{"id":2365,"date":"2025-10-06T00:19:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/how-ive-made-350000-from-ai-built-apps\/"},"modified":"2025-10-06T00:19:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:19:18","slug":"how-ive-made-350000-from-ai-built-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/how-ive-made-350000-from-ai-built-apps\/","title":{"rendered":"How I\u2019ve Made $350,000 From AI-Built Apps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<p data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading4101_a8a8ab-85\">Today, I\u2019m excited to share an article from Pete McPherson. Pete has built and sold AI-built apps, earning over $350,000 without experience. In this post, he explains exactly how he did it and how you can get started, too. This can be an interesting way to make extra income! Three years ago, I was a\u2026<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden\" style=\"display: none;\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" decoding=\"async\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-Ive-Made-350000-From-AI-Built-Apps.png\" data-pin-description=\"I built and sold simple AI-powered apps and made over $350,000 - even without a tech background. In this article, I\u2019m sharing exactly how I did it and how you can start your own app with AI, step by step. This is a great way to work from home and make income!\" class=\"dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden-inner  dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden-single perfmatters-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-Ive-Made-350000-From-AI-Built-Apps-150x150.png\"\/><br \/>\n        <img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-Ive-Made-350000-From-AI-Built-Apps-150x150.png\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/How-Ive-Made-350000-From-AI-Built-Apps.png\" data-pin-description=\"I built and sold simple AI-powered apps and made over $350,000 - even without a tech background. In this article, I\u2019m sharing exactly how I did it and how you can start your own app with AI, step by step. This is a great way to work from home and make income!\" class=\"dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden-inner  dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden-single\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n    <\/div>\n<p><em>Today, I\u2019m excited to share an article from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/code-playbook-free-mini-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pete McPherson<\/a>. Pete has built and sold AI-built apps, earning over $350,000 without experience. In this post, he explains exactly how he did it and how you can get started, too. This can be an interesting way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/extra-income\">make extra income<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Three years ago, I was a burnt-out creator debating whether to go back to a \u201creal job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since then, I\u2019ve\u2026<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cCoded\u201d 8 apps<\/li>\n<li>Sold 2 software companies<\/li>\n<li>Earned over $350k+ (just from those).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"838\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot-1024x838.png\" alt=\"business sale proof screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-78108\" style=\"width:500px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot-1024x838.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot-300x246.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot-768x629.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot.png 1158w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-sale-screenshot.png\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>While working less than 20 hours a week\u2026<\/p>\n<p>With no developer experience(!)\u2026<\/p>\n<p>And no massive audience\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The secret?<\/p>\n<p>You guessed it: <strong>A.I.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This post is the \u201chow I did it\u201d story\u2013the mistakes, strategy, and \u201cvibe coding\u201d blueprint.<\/p>\n<p>No fluff. Just value.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s roll \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What this post will give you\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This post explores \u201c<strong>vibe-coding.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What it is<\/li>\n<li>Why it matters<\/li>\n<li>How you can start<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>And when you close this browser tab, <\/em>I want you to have 3 things:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Inspiration \ud83d\udc49 <\/strong>PROOF that these wild opportunities exist<\/li>\n<li><strong>Knowledge \ud83d\udc49 <\/strong>There\u2019s a lot of TEACHING here.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Confidence \ud83d\udc49 <\/strong>My goal is to make this as NON-TECHY as possible, and I hope you have a few \u201ca-ha!\u201d moments.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em>Recommended reading: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/2025\/08\/surprising-work-from-home-jobs-youve-probably-never-heard-of.html\">12 Surprising Work From Home Jobs You\u2019ve Probably Never Heard Of<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cWoah Pete. Code? AI? Saas? Sounds techy and overwhelming\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Good news<\/strong> = You do NOT need to be super techy to \u201cuse\u201d this blog post<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bad news<\/strong> = There will <em>always <\/em>be new terms &amp; tech to learn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I mean, heck\u2026<\/p>\n<p>I am NOT a trained developer. I\u2019m a full-time content creator.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve learned WordPress or video editing software, you can do this, too.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"671\" alt=\"I still don't understand half of this coding stuff.\" class=\"wp-image-78109 perfmatters-lazy\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff-1024x671.