Ideas For Money On The Side In Web Design

If you work for a web design firm, you might have to sign no-compete agreements (depending on the laws in your area) saying you won't work for clients in your off-time. However, web design is a big field, and touches a lot of side enterprises. Here are some ways you can put your extra tech-savvy skill points to work doing a little moonlighting:

• Blogging - So obvious we almost don't have to say. Most every web designer has a blog or social media account of some kind. Toss in some ads, and you've got a little side money. Free blogs at Blogger.com


• Facebook apps - Fun little side boxes you can make in Flash, AJAX, and Javascript. Can be useful or fun - most are trivial, and if it's popular enough you can sell memberships and or licenses for revenue. A registry of Facebook apps.


• iPhone apps - No doubt you're heard of some of the top-selling applications for the iPhone. Apple lets you set up a store and sell these at the iPhone apps store.


• Twitter backgrounds - Twitter has given rise to a new cottage industry in making backgrounds for Twitter home pages. Many sites give away backgrounds, a few sell them or make them to order for a fee. Mashable's HOWTO on creating Twitter backgrounds.

Peter Brittain