How to make money with your Raspberry Pi

So, you have purchased a Raspberry Pi and are wondering how you make money with one. There are numerous ways to make money with the Raspberry Pi. You could build your next business around creating arcade machines running RetroPie or Batocera. Maybe you’re interested in trading and want to build your own algorithmic trader? Or, if you’re like me, why not start a blog that generates passive income? Did you know that you can run WordPress on a Raspberry Pi? Lastly, creating your own custom projects can be a great source of income.

The options for making money with Raspberry Pi are only limited by your imagination. Lets dive deeper into each topic and I will present to you, how each could make you money.

Build Retro Arcade Machines

Do you love wood working or even just want to try it out? Why not try to build your own arcade machine. I recently built one over the summer of 2021 and it got me thinking that I could actually make money building these. If you have a knack for woodworking or you are just a beginner and curious (like myself) you could try your hand at building one. But wait, how does a Raspberry Pi fit into all of this? Great question – The Raspberry Pi is at the heart of the arcade. You can find projects like RetroPie or Batocera mentioned above which are dedicated gaming OS’s which will emulate platforms such as SNES, MAME, GB, GBC etc.

Sold? Looking for inspiration? Take a look at my arcade that I built:

Raspberry Pi Arcade

Maybe you don’t want to build full arcade machines and prefer something a little more hands off? Why not build a Raspberry Pi Arcade Controller? It’s the same concept as the arcade machine expect that it is a lot more portable as it does not include a screen or speakers! Have a look at this example below:

Raspberry Pi Arcade Controller

Here you can see a 3D printed Raspberry Pi arcade controller. What’s special about this is that the Raspberry Pi is housed inside the case. This means you can throw it in your backpack and take it to a friends house for game night. Once you have the 3D design down, it is as simple as adding the buttons to the case and wiring it to the Pi. Now all you have to do is list it on a site such as Etsy.

If you’re curious about how to install RetroPie to play games on the Raspberry Pi, check out my post!

Trading bot

Another great way to make money with a Raspberry Pi is to create your own trading bot. Yes, this is easier said than done but it is possible. With access to a Raspberry Pi and Python along with a broker, you would will be able to create your own bot that generates (or loses) money. This generally involves programming rules of when you want to buy/sell assets such as currency, stocks, bonds or even crypto.

So how does it work? Here’s very basic example: You would connect to a broker using their API, receive data regarding prices of the assets you’re interested in. Next, you would run this new data through business logic which is decided by you (basically the rules for when you want to buy or sell). After this you will place an order to open a position or even close an open position.

If you just want to try this out without trading real money, most brokers allow you to setup a demo account. I highly recommend running a trading bot in demo mode until you are comfortable with it. This will give you a chance to alter your strategy, see how it performs and eliminate bugs.

Check out my other website https://conorjohanlon.com to learn more about algorithmic trading.

Running a Mysterium node

Your first question is probably what is Mysterium? Mysterium is a global decentralized network of residential IP’s. Basically, it is a decentralized network, not owned by any one party or entity. Instead of paying for a regular VPN, users will pay their peers within the network to connect to their residential IP’s. Payout for running a node depends on the number of IP’s you have to offer, the speed of your network and your geographic location.

Running a node is an excellent way to make some passive income on the side and to provide a service to people on the network. When you run a Mysterium node, you get rewarded with MYST tokens. These tokens can be traded on crypto exchanges such as Coinbase Wallet. To learn more about Mysterium and how to run a node on Raspberry Pi, check out their website.

Host your own blog

Hosting a blog or a website is another great way you can make income. You can host WordPress on your Raspberry Pi and as long as your Raspberry Pi remains powered, the site will run 24/7 without interruption. Using your blog or website, there are a number of ways to generate income. You could run ads on your website, get involved with affiliate marking or even sell a course.

See how you can host a WordPress blog on your Raspberry Pi here: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/host-wordpress-raspberry-pi/

Create your own custom projects

[The Raspberry Pi is a very cost effective device. Coupled with the fact that it is so small, it can be integrated into many different projects. Coming up with your own projects can be a great way to make additional money. A 3D printer is also extremely helpful when it comes to building new projects. Many people like unique things and will pay top dollar for it to be custom made. Take for instance my custom 3D printed Gameboy:

3d Printed Raspberry Pi Gameboy

After posting it on reddit, many people reached out to me asking if I could build one for them. Posting your projects on reddit can be a great way of generating interest in a project. Just don’t spam the subreddit! Many people do not like this and it might get you banned.

So there you have it. My tips on how to make money with your Raspberry Pi. Let me know if you have any ideas how to generate income with a Raspberry Pi!

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