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff-1024x671.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff-768x504.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-still-dont-understand-half-of-this-coding-stuff.png 1406w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I\u2019m going to show you how to let AI do all the hard stuff <em>for you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Your job?<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Come up with ideas<\/li>\n<li>Chat with AI<\/li>\n<li>Guide the process<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This post will keep things dead simple.<\/p>\n<p><em>Recommended reading: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/2025\/07\/ways-to-use-chatgpt-to-make-money.html\">10 Best Ways To Use ChatGPT To Make Money<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How I learned how to do this stuff\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Here\u2019s my timeline:<\/p>\n<p><strong>October 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I quit my accounting job (after 2 years of fear). I take a part-time gig at a small startup so I can spend more time SIDE-HUSTLING. Get laid off after one paycheck (ruh roh).<\/p>\n<p><strong>June 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I launch <em>Do You Even Blog <\/em>accidentally by recording interviews with money-making bloggers (<em>Thanks, Michelle \ud83d\ude4f). <\/em>I LOVE THIS WORK SO MUCH!<\/p>\n<p><strong>2017 \u2013 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I ran the podcast, YouTube channel, blog, courses, and a membership! Made enough $$$ to survive. Still loved it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Summer 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Burnout. Boredom. Started OTHER businesses (12+ websites, 3 YouTube channels, 2 podcasts). Variety is nice. Money is nice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>December 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My media empire is rockin! I made a detailed plan for 2023. Then <strong>ChatGPT releases.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>January 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Panic. I feel like AI is the next \u2018thing,\u2019 but I\u2019m afraid to drop my entire plan. After a month, I pivot everything to AI.<\/p>\n<p><strong>March 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I see a YouTube video where ChatGPT codes. Mind blown. I start \u201ccoding\u201d my first app.<\/p>\n<p><strong>June 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I spend LITERALLY 3 MONTHS on this app, <strong>and it was one of the most difficult &amp; frustrating things I\u2019ve ever done, and I only got about 10 paying users. <\/strong>But I shipped it and I\u2019m proud.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"617\" alt=\"the first app I built.\" class=\"wp-image-78110\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built-1024x617.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built-1024x617.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built-768x463.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built-1536x926.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/the-first-app-I-built.png 1672w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>August 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I try again. This app only takes 3 WEEKS (what?!) and it immediately grows to $1,000\/month in recurring revenue.<\/p>\n<p><strong>October 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>FABB AI (<em>stands for Fully Autonomous Blog Bot<\/em>) is making about $3k\/month, but I have a health emergency and pause ALL my work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>March 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I build Topical Map AI in about 3 DAYS(!) to solve my own pain point. Made a few grand, then went passive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>April \u2013 November 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Built more small apps with AI. Took partners for Topical Map AI who promoted it. Revenue grew to $7-8k\/month and it\u2019s mostly passive for me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>December 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Listed FABB AI for $45,000 \u201cjust to see what happens\u201d and it <strong>sells within 10 days. <\/strong>Um. What. Didn\u2019t know I could do that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>January 2025 \u2013 Today<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following the \u201cblueprint\u201d full-time (it\u2019s below!) Created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/Code-Playbook-aff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Code Playbook<\/a> to teach others how to do this stuff. Sold Topical Map AI after 10 months of ignoring it (whoops, but yay!). Now I ship apps part-time-ish, make money, and I\u2019m having the time of my life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"646\" alt=\"offer on business\" class=\"wp-image-78111\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business-1024x646.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business-1024x646.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business-300x189.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business-768x484.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/offer-on-business.png 1522w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s move into \u201cteaching mode\u201d for a moment \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>My exact \u201cblueprint\u201d for making money:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Here are my vibe-coding philosophies (built from the past 2 years of craziness):<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1 \u2013 Build in Public<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Always grow your <em>personal brand <\/em>outside of specific businesses! Strategies go stale and projects go away, but it\u2019s vital to have an audience that follows you in the long-term.