Side projects I've built since 2009

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Selling side projects & microacquisitions

  • Several commenters ask how the author sells so many small sites.
  • Approaches mentioned: listing on marketplaces (Acquire.com, Flippa), people reaching out directly via contact forms, and general microacquisition-style deals.
  • Reported sale prices range from roughly a few hundred dollars to low four figures, totaling a bit over $35k across projects.
  • Some note many “sold” projects are now parked/defunct and speculate that often the domain/SEO/ad potential is what’s really being bought, not a full-fledged “product.”

Getting traffic & early users

  • Tactics: Show HN posts, writing articles, good on‑site copy for SEO, sharing with friends/coworkers, and posting in relevant niche communities (without spamming).
  • Social platforms like Instagram Reels/TikTok are cited: algorithms test content with small groups first, so large follower counts aren’t strictly required. Some companies even pay creators to run multiple “fresh” accounts with proven video formats.

Unfinished projects & the “cemetery” idea

  • Many relate more to “side projects I haven’t finished” and joke such a list would itself remain unfinished.
  • A playful “Side Project Cemetery” service is proposed: upload abandoned projects, give them a ritual send‑off, and let visitors “grave-rob” code or ideas.
  • Others note that GitHub already functions as a kind of uncurated museum of abandoned experiments.

Why do side projects? Fun, learning, or money?

  • Strong theme: unfinished projects aren’t inherently bad; they’re often for fun, learning, or solving personal problems.
  • Several people consciously redefine “finished” as “I got what I wanted out of it” rather than “has paying users.”
  • Others are highly motivated by even small amounts of side income, while some feel money goals can kill the fun and turn projects into “side hustles.”

Burnout, motivation, and energy

  • Multiple comments describe exhaustion, burnout, or “boreout” (nothing seems worth doing), and the guilt of not shipping.
  • Some argue the key is finding a project you genuinely believe in; when that happens, energy returns and long coding stretches feel rejuvenating.
  • Others emphasize it’s OK to rest and that life changes (kids, health issues) naturally slow side-project output.

Process, perfectionism, and getting started

  • Advice themes:
    • Start now; early momentum matters more than perfect planning.
    • “Today’s good enough beats tomorrow’s perfect”; all code is eventually thrown away.
    • “Paralysis by analysis” is framed as a form of perfectionism that often leads to doing nothing.
    • Short “5‑minute dips” into a task can bootstrap progress and reduce self‑blame.

Tools and LLMs

  • Some describe LLMs as dramatically lowering friction: helping with prototypes, research, and tedious tasks, making old shelved ideas feasible within busy adult lives.
  • Others reject AI assistance entirely, wanting every line and idea to be personally authored; they see AI/autocomplete as undermining the sense of ownership.
  • A contrasting view sees ideas as inherently composite—AI is just another source of inspiration, like conversations or books.

Portfolios, inspiration, and page design

  • Several readers are inspired to build their own “side project timelines” instead of relying on scattered blogs/GitHub repos.
  • Feedback includes UX details (e.g., making project URLs clickable).
  • Some share their own long-running side projects (e.g., a book-ranking site with millions of monthly views) as proof that simple tools can grow large over time.

Maintenance, shutdowns, and taxes

  • The author’s rule of thumb: if a project loses traffic or personal interest, simply let the domain expire.
  • A commenter asks about taxes on small sales in Europe; the main suggestion is to use an accountant because treaty and origin-country rules can be complex.

Value and ROI of niche/list sites

  • People question why anyone would buy simple “list” sites (like the Google Cemetery), and whether there is real ROI.
  • Hypothesized value: occasional media coverage or viral spikes that can be monetized with ads, especially for low‑maintenance sites.