How To Make Extra Money As A Web Developer

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Life is uncertain at times, and unfortunate circumstances happen where we are without traditional employment. Especially since we are facing the repercussions of the pandemic, our lives are uncertain. We have no control over being laid off or downsized. I would love to tell you how to make extra money as a web developer so that you can pay off those pesky debt collectors or pay off those credit cards.

Sometimes, we do have a little bit of control over how we can make money during this uncertain economy.

Challenging life circumstances have led me to investigate non-traditional ways to make money. Some of the following methods that I will explain further are:

1. Freelancing
2. Blogging
3. Teaching on various platforms
4. Networking, which gives freelancing more power
5. Gig Economy

Freelance

Many freelancing websites help aspiring developers find clients. This is one of the most common side hustles for developers, or sometimes even replacing your primary job.

Although I do not have a ton of experience using different freelance websites to find work, I know they can be successful, especially if you have some experience.

It can be hard to get started freelancing, especially if you are new to web development. To counteract this, you may also want to do a few free websites in exchange for a great review.

Blogging

Do you feel like you are a good communicator? Or maybe you want to be better at communication. A great way to increase your communication skills is by blogging.

If you are knowledgeable about web development, start a blog on web development. You can also blog about what ever interest you and leverage affiliate marketings, ads, or selling your own products.

My Experience

I started blogging back in 2017 with a movie review blog and then moved to this web development blog.

When I graduated from Lambda School, which is now BloomTech, the careers team told me that starting a tech blog could help you get noticed by people interested in interviewing you.

It wouldn’t hurt to get training in SEO, too, because you have the potential to make money from the blog. According to WordPress, there are over 30 ways to make money from blogging.

An increasing number of people are using the internet every year, which means more income opportunities. Wait, making money off other people doesn’t sound right. Let me tell you though, if you are presenting a product or service, the transaction that may occur is mutually beneficial.

Consider a trip to the grocery store, does the grocery store make money off you? Does the salesman make money off you when you buy your car?

I use a great platform that gives you world-class training and hosting. Over the months of having a blog, it is possible even to make money from blogging. I even started making some, although it wasn’t my main reason for starting a blog.

Through the training, I began learning how to gain better-written communication skills, which can help you eventually get a regular job.

So consider adding blogging to your toolbelt. It is a great way to learn how to express your ideas. Who knows, the right person may see your tech blog and eventually interview you for an opening because of the excellent communication skills and concepts you learned from blogging.

Learn more about Wealthy Affiliate

Because of my training at Wealthy Affiliate I have a few articles ranked on the first page of Google and many people have made a lot of money blogging.

It takes a while to get traction though but their are many success stories.

Networking

Being able to network effectively can supercharge and increase your success if you choose to freelance.

In the previous section, I talked about blogging. If you have a web development blog, you can use the strategies discussed in the Wealthy Affiliate training, making your new websites more accessible for the online world to see. Then you can have a page to pitch your services and portfolio to countless people online.

One trick for networking is to attend meetups at meetup.com for your interests and you can utilize LinkedIn.

Teach on Udemy

Did you know that you can teach on Udemy? Yes, you can.

This may be a bit scary because people may not feel like an expert. I can pretty much guarantee you that you probably have more knowledge than someone else. If you know something, you might as well share it with others.

The more people purchase your course on Udemy, the more money you make. Heck…you may eventually be richer than Warren Buffet.

Teach on Skillshare

You can also become a teacher on Skillshare. The payout for teachers is a little different than Udemy. Learn more about their payout by going to the Skillshare website.

Gig Economy

The gig economy is booming now and will continue to be hot in the future. People are more hesitant to go out because of COVID and pay for services using DoorDash, Instacart, GrubHub, etc.

I worked for Door Dash on the side and recommend it to anyone looking to earn extra money or supplement their current job.

I made around $20/hr on weekdays and around $30/hr on the weekends. But, this is no guarantee that you will make that much. It will probably be less around the rural areas. But, I live in Metro Detroit, where it is a big market.

I relied solely on Door Dash to make money for two years. I wouldn’t replace a full-time job with it if I had the choice, but it can bring in a chunk of change.

If you work at a gig economy job, you will be a 1099 independent contractor. You will be in charge of taxes, but you can deduct a lot of stuff.

My tax rate wasn’t that high with Door Dash after all my deductions. Although, be aware because you have to use your own car.

Next Steps

I hope that you consider one of these options to make extra money as a web developer. It is a lucrative field to get into. Whether you got laid off or looking for a job, you can make money using these various methods.

If you have questions about any of these methods to make money, let me know below.

Are there other methods to make extra money that I forgot? Tell me about different ways you have made money from non-traditional methods and advice that you would give future readers.

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