I am a REALLY broke programmer, have negative credit and just one step from homeless. Yesterday, I decided I want to get rich. I am documenting my struggles here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve4T-vKV6zU
Each month, I will pick a project that I 100% commit to and see how far this takes me.
When I say 100%, I really mean it (even if it entails selling software from the back of a trunk).
Do you have any ideas that I could focus on?
------
Background: I am relatively proficient in C++ and CUDA. Also did some things in Javascript. I am OK at mathematics, I wrote a book about probability and how to implement multigrid procedures on gpus (https://keinefirma.xyz/pages/fluid_tutorial/). But I am open to learn more!
First, I think that your priority right now should be getting a job (any job) instead of winging it as a solo developer. Going solo is already expensive enough, which doesn't make it the best idea when you are one step away from homelessness.
Second, and assuming you are still going to do it, I suggest you dedicate some time to improve your personal website. I visited your website, which took me to your Twitter, which told me to visit your vlog. Your main homepage had no link to neither your books, your CV, nor your vlog. Fixing that should be quick.
And finally, I deduct from your video and your Twitter bio that you are living in Germany. If you are living here legally then the Budesagentur für Arbeit can almost certainly provide you a list of open jobs. They won't be fun jobs for sure, but they'll keep you out of homelessness. You may also qualify for unemployment.
If you cannot pay expenses from programming, this is not because you bad, but because you need to fit, like key fit lock, nothing more, but nothing less.
Some thing in job "lock" are not so tight as in real modern door locks, but they are very far from what doing typical engineer.
- I mean soft skills could be lubricant, which could allow you to enter job, where you are not fit perfect.
Also, for real investors, better universal soldier, who could be engineer, manager and marketologist in one, so they just pay money and you deliver product in need quantities. But be even two in one (any from engineer, manager, marketologist) is not for all.
That's all. Other thing is just, more tries makes more chances.
And for now, you should find auxiliary airfield, some job, which is acceptable for your pride, and ideally, gives enough money to pay all expenses, but not engage all your time, so you will have enough spare time to learn-train, and to make all self-sell activities - attend events, make portfolio, meet with employers, etc.
For me was surprise, when in 2021 I found acceptable for me non-qualified jobs, where I got few times more money than at freelance. - Such jobs for sure exists in normal economy (where not war or some other extremes), but people are not talking about them, you need to go to field and check yourself.
BTW for war I also not sure, but what I could see now (I'm in Kiev, Ukraine), appears not too optimistic.
And read "The Richest Man in Babylon", a series of pamphlets publish a century ago "on thrift and financial success" https://archive.org/details/RichestManInBabylon_650/mode/2up
These two books will give you the basics of how to make money and what to do with it once you have it. You have to come up with the particular idiosyncratic business to pursue, of course.
> Do you have any ideas that I could focus on?
Assuming your general idea is to write some software and sell it, the easiest software to sell is generally software that saves or makes people money somehow.
Maybe find a job instead of focusing on some random projects?
The logic is that it's easy to scale that up and people are happier to pay.
The other thing is to normally pick the harder option when confronted with two equal options. There's less competition there and higher demand.
Most likely anything you work on now will look nothing like the final product, but the feedback from that will bring you there.
Good luck!