How to earn more money?

<< Attended University of Arizona, $2,500 per year, and as good an education as just about anywhere else. Best thing was classes were instructed by real prefessors, not grad students. While everyone is talking education down, try to remember that it's impossible to learn everything you need to know to be an Engineer at any university. Want to learn what you need to know to make money, and skip the classes that are necessary to learn those things? Unfortunately, all the lower classes are crutial to understanding engineering principles. There are no short cuts. As time goes on, it's going to get even harder to learn everything you need to know. Engineering is a life-long learning proposition. You'll never know it all.

The original poster went AWOL.

He did not reply what country he is working on, but I suspect that it may be in the big "C".

Eventually some of the jobs in China will migrate to the next low-wages, undeveloped nation...

BrownOut said:

<< Attended University of Arizona, $2,500 per year, and as good an education as just about anywhere else.

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My daughter starts at York University this October, the fees for 2009/2010 are £3,225 - but (AFAIK) it's exactly the same at all UK Universities. For overseas students, this rises to £10,271 or £13,811 depending on the course.

Nigel Goodwin said:

My daughter starts at York University this October, the fees for 2009/2010 are £3,225 - but (AFAIK) it's exactly the same at all UK Universities. For overseas students, this rises to £10,271 or £13,811 depending on the course.

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While I was at the U of Arizona, we had a large population of foreign students. For sure, that was due to the low tuition and cost of living in Tucson. Foreign students paid roughly twice for tuition, but that is still pretty low in comparison to Eastern universities. U of Arizona peobably doesn't look as good on a resume, but I was never held back by that. The Engineering program is actually pretty highly regarded.

BrownOut I agree with your statement that engineering is a life long endeavor. I'm thankful for that. Waiting around for retirement is such a sad thing. I've heard from several people that we will eventually be kicked out so I guess maybe we'll all end up back where we started at the university or better our shed building a humanoid robots that play Frisbee.

BrownOut said:

<< Attended University of Arizona, $2,500 per year, and as good an education as just about anywhere else. Best thing was classes were instructed by real prefessors, not grad students. While everyone is talking education down, try to remember that it's impossible to learn everything you need to know to be an Engineer at any university. Want to learn what you need to know to make money, and skip the classes that are necessary to learn those things? Unfortunately, all the lower classes are crutial to understanding engineering principles. There are no short cuts. As time goes on, it's going to get even harder to learn everything you need to know. Engineering is a life-long learning proposition. You'll never know it all.

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I have to say that my engineering curriculum is amazing as well. Of course the first 2 years were very theoretical, calculus, physics, and liberal arts requirements. Third year we jumped into pretty intensive "intro" courses in analog electronics (transistor operation and amplifier analysis), EM fields w/ transmission line theory, and linear systems set to be an intro to control systems and/or digital/analog signal processing.

In the fall I start an analog filter design class which includes a large project due at the end. (i.e. design a filter to these specs). Also a class in which we design an amplifier IC in CMOS, independent project. There is also a 7-bit DAC project in the class after that which we actually get fabricated once we complete it, and the follow up course (its a 3 course sequence) is an independent design of a GSM filter. (the last 2 are grad courses, but the first two are undergrad)

I admit that my classes so far have been theoretical but once you start having to apply your knowledge you start to see why you got such a rigorous theoretical foundation.

Just a brief word about UK Unis. The current trend is to give degrees which tend to be worthless, it seems no learning required. All the Unis want is bums on seats and the fees. I've had the misfortune to work with some new grads, BSc Hons std and they had the skills of school leavers, hopeless, were causing more problems through lack of engineering knowledge. Dumbed down Britain BSc.

For the OP and any others with such skills.
First stop whinging and start doing.
Second pick something to make and sell and make some and go sell them.
In doing so you will learn all about being an enterpreteneur first hand .
Go on from there.

Now as far as what to make ,find something small and quickly made by your own hand . make ten. Sell ten . It will just get easier from there.

Most people I have seen sit back saying help me or wanting one big project that will make them a million right off. Not the way and any one who has made a buck will tell you.

What about a floating transmitter and outside receiver to get water tank levels. Yes they are brilliant ,they are available and they work but they are expensive for a handfull of components. Make some and sell them because there is a massive market out there outside the cities on town water.

What about a home phone number recorder that records the date and time , the number dialled and the time spent and can be read on a PC so we can compare the bill with the calls. Big market if cheap.

Do garden light installs with fountain pump and security systems .Do them cheaply as a package and go door to door selling the package cheap to start and a little more as you take off.

Positive attitude Man

Great ideas but actually the greatest thing that holds most people back now a days is the often unnecessary costs of getting your product certified by some recognized organization. Without it most businesses wont give you a second look.

You can design and produce the worlds greatest device but your boned if you try to sell it with out a government certified stamp of approval on it!

I am pleased to be working as a consultant with a company that is doing their collective best to design and manufacture a simple rugged reliable small scale wind power system that has full grid tie capabilities and is geared specifically toward the private rural home or farm owner and their price range.
The designs are already showing the high promise of being a new industry standard in that size and application category but there is a catch. Certification. Its by far the greatest financial and politically driven hurdle in the whole process.

The company could likely spend two or three times what the research and development costs are just on a dam stamp of approval from a supposedly voluntary safety organization. Its a voluntary compliance issue but yet you cant legally sell your product without it!
Your design and manufacturing process could produce a product far above the required safety and related regulation issues but without that high priced stamp of approval you cant sell it.

The OP may come up with a great idea and be able to make some quick cash but at some point if his product catches on he has far more politics and legal issues to worry about and pay for than setting up a mass production system will ever cost him.

