Ask HN: Need a side project that will generate 100K within 4 years

[doronrotem]

Family is growing and house seems to shrink on us. i would like to buy a new house or expend my house with in 4 years, since i already have a day job i thought i might start a side project that i can sell in a couple of years or that will generate about 2K each month. Any oNe has an idea?

[3dFlatLander]

You can play with the numbers and goals all you want, but until you actually start something and generate revenue, it will all be meaningless. If your project goes like many of the others here, it will generate close to nothing for a while, and then slowly rise (or shoot up if you're lucky). Moreover, if you want to be successful you'll need to pick something you're knowledgeable about and have the skillset to create. Everybody here can pitch ideas, but do you really think we'd be better at coming up with an idea for a project than you would, especially given this limited amount of information?

There was an article recently that talked about the problem of people asking what programming projects they should work on, and how that was really the wrong question to ask in the first place. I wish I could find it again, as there are some parallels to these kids of questions.

[John89]

The 'solution' is easy, be happy with what you have and stop buying crap you don't need. The fact you think you need a 'extra' $100,000 on top of a job and a house(mortgaged or not) is a good indication the issue here is you just want stuff.

The answer to your question though is work hard and ignore your kids. Get a promotion by skilling up then move to a high paid job.

Or start a online company, sell something but make the site also make people want to come back, as before work your but off, know your product inside out, stopping wasting time on the little things.

[doronrotem]

oh, i hardly buy any crap i dont need, although i can always buy even less. the "stuff" that i want is just more space/rooms.

skilling up and being promoted has already happened, although there is always room for improvement.

i thought it was obvious, so i didn't mentioned it, but i am a professional programmer. so doing something online is, for me, the obvious thing.

i was thinking in the line of a dating site or some social news site in niches that weren't explored yet, but thought that maybe the HN community might come with something more original.

doing the freelance (10 hrs a week X $50 per hour) is for example something i didn't thought of because i am oriented toward building a product or service. i am not sure i can add the extra work for so long (4 years) and i am also skeptical about reaching customers. but it is surely something i should consider.

[gexla]

Freelance work. $50 x 10 hours per week = $2000 per month.

[jijoy]

That's what everyone is looking for .

[btilly]

Some are more ambitious.