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBuild in public\u201d = share behind-the-scenes. What you\u2019re working on, lessons learned, tips &amp; tricks, etc. This <em>builds your authority <\/em>and indirectly builds interest for your next product.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2 \u2013 The \u201cAudience-First\u201d Rule<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I don\u2019t build anything unless I can <em>clearly <\/em>see where my first 10-100 customers will come from.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, I have my <em>Do You Even Blog <\/em>audience (a huge asset), but I also look for ways to reach new people. I like to know this BEFORE I start work on a product.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 \u2013 The \u201cIdea Abundance\u201d System<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Stop waiting for \u201cbig ideas\u201d and start capturing \u201ctiny ideas\u201d DAILY. I keep an \u201cidea inbox\u201d for easy brain-dumping.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"554\" alt=\"my list of business ideas\" class=\"wp-image-78112\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas-1024x554.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas-1024x554.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas-768x415.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas-1536x831.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/my-list-of-business-ideas.png 1990w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>(At the end of this post, I\u2019ll share my 3 tricks for quickly generating app ideas if you\u2019re stuck).<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4 \u2013 Build it to Sell<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I get bored easily and I don\u2019t enjoy marketing. 2 things that make \u201cscaling\u201d really difficult.<\/p>\n<p>So I start every project asking, \u201cCan I sell this in 12 months?\u201d or \u201cCan I make this 90% passive?\u201d If the answer is no, I don\u2019t even start!<\/p>\n<p>I learned this the hard way. I would\u2019ve made more money if I hadn\u2019t PAUSED both companies I sold.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5 \u2013 The big picture for each new project<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>My current process:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Month 1 \ud83d\udc49 Sloppy MVP and alpha testers<\/li>\n<li>Month 2 \ud83d\udc49 Clean it up and launch the beta at a discounted price<\/li>\n<li>Month 3 \ud83d\udc49 \u201cKill or keep\u201d the project. It gets obvious fast.<\/li>\n<li>Month 4 \ud83d\udc49 Create documentation and onboarding.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Everything after that should be marketing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"729\" alt=\"This app only got 3 customers, so I closed it.\" class=\"wp-image-78113\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers-1024x729.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers-1024x729.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers-1536x1093.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/refunded-customers.png 1962w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6 \u2013 Leverage partners<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I hate marketing, so I find partners who have the audience I need!<\/p>\n<p>Affiliates are good, but equity partners are SO much better. They provide more energy, audience, and even ideas. It\u2019s a surprisingly easy pitch!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7 \u2013 Build to sell, part 2<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I have learned a lot about what buyers look for:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>STABLE revenue<\/li>\n<li>An easy transition<\/li>\n<li>An <em>interesting <\/em>brand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I build with those things in mind, first and foremost!<\/p>\n<p>P.S. If you\u2019d rather watch my blueprint for these steps, I put it on YouTube.<\/p>\n<p>    <center><\/p>\n<div class=\"perfmatters-lazy-youtube\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i2ISfkssFXE\" data-id=\"i2ISfkssFXE\" data-query=\"si=rrdSQyk7O0ndJmzg\" onclick=\"perfmattersLazyLoadYouTube(this);\">\n<div>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"YouTube video\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" nopin=\"nopin\" class=\"perfmatters-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/i2ISfkssFXE\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/><br \/>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/i2ISfkssFXE\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube video\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" nopin=\"nopin\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <noscript><br \/>\n            <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"My exact blueprint for making money\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i2ISfkssFXE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n        <\/noscript><br \/>\n    <\/center><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is \u201cvibe-coding?\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Vibe-coding = using AI to code.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not about programming languages, frameworks, syntax, and highly technical stuff\u2026<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s about\u2026<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Having an idea<\/li>\n<li>Chatting with an AI about it (hence the \u2018vibe\u2019)<\/li>\n<li>Letting the AI do all the HARD work (i.e. the actual coding)<\/li>\n<li>Going back and forth until it works \ud83d\udcaa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You have ideas and <em>manage.<\/em> AI writes code.<\/p>\n<p>You <em>vibe code <\/em>back and forth until it WORKS.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"641\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78115 perfmatters-lazy\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1-1024x641.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1-1024x641.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1-768x481.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1-1536x961.