As someone who is now just getting familiar with the actual aspects of bringing a product to the level of production for mass resale it sickens me to see that a product that could be made for $100 and should sell for $300 is going to have to sell for $600 just to cover the costs of keeping it certified and legal should there be any slight modification or design improvement. At $300 its a great and fair price but at $600 its not cost effective for the intended application any more.

I am not saying things should not be certified as safe but that the certification should not have an insanely extortionistic price tag attached to a simple certification process.

If you went to the DMV and they told you a driver license renewal is $25 you wouldn't think much about it. But what if you went there and they said the renewal is $25 but there is a completely voluntary safety inspection of the vehicle you drive that costs $25000. You dont have to have it done but with out it you cant renew your license. How would you take that?

Its a fact of life and and I am disappointed that in the land of the free it is the same as in Australia. I was coming there to get away from regulation.

I don't see you have much choice but do it small and quickly and learn. Its part of the learning process to hit these walls and overcome them.

Governments have lost their way ! They should be concerned with the big National issues that can best be done by a central authority . Military forces for national security. Perhaps a National scheme for disability and retirement. Perhaps health.

Certainly not personal property and family affairs.

When you go on the road you take your own life in your own hands because you and your occupants could get killed at any time. Its a risk we live with . Life in the jungle has always been a risk. If you stay in the cave you will be much safer but you won't advance much.

No matter how much they regulate they will never change the fact that whatever you do involves risk. I for one agree to take those risks and go do stuff .

What to do in the above wind problem . I would make them and sell some quietly and get some cash in and make a few more and progress slowly and maybe even forge a sticker or two and keep working on them to get it through but remembering the Government are lost and wholly focused on the buck . I keep writing and posting about it cause the only hope we have is that people power changes it .

One thing has always been the case . Everything changes thats the only thing that doesn't change.

tytower said:

What to do in the above wind problem . I would make them and sell some quietly and get some cash in and make a few more and progress slowly and maybe even forge a sticker or two and keep working on them to get it through...

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This might be "okay" (except for the forging) if youre making them for family/friends or personally as an item on ebay or something.

However,

(1) This device ties into the power grid. Connecting an uncertified device that might feed back power to the grid might be a federal offense of some kind.

(2) If it is ever found out that your company sold these things without them being certified you could be in for some large fines or criminal charges, not to mention the reputation hit that your company would take. Try getting a big business contract and having to admit "oh yes, we feloniously sold these devices to people in the past."

(3) If it is ever found out that your company FORGED federal certification stamps, you are done. Sunk. Fined, sued, charged criminally, and your reputation is ruined.

(4) Even if you exceed all safety limitations and it *would* pass the certification, if your unit somehow breaks and someone sues you, and you don't have the certification stamp... big trouble. You'll probably lose the suit bigtime and in addition, #1 , #2, and #3 might be brought to the attention of someone who can/will do something about it.



I don't disagree that the gov't is too focused on the buck instead of regulating what matters, but suggesting that a BUSINESS commit federal crimes is ludicrous.

"How to earn more money?"
Duh get a better job. Sorry I couldn't help it.

solis365 said:

(3) If it is ever found out that your company FORGED federal certification stamps, you are done. Sunk. Fined, sued, charged criminally, and your reputation is ruined.

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Agreed 100%. Tytowe, the tittle of the thread was, "How to earn more money?" not "How to lose all your money in a lawsuit."

With that attitude JC would have stayed off the earth.
What has happened to the John Wayne gung ho , get it done approach.
You lot may as well just dig a hole now because you have given up.Sad .

I mean go out on a limb ,take a risk , do it anyway but I'm surely not suggesting he break the law . Gosh no. Show me where I said connect them to the grid !

tytower said:

I would make them and sell some quietly and get some cash in and make a few more and progress slowly and maybe even forge a sticker or two and keep working on them to get it through but remembering the Government are lost and wholly focused on the buck.

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Forgery is a crime and will open you to huge lawsuits if something goes wrong with your product.
It's funny how you advocate freedom from government regulation yet propose actions which warrant regulation to protect the public interest. ie: Companies displaying stickers claiming that their products have been tested in an approved lab when they have not.
Shame! Your "JC" would not have been impressed with this type of deception!

"" Necessity is the mother of Invention.." now a days , alot of money is in introducing a new item and which provides convenience & intends to make life easier and comfortable..

hello

I did foundation engineering last year but despite not doing well in maths i got (A) for electronics. I am now doing a BSc in motor vehicle and transport technology.
There is some maths and electronics involved but i did want to be an electronic engineer - without the maths at (A) level i had to do the course i am doing now.

I sometimes buy broken machines, computers, printers, and electronic test equipment. I repair the machines and then sell them.
It is like an extra bit of income - it is not much but it helps, as a student i strugle at times and at the moment i am out of work and i rely on my student grant. For the moment i am living with my mother but i have a girlfriend who wants me to move in and i know that things will get hard.

If i do not get through the next 2 years at university i am going to do an electricians course and become self employed with my skills.
I am still good at repairs as i have worked in a dental laboratory repairing machines for 2 years before i went to university - Electrical is allot easier than electronics and can earn you a good wage.

As everyone i want to make my life as easy as possible.

I hope this is of help to you.

I think the OP has done a runner anyway.
Make a device which plugs between your USB modem and records data in and out so you can check what sites info is being sent to .Not stuff down but stuff UP. There is probably something around now but I can find it yet.

Go canvas door to door on rural and commercial sites and ask them if they want aerial photos of their farm/complex/shop. If you get say three bites then hire a small plane to fly you over with a good camera. Take a deposit though !