Making money can be the toughest job.

It takes a lot of our time to earn a buck. Once we earn it, we lose it to our “paymasters.” who force us to work for them for a living.

I want to get out of that prison as soon as possible. My plan to di it is by coding side projects.

Here are the ideas I’ve got going on.

A story about my powerful side project

My side project that started it all was a simple blog.

It took me three weeks to hack it together. When I did, I started creating content so I could get more users. I figured if I could get 5,000 people to see the blog, I’d be in a good spot.

To my surprise, the blog got 10,000 users in 3 months. Then it climbed to 30,000 monthly users.

The accumulation of users is one of the most valuable assets in the world.

The biggest lesson for me is that the idea you think is good for a side project isn’t always the best idea. Often it’s the execution.

What you think will be a success may not be. What you think is terrible may be the best idea of all.

The truth about side projects

The truth about side projects is that you can’t suddenly expect millions of dollars to flood in and change your life.

If you want to earn a side income, then you have to choose a side project based on your interests. Not all side projects will lead to a big payday. If you expect to make a decent income from a side project then it’s going to take a while.

Most side projects, like the one I have, are tiny. My React blog, Upbeat Code, only makes a few hundred bucks a month. People look at Upbeat Code and think “that’s a terrible side project. Why are you wasting time on that?”

The secret of a side project is you enjoy it, not investors or other people. Nobody’s opinion in the world matters. People don’t understand. That’s okay. They don’t need to.

What you’re earning is a lie

Your time is real money. I’m realizing this more and more in my life.

A high salary is okay. But that same salary crammed into your calendar over 240 hours is a big problem. Time is more important than money.

The calendars of my friends that earn good money are full. They’re heroes. They’re the people who make Twitter’s timeline such a nightmare to read.

They’re so busy they can’t possibly fit in any more meetings or do any extra work. Those calendars are a symbol of our financial prison.

Fewer meetings and more time to work on side projects may not increase your salary. But it will get you financially free faster. You only have a finite amount of time, so be careful how you allocate it.

The more you take from your calendar the more financial freedom you’ll achieve.

Time is real money

None of us has enough time. We have to make time for everything we want in life.

I’ve spent the last few years looking for ways to reprogram my mind. My aim is to spend the time I have on this planet doing what I love and to make money doing it.

I’m tired of spending time on things I don’t truly enjoy or doing things that don’t align with my own values.

Time is the most valuable thing we have.

Learn to value your time.

Final Words

A lot of programming folks are financially free. How do they get there?

By coding. By building side projects.

The side project route to financial freedom can lead to a multi-million dollar exit overnight. But even if it doesn’t, you’re still financially free. That’s the hidden truth that nobody talks about.

Leave the corporate life behind and create your own future. It’s not that hard, but it takes time.

P.S. You'll get there faster if you'll read my Medium stories.