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/video-coding-1.png 1572w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>No engineering degrees. No bootcamps. Just chatting, testing, tweaking, and SHIPPING.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The tools I use &amp; recommend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>First, an important point: <strong>the tools matter less than MOMENTUM.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are new AI coding tools released every day, and you should ignore 99% of that.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll really only need 3 things:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A laptop<\/li>\n<li>An AI code editor<\/li>\n<li>A host<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>I\u2019ll skip the computer recommendations and get to the fun stuff (also<em>, below is a YouTube video where I dive deeper into my tools).<\/em><\/p>\n<p>    <center><\/p>\n<div class=\"perfmatters-lazy-youtube\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AFDLZqs9Uqg\" data-id=\"AFDLZqs9Uqg\" data-query=\"si=LhfvD7hhjBKvEz9z\" onclick=\"perfmattersLazyLoadYouTube(this);\">\n<div>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"YouTube video\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" nopin=\"nopin\" class=\"perfmatters-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/AFDLZqs9Uqg\/hqdefault.jpg\"\/><br \/>\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/AFDLZqs9Uqg\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube video\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" nopin=\"nopin\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <noscript><br \/>\n            <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"6 tools that let me build apps LIGHTNING fast (no code &amp; low code)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AFDLZqs9Uqg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n        <\/noscript><br \/>\n    <\/center><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>An AI code editor<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>You might see these called \u201cIDEs,\u201d by the way.<\/p>\n<p>All the big options have AI baked right in!<\/p>\n<p><strong>I have tried them all, and I recommend using <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cursor.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Cursor<\/strong><\/a><strong>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re going to pay for ANY tool to vibe-code, it\u2019s Cursor, but you can also start on the free plan!<\/p>\n<p><strong>What about Bolt &amp; Lovable and all these \u201cdoes everything for you\u201d tools?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I do <strong>NOT <\/strong>recommend them.<\/p>\n<p>It <em>might <\/em>be easier to get started, but you get less control, more bugs, and more headache in the long-term. <strong>Skip them!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A host<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Just like you need a host for your WordPress website, you need a host for your app website.<\/p>\n<p>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/vercel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vercel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The best free tier, easy GitHub connect, fast deploys, etc. Done.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>VIBE-CODING PRO TIP:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The \u201cbest tool\u201d is the one you\u2019ll actually open and USE. Reduce friction. Use Cursor or Windsurf. Build stuff daily.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cPete, what about programming languages? Frameworks? Databases?!\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Who cares?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let the more techy developers argue about Python vs Javascript vs Deno vs Bun vs PostgreSQL.<\/p>\n<p>Your customers don\u2019t care, as long as your app works.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask ChatGPT to recommend a \u201csimple, beginner-friendly stack,\u201d after you describe what you want (see below).<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Or\u2013you could use my pre-made \u201ckit.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s like buying a cake mix instead of baking from scratch \ud83c\udf82<\/p>\n<p>This is the \u201ctech stack\u201d I use for every single project:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SvelteKit \u2013 <\/strong>Web-app framework. Uses Svelte + JavaScript (AI knows it well).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Firebase \u2013 <\/strong>Your \u201cbackend as a service\u201d aka your database<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tailwind CSS \u2013 <\/strong>How you style your app. AI knows this well!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stripe \u2013 <\/strong>For getting that money \ud83d\udcb8<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>AI can set 95% of this up FOR you!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And for the 5% it can\u2019t, it can walk you through it.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to vibe-code your first app, step by step<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Here\u2019s the 30,000-foot overview of the process I use for every app I build.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1 \u2013 Set up your computer<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s one <em>manual <\/em>thing to do before you vibe code\u2013setting up your computer!<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s like connecting your Super Nintendo console to your TV before you can play.<\/p>\n<p>You only have to do this once.<\/p>\n<p>AND\u2026AI can walk you through it step-by-step<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Find the \u201cterminal\u201d on your computer (Google can show you how!)