Ask HN: Building a side project that makes money. Where to start?
This is going to sounds like crazy advice, but having worked on many side projects in my life the <i>last</i> thing that's going to let you down is your skills.  What you really need is time.  Let's say it takes you 400 hours to build your project -- in those 400 hours, you will build up enough skills to get you started (not nearly enough to be good at it, but good enough).<p>So you need to work consistently 1-2 hours a day on your side project.  It really doesn't matter <i>what</i> you do.  If you manage to get those 1-2 hours in, you will muddle through and accomplish something.  If your goal is to make a side project and bring in a non-zero amount of money, this is achievable.  Learn whatever you learn on that project and then do it again.<p>Personally, I would spend exactly $0 on your task because, like I said, the thing that will kill you in the end is likely to be time commitment.  If you spend money, you will be out the money <i>and</i> your time.  So start with time and see where it takes you.<p>As others have said, no need to get fancy.  Just build the simplest thing that will get you started, using the simplest tools you can find.