>I was actually thinking about this. I'm just not sure how to go about it. Somehow I think if I walked up to a charity and asked them if they needed any software written, I'd get blank looks. That's one thing I don't get about this business. How do you find out who needs programs written?


That's where job shops specializing in programming can help. They find you the work, pay you on a W-2 at a fixed hourly rate, then bill the client for that rate plus about 40% more. They are a good way to get started as a consultant.