<\/li>\n<li>Install Cursor<\/li>\n<li>Install both Node.js and npm (AI can do this)<\/li>\n<li>Sign up for a free <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GitHub<\/a> account<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2 \u2013 Ask AI to set up your app (with a starter template)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>First, I recommend chatting with ChatGPT\/Claude about your project\u2026<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Explain the idea<\/li>\n<li>Explain any features you want<\/li>\n<li>Explain\u2013everything<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ask it for feedback\u2013<strong>as well as what \u201cframework\u201d or \u201ctech stack\u201d you should use.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Then you\u2019ll prompt AI (in Cursor) to set it up!<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>(Optional) Locate the documentation for your app framework (<a href=\"https:\/\/svelte.dev\/docs\/kit\/creating-a-project\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SvelteKit is here<\/a>, for example) Copy\/Paste the URL for the documentation to your AI<\/li>\n<li>Prompt AI to set up a new project (give it your details, like the name, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Troubleshoot errors with AI<\/li>\n<li>Get your project running \u201clocally\u201d (on your computer) and test it with the funny URL that your AI gives you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This proves your local setup is working!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"568\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78116\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup-1024x568.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup-1024x568.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/local-setup.png 1244w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>VIBE-CODING PRO TIP:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Even seasoned developers get errors CONSTANTLY! That\u2019s the job. Build, fail, fix, repeat. Don\u2019t be discouraged when you get errors. It happens all the time in the coding world! Plus, AI is great at fixing errors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Technically, you built an app!<\/strong> Congrats!<\/p>\n<p>Now let\u2019s deploy it to the internet.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 \u2013 Deploy it to the internet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cDeploy\u201d just means \u201cconnect to a host, who serves your app to website visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create a free <a href=\"https:\/\/vercel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vercel<\/a><strong> <\/strong>account<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/codeplaybook.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-git-commit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cCommit\u201d your code in git<\/a> (AI can do this for you)<\/li>\n<li>Create a \u201cremote repository\u201d in your GitHub dashboard, then copy\/paste the code snippet back in your terminal\u2013this will upload your code to GitHub<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Vercel, create a new project and \u201cconnect\u201d it to your new GitHub repo<\/li>\n<li>(Optional) Add a custom domain name in the Vercel project settings!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If all goes well\u2013<em>your app is now live on the internet!!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If it doesn\u2019t go well, chat with AI about it \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2642\ufe0f<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4 \u2013 Build features with the \u201cAI Coding Loop\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Now you\u2019re ready to build YOUR thing.<\/p>\n<p>Below is my process of coding anything.<\/p>\n<p>Start with the boring features first (header, footer, login and logout) OR start with whatever you\u2019re excited about building (to keep momentum)!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"764\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78119\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1-1024x764.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1-1536x1146.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/repeat-plan-test-build-vibe-code-1.png 1694w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The \u201cAI Coding Loop,\u201d explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This is the core vibe coding process:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1 \u2013 Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Chat with your AI (no code yet!) about what you want to build.<\/p>\n<p>Brainstorm. Go nuts. Dream up <em>cool stuff.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What\u2019s the idea?<\/li>\n<li>What do you want it to look like?<\/li>\n<li>What 2-3 features should you start with?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Give AI as much context &amp; detail as possible, then ask it to create a plan for implementation.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Go back and forth with AI until you\u2019re satisfied with the plan.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2 \u2013 Implement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Ask AI to build it.<\/p>\n<p>Grab coffee while you wait.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 \u2013 Test it\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Basically, <em>use your app.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>TRY to break it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"594\" alt=\"Errors will happen, and that's normal\" class=\"wp-image-78120\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal-1024x594.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal-1024x594.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal-300x174.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal-768x446.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal-1536x891.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Errors-will-happen-and-thats-normal.png 1706w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You <em>will <\/em>get errors. Feed them back to AI immediately, then again, then again\u2026until it works.<\/p>\n<p>If AI is <em>really <\/em>failing, you can Google the error, get help in any vibe-coding communities, <strong>or delete everything the AI just did and start over.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4 \u2013 Repeat<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A feature is working with no errors?