

Ask HN: How can a startup entrepreneur make some extra cash? - krmmalik

I've been running my own business for about 5 years now, so i'm not sure it can be called a startup anymore.<p>I lived with my parents for a pretty long time to save on expenses but at some point i had to move out.<p>My business demands alot of me and there are 3 of us in this business, and while there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel i.e. i very much feel that i can definitely make this business work within the next 6-8 months, in the meantime im seriously struggling to pay my own personal bills and keep getting hit with unplanned expenses as is common in life.<p>&#62;What might i do to tie me over for a few months?<p>I thought about just working at the local macdonalds or something, but they prefer 16-18 year olds.<p>Im quite well skilled in IT Server support and related work but i cant seem to find any part-time contract work that i could do say 1 day a week that would tie me over beautifully.<p>Any suggestions?<p>(Any donations? Just kidding ;-))
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dirktheman
I feel your pain... I have a fulltime job besides my startup. I can't afford
to quit right now, but my backup plan is working as a taxi driver in the
evenings. The pay isn't actually that bad, you meet some people, and they
usually look for "older" (>25), responsible people. I found that the higher
skilled job you're looking for, the more difficult it gets working part-time.

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michael_dorfman
_I found that the higher skilled job you're looking for, the more difficult it
gets working part-time._

This reverses itself when it comes to consulting. If you're skilled enough,
and high-priced enough, you can do quite well coming into a company for a very
short term engagement. Hell, speakers often get paid for a single hour.

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byoung2
_Im quite well skilled in IT Server support and related work but i cant seem
to find any part-time contract work that i could do say 1 day a week that
would tie me over beautifully_

I currently have a need for a 1-day-a-week IT guy. If you're familiar with
Amazon AWS (EC2,ELB,EBS), I could use you. Contact me at my HN username at
gmail if you're interested.

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RealGeek
If you could come up with a weekend project idea, it can save you the trouble.

Develop a small utility product over a weekend. Something that people will
want to use and pay $10-$20 per month. Get few hundred users, and you will be
able to make some regular cash to pay the bills.

It won't make a multi-million dollar company, but you can make a few thousand
dollars per month.

I know several developers making $10,000 to $50,000 per month with such
products.

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michael_dorfman
If you've been running your own business for five years, surely you have
marketable skills that would keep you out of the running for a frontline
McDonalds position.

If I were you, I'd start by making a realistic assessment of your skills in as
many different areas that you can, and then thinking about who those skills
could be most valuable to.

From the sound of things, you're aiming too low.

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matthewphiong
Well, the easiest way perhaps is blogging. Blog about the stuff you like,
include some ads into your blog and start earning. Earning might not be a lot
(depends) but should enough to buy you a pretty good meal.

I started blogging few years ago and since last year I've stop blogging (to
focus on my startup) but I'm still earning around $200/month.

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krmmalik
I've had a fair amount of hits on my blog posts in the past, but something
about putting ads on it always held me back. (Not its not the pride thing).

Alot of people in this space, just kept saying that putting ads on a blog is
'selling out', so that kind of held me back.

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devmonk
Delivering pizzas might make some quick cash.

