products and the Google Play Store for Android are platforms on which you can publish your apps. In order to succeed in making money, you’ll either need a paid app, an app that runs ads, or an app which requires in-app purchases. Not to mention, this one also looks great on a resume!
7. Create your own online course
A few platforms such as Udemy and Teachable allow users to create their own online courses and release them on their platform. There is a huge market for people looking to learn more through online courses. If your content gets enough traffic and has real interest, you can make a real chunk of change in passive income once your course is released, such as this fellow who earned more than $5000/month in passive income from Udemy courses in 2015.
All in all, there are many ways to earn a few extra bucks, especially as a developer. Whether you want to do more development, help tutor or mentor others, or write about what you’ve learned, that opportunities are out there, you’ve just got to decide what makes sense for you, your interests, and your time commitments. Good luck!