<\/p>\n<p>You did it!<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Save your work (using Git. You\u2019ll want to watch 15 mins of YouTube videos. Or AI can do it for you \ud83e\udd2a)<\/li>\n<li>Do a little dance<\/li>\n<li>Move on to the next thing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Boom!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The marketing strategies I\u2019ve found most effective<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Honestly, this could be its own article (or three)\u2026<\/p>\n<p>On one hand, you can market a Saas like any digital or physical product.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, there are a <em>few strategies that are uniquely effective <\/em>for apps.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1 \u2013 Personal audience (duh)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Ok, this isn\u2019t unique, but it\u2019s SO important.<\/p>\n<p>Build a personal brand <em>that can follow you for the long-term<\/em>!<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you already have an audience, fantastic!<\/li>\n<li>If not, start <em>today <\/em>with your existing social media channels <em>and an email list.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Share behind-the-scenes. Lessons learned. Even a small following can kickstart early traction.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2 \u2013 Partners (Equity and everything)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"933\" alt=\"Always be building relationships in your niche\" class=\"wp-image-78121\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche-1024x933.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche-1024x933.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche-300x273.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche-768x699.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Always-be-building-relationships-in-your-niche.png 1344w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I hate marketing, so this has been my go-to strategy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Find somebody who has your target audience, and convince them to partner with you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This \u201cpitch\u201d is hard for most digital products, but surprisingly easier for Saas:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I build the app, provide support, and run everything (i.e. 97% of the work)<\/li>\n<li>YOU promote it whenever the opportunity arises<\/li>\n<li>We split monthly profits 50\/50, and when we eventually sell the app!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>I\u2019ve done this twice, and it\u2019s a beautiful arrangement!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Just remember that partnerships <em>truly are <\/em>like marriage. <\/strong>It helps if you know the person(s) already, and get everything in writing! (your role, their role, responsibilities, etc!)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 \u2013 Affiliates<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Affiliates are never going to be as incentivized as equity partners\u2013but there\u2019s far less competition for promoting Saas products.<\/p>\n<p>Get your first few customers, gather some testimonials, then affiliates will have an easier time saying \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4 \u2013 Cold Outreach<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I have NEVER suggested cold emailing people as a strategy, until now.<\/p>\n<p>The market for courses, podcast guests, etc, is saturated, but <strong>apps just have a different vibe <\/strong>(for now).<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>Hey! I made a course\u2026\u201d <\/em>is a really lame cold email.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cHey! I run an app called List Gadget\u2026\u201d <\/em>seems like a bigger deal.<\/p>\n<p>Cold outreach is never fun (if you\u2019re like me, that is), but there\u2019s a window of opportunity for this strategy.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>QUICK NOTE:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>\u201cPete, what about launching on Product Hunt? Hacker Noon? Reddit?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re <em>already <\/em>plugged into these communities, go for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But for most people? It\u2019s not worth the effort. I\u2019ve been disappointed with every \u201cProduct Hunt launch\u201d I\u2019ve tried.<\/p>\n<p>Focus on finding your target audience directly (and working with people who already have them)!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 Ways to \u201ccome up with app ideas\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re sitting down to \u201cthink of a business idea,\u201d you\u2019re doing it wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, develop the habit of <strong>recognizing opportunities in everyday life.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Keep an \u201cidea inbox\u201d in your notes where you can quickly braindump random ideas. Do this DAILY, if you can.<\/p>\n<p>That said\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Here are three specific methods to kickstart your brain with ideas:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1 \u2013 Scratch your own itch<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The easiest method ever\u2013when you cultivate the mindset of <em>noticing <\/em>when you feel pain or frustration.<\/p>\n<p>Train yourself to recognize those \u201cOh, this is annoying\u201d moments. You\u2019ll start seeing app ideas everywhere.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"557\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-78123\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1-1024x557.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1-768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1-1536x836.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Scratch-your-own-itch-1.png 1570w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2 \u2013 \u201cUnbundle\u201d Huge Apps<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Big companies like Hubspot, Ahrefs, or Google Workplace pack in 1,000 features into their apps.