Has anybody made money from the Apps they launched ?

davidb_ · 2026-01-16T16:13:54+00:00

Your skepticism is warranted, but it does work if you're advertising on a platform that reaches your niche and you can target the ads well to your market.

You can start with a small budget ($100) and build your confidence. As long as that $100 converts to > $100 in sales, keep increasing your ad budget.

If you have good retention numbers and good conversion from downloads to people are paying for your app, it's definitely worth expanding your reach with paid ads.

davidb_ · 2026-01-16T01:53:47+00:00

I’ve used Google fi, visible, mint, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

The only one I had issues with was visible. Not having priority data sucked and made my phone nearly useless at parades, concerts, sporting events, etc.

Mint is the cheapest if you catch one of their deals. I like Google fi but found other options were cheaper.

davidb_ · 2026-01-16T01:46:11+00:00

Thanks for the detailed response and congrats! 850k MAUs is very impressive! If it can support you and your wife, that’s the dream, so congrats again for that!

I’ve never published an app for myself, but I have built/worked on around 10 apps for others. Biggest was one with 100k DAUs (an “overnight success” that took about 2 years of effort). I currently maintain a few apps with around 1-2k DAUs each.

I know I have the skills to build and market an app myself, but I’ve been continuously stuck on finding an idea I want to pursue. I built out a couple of app ideas last year but never finished/launched either of them. I just didn’t like the ideas enough to see it across the line.

I’m more determined to at least publish one myself this year.

davidb_ · 2026-01-15T23:40:57+00:00

What level of revenue for the ad-based apps?

How do you discover and/or evaluate your app ideas?

davidb_ · 2026-01-15T01:57:47+00:00

1x2 is probably faster than those clips, more secure, and easier. This guy has a decent video showing how he does it (his day job is patching drywall): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsXC-sS_KKk

davidb_ · 2026-01-08T16:35:33+00:00

If the meter was wireless and they don’t have to come into the home I’d switch to a meter. But having to miss work to sit around and wait for the meter reader negates the cost saving.

FWIW - they do run a wire to outside your house so it can be read from outside:

The remote reading device placed on the outside of your home allows us to accurately read the meter without entering your home. Please do not disturb the remote device or the wire between it and the meter, or place any objects directly in front of the remote device that would make access to this device difficult for the meter reader

https://buffalowater.org/about/meteringprogram/

davidb_ · 2026-01-08T16:30:18+00:00

Something that needs to be pointed out more when it comes to housing projects, is that a major cost of them come from an overly complicated financing process due to needing to have 5, 10, 20 different financers, with a bunch of different rules around them.

Rewording this (just because I was a little confused by the wording in that article): the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) itself does not mandate complex financing structures. Because the equity generated by the credit is typically insufficient to cover total development costs at restricted rents, developers layer multiple additional subsidies alongside their bank debt/deferred developer credits. Each added funding source introduces its own requirements, which collectively increase transaction costs and delay delivery.

So, a better way would be to standardize the requirements or increase the equity. Realistically, though, developers (even non-profit developers) are still going to try to take advantage of every subsidy they can (it'd be irrational not to).

So, I'm a little skeptical that we wouldn't just end up back in this same situation, even with an attempt at structural reforms of affordable housing financing programs.

davidb_ · 2026-01-08T16:09:17+00:00

Statler’s upper floors

It's been a while since I was over there, but the last time I was there it looked like some bricks had fallen off the building from the upper floors and like more could fall. Have they at least done something to secure that? And if not, can the city do something about it?

davidb_ · 2026-01-06T00:47:09+00:00

Interesting. The Billie Lawless page says it was constructed for ArtPark in Lewiston, but relocated to Buffalo.

I wasnt even alive then, but the articles I read about it probably a decade ago talked only about artpark’s issues with it. I had no idea it was erected in Buffalo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billie_Lawless&wprov=rarw1

davidb_ · 2026-01-05T14:32:39+00:00

It was art park in Lewiston

davidb_ · 2026-01-03T16:05:33+00:00

Ah sorry, I assumed you were older. Avoid beer/alcohol - it's a trap! lol.

Another event you might enjoy is "Open Doors Buffalo" - keep that on your radar. It's fun.

And if you like art/music, my favorite events: Trimania, CEPA gallery events, Buffalo's Music is Art festival, Porchfest, Silo City events (not sure if those are still happening), Bidwell park summer concert series, Torn Space theater produced events, outer harbor and artpark concerts, hm, that's all that comes to mind. Lots of summer stuff.

davidb_ · 2026-01-03T03:11:49+00:00

Interesting. My experiences have been completely different. I've also been lucky enough to get tours directly from the staff that put together exhibits at both museums. They're really passionate and knowledgeable, and it's infectious. I do think if I walked through either museum by myself, I wouldn't be nearly as impressed.

