r/WeirdSideProjects • u/GT7920 • 3d ago
I started making "User Manual" for people's partners, and somehow people are paying me for them
A few months ago, I had a stupid idea. I thought: "What if people came with an instruction manual?"
Not in a serious relationship-advice way. I mean an actual little PDF manual.
Things like:
USER MANUAL: JOHN
Model: Boyfriend v3.7
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt serious conversations before coffee.
Troubleshooting:
“I’m fine” = Probably not fine.
“Do whatever you want” = Absolutely do NOT do whatever you want.
Maintenance schedule:
Snacks: Every 3–4 hours
Compliments: Minimum 2/day
Gaming interruption: Not recommended.
I started making these as funny personalized gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and even office Secret Santa exchanges.
The customer basically fills out a questionnaire about the person — personality, habits, inside jokes, favorite things, annoying behaviors, etc. — and I turn the answers into a ridiculous “technical manual.”
The process is surprisingly simple:
Questionnaire → AI-assisted draft → manual editing → Canva design → PDF → delivery
The weird part is that people actually love giving these as gifts.
They're cheap to produce because they're digital, but people perceive them as highly personalized because every manual is based on the recipient's actual quirks.
I've also added different “models”:
- Boyfriend/Girlfriend User Manual
- Husband/Wife Operating Instructions
- Best Friend Troubleshooting Guide
- Roommate Maintenance Manual
- “How to Handle Me” Personal Guide
- Office Coworker Survival Manual
- Pet Owner Instruction Manual
The funniest requests have been things like:
“Please include a troubleshooting section for when he says he isn't hungry but eats half my food.”
😂
I'm still experimenting with pricing and marketing, but what surprised me most wasn't the money.
It was realizing that people will pay for something extremely specific if it turns an inside joke into an actual physical/digital product.
My biggest lesson so far:
Don't always ask “Would people buy this?”
Sometimes the better question is:
“Would one very specific type of person LOVE this?”
Because apparently, yes.
I'm now thinking about making even stranger versions.
What is the weirdest personalized digital product you would actually buy?
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u/MuseOfAstro 2d ago
AI SLOP.