How I Earned $500 Without Writing a Single Line of Code



This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Akemnoor Singh

A few weeks ago, I got a freelance gig—build a Random Winner Generator platform.
The client wanted it fast, and I wanted to make it without burning out.

That’s when I decided—let AI do the heavy lifting.

The Setup
I opened Cursor, my AI-powered coding sidekick, and paired it with Claude 3.7 Sonnet. My plan was simple:

  • Let Cursor generate the core functionality.
  • Use Claude to refine and tweak the logic.
  • Step in only when bugs appear.

The Process
For the next 25 hours, I was in full vibe coding mode—coffee, music, and a steady back-and-forth with my AI tools. I didn’t manually write the big chunks of code. Instead, I focused on:

  • Guiding the AI toward the right implementation.
  • Debugging when things didn’t work as expected.
  • Making sure the final product was smooth and secure.

The Result
The platform worked perfectly, the client loved it, and I earned $500.
The best part? No late nights, no endless typing—just smart work.

The Lesson
AI didn’t replace my coding skills.
It amplified them.
Knowing how to code was still the reason I could fix issues, understand the output, and deliver quality. But letting AI handle the heavy lifting saved me time and boosted my earnings.

Final Thought:
Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t doing it all yourself—it’s knowing when to let the tools work for you.


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Akemnoor Singh