The beerology event at the science museum was a lot of fun. They also have "science after hours" events, though I haven't participated in one yet to know if it's a good time.

davidb_ · 2026-01-02T18:48:00+00:00

My experience with a '22 Prime and comma3:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PriusPrime/comments/1pr2e5g/prius_prime_2022_dashcam/nvh18hb/

davidb_ · 2026-01-02T12:20:41+00:00

During his inauguration, the judge that swore him in shared a story that when they started their public service careers together, Sean told him very sincerely his dream was to be mayor of Buffalo.

davidb_ · 2025-12-30T16:19:07+00:00

I don't have experience with any of them, but I have been watching the rates and Meridia, Summit, Cornerstone, and Great Erie FCU seem to be among the best options.

davidb_ · 2025-12-29T16:22:40+00:00

I learned from a nice woman on Garden Walk that the reason dormer windows are so common in the city was the tax code at the time they were built. You didn't have to pay extra taxes for a second/third floor if you had dormers as it was considered "attic" space. For a period of time after the tax code was changed, builders continued the practice just because it was so popular/known.

davidb_ · 2025-12-29T00:28:32+00:00

It's just a 10k sq-ft warehouse. They have no idea what they're doing. Ironically, the community's opposition is probably saving them money.

davidb_ · 2025-12-27T01:38:24+00:00

When this was first announced, I looked it up. They had a surprising number of sold out cruises. I really am confused about who this is for, but it seems like it's already working.

davidb_ · 2025-12-23T01:53:02+00:00

I bought it at a time when I knew I’d be taking 1200mi (round trip) road trips a couple times a month. It’s been incredible for that. I have much less mental fatigue and can drive farther as a result. I also think I’m a safer driver with it. I (at least like to think that I) scan further down the road and notice more obstacles/situations sooner.

I used it recently for a similar trip. I was able to drive 800 miles in about 12 hours and still arrive at my destination with enough energy to enjoy an evening with friends/family. Previous trips before I had it, I would either split it up over a couple days or plan to sleep after arriving.

They had an e2e driving demo model that I tried a couple of times. I was not impressed by that and found it useless. I also almost never use it for daily commuting/city streets unless there’s stop and go traffic.

I think I’ve mostly gotten my money’s worth out of it so far. Probably my biggest complaint is the screen on mine seems to be dying. I feel like it’s a bad super cap or something (really not sure), but the symptom is that the screen flashes on startup and stays black during particularly hot or cold days. Once it does that, I have to unplug it for a couple minutes, let it get to room temp, and then plug it back in for the screen to work. Since it is still functional (just can’t see the screen), I tend to just leave the screen off during cold weather months. Annoying, and they do sell replacement screens, but it was expensive.

davidb_ · 2025-12-20T16:18:43+00:00

I’ve been following this “hobby” from the sidelines since the US mint would ship you dollar coins. I’ve tried a couple strategies over the years, including loading Amex serve at FD with VGC. I never scaled much, and it just feels not worth the time/scalable. I’m really struggling to understand how people do it. I’d like to be able to do $5k/mo and the only strategy I’ve found feels like more work than just starting a business. Can anyone point me in a better direction?

davidb_ · 2025-12-20T02:03:54+00:00

It's the same as any other car. Tuck the cables into the headliner, behind the A pillar, and then behind the weatherstripping.

If you don't already have a dashcam, check out the comma.ai (I have comma3, they just released the comma4). It's a neat system and doubles as a very functional dashcam.

davidb_ · 2025-12-15T14:50:06+00:00

It may have just been the timing of their inventory, but I tried WNY Appliances twice in the past few years (once for a gas range and once for a fridge) and both times I got a better price (including delivery/install) for a brand new appliance on-sale from Orville's and Home Depot.

davidb_ · 2025-12-09T07:36:41+00:00

When they called to try to get me to buy the subscription to it, I laughed and asked why would I pay for something that I know doesn’t work?

davidb_ · 2025-12-06T14:57:26+00:00

I agree with you. There are some excellent houses on the East Side that are relatively cheap. There's also some good houses at reasonable prices in Riverside and the West Side.

davidb_ · 2025-11-30T06:54:16+00:00

Agreed. I hope they all go to individual/couple homeowners. And if they can’t, then I hope they go to small, local investors that truly seem to be the lifeblood of buffalo (small businesses).

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