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What if you took just ONE of those features, and turned it into a standalone app?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I only used the \u201cSite Explorer\u201d feature in Ahrefs, and I found myself wishing it was a standalone app.<\/p>\n<p>In the tools you use, what features are you <em>paying for but aren\u2019t using?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Which apps are overcomplicated?<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 \u2013 Undercut Overpriced Apps<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>5 years ago, paying $10\/month for Calendly was perfectly reasonable.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now? I could build my own Calendly in a day or two. Why should I pay?<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"671\" alt=\"I don't need all of this\" class=\"wp-image-78124\" style=\"width:500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this-1024x671.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this-1024x671.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this-768x504.png 768w, https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-dont-need-all-of-this.png 1156w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><br \/>\n        <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I built a (free) note-taking app, <a href=\"http:\/\/bulletfinity.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bulletfinity.com<\/a>, in 10 days, because I didn\u2019t want to spend $10\/month for its competitors.<\/p>\n<p>The KEY for this strategy is to focus on apps that don\u2019t cost a lot to run, i.e. they are very scalable.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8 Resources to level up and get support<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Have I piqued your interest (and\/or overwhelmed you)? I hope so \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s obviously more to this vibe-coding business than what you can learn in a blog post, so here are several free &amp; paid resources to go deeper:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/code-playbook-free-mini-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Vibe-Coding for Complete Beginners: How It All Fits Together<\/strong><\/a>: A <strong>free<\/strong> 5-day mini course \u2013 <strong>this is your next step!<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makingsenseofcents.com\/Code-Playbook-aff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Code Playbook<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>(course): This is my vibe-coding course that\u2019ll walk you through every step, and provide a private Discord community where you can get help<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@codeplaybook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Code Playbook YouTube<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>I also release free videos on that YouTube channel. Go subscribe \ud83c\udfa5<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/readmake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>\u201cMake\u201d book: <\/strong><\/a>This is an online book (a really cool format btw) by \u201clevels.io\u201d, the founder of NomadList, RemoteOK, and more\u2013that was released BEFORE the AI craze, but is fantastic for future indie builders.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/petemcpherson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>My weekly newsletter: <\/strong><\/a>It\u2019s casual, but I share everything I\u2019m doing!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Other people to follow:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/marc_louvion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marc Lou<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/iannuttall\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ian Nuttall<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NetNinja\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Net Ninja on YouTube<\/a> for great free coding courses (not really vibe-coding, but still)<\/li>\n<li><strong>The documentation for whatever AI agent you use!<\/strong> Example: the Claude Code documentation is SO HELPFUL. Choose your tool, then bookmark their docs!<\/li>\n<li><strong>My email address: <\/strong>I\u2019m not a mega-influencer who gets 10,000 emails a day. Email me with your questions\u2013or just say hello! Pete (at) doyouevenblog (dot) com \ud83d\ude0e<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Is your brain reeling with ideas?<\/p>\n<p>(or overwhelmed at the possibilities? That\u2019s totally ok, too).<\/p>\n<p>I hope you enjoyed this post \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>Ciao!<\/p>\n<p>~Pete<\/p>\n<p>Author bio: Pete McPherson left the corporate world in 2017 to become a full-time online entrepreneur, building\u00a020+ profitable brands, two of which he successfully sold. Over the years, his work has reached\u00a0millions of people\u00a0through YouTube, podcasts, and blogs, amassing over\u00a04,000,000 YouTube views\u00a0and\u00a03,000,000 podcast downloads. Today, Pete teaches creators and entrepreneurs through\u00a0Code Playbook, his program and YouTube channel dedicated to helping people build and launch apps with AI.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Have you ever thought about building your own app with AI? What kind of tool or problem would you want to create one for?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Recommended reading:<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, I\u2019m excited to share an article from Pete McPherson. Pete has built and sold AI-built apps, earning over $350,000 without experience. In this post, he explains exactly how he did it and how you can get started, too. This can be an interesting way to make extra income! Three years ago, I was a\u2026 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2366,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-finance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/igorsplayground.com\/appcheckr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}