Whether you’re looking for a large amount of money or trying to come up with a clever way of bringing in some extra income, there’s nothing that spells success like choosing to do something that you would do anyway for free.
While choosing your favorite hobby is easy, finding ways to make money off of it may be very difficult. After all, some hobbies are not monetizable. Others, however, are ripe for making money with.
When it comes to finding ideas to make money that are fun, look at your hobbies first. What do you like to do for fun? Look to find out how others are making money with this niche. This is a great way of finding ways to monetize your hobby.
But, why not just take a giant shortcut and just read this article to find out some fun ways to make money (without a 9-to-5 job).
Below are 7 great ways to turn a hobby into a profitable venture:
Table of Contents
Dog Walker
Pet lovers rejoice! There’s a proven method for making money with dogs, of all things. Consider becoming a professional pet walker. Yes, this really is a thing!
If you love dogs and have a lot of free time during the day, then you’d be the perfect candidate to turn walking and caring for dogs into a great opportunity for making money. Many city-dwellers work during the day, so if your hours allow for it, you can make a great deal of money just by creating a schedule where you watch and walk stranger’s dogs.
Make Money Online
Pretty much anything you can do on the internet is bound to get you money. If you’re the artistic type, you could try your hand at web design or graphic design. If you’re more of a marketer, you can offer your search engine optimization or paid marketing skills. If you’re a numbers person, then computer programming may be your calling.
There are literally endless ways to make money online. You can browse the other articles on this website to find more ideas.
Baking
Imagine making money by baking? Think it’s not possible? Read on to find out how to make money baking.
Some of us make cookies and cupcakes for fun and then bring the leftovers to work to share with coworkers when we could be making and selling them for a profit.
Try putting out an ad for services you can handle with your current schedule, and lower your prices to compete with bakeries and other independent bakers. If you’re already doing it for free, then a little income is better than nothing.
Crafts
If you’re good at making things on your own, consider making crafts and selling them.
If you make anything of any sort, you can usually sell them on Etsy and at craft shows for quite a profit. Try to isolate a craft that is both inexpensive to make, yields a high profit, and also takes very little time to make. Remember that this is a side job, so it shouldn’t take over all of your free time.
Playing an Instrument
If you’re not already part of a band or playing at cafes and bars, you should seriously consider doing so. This is especially true if you write your own music. Some places charge you to play there, but many cafes will let you come in for free and keep whatever you make in tips.
As your fame grows, so will the money you make. If you’re looking for a low-key start to pulling in extra income, this is definitely it.
Writing
Here’s where many people find their extra income. If writing is something you love to do, then you can find a million ways to make money off of it. The best part of all is that you can pretty much write anywhere – on the train, at a coffee shop, on the way to work, and when you get home. It doesn’t take up any space and doesn’t require a financial investment to get started.
You can try your hand at writing articles for blogs other online publications to start and work from there. Starting your own blog will yield more profit due to the promise of ad revenue (either selling your own ads or selling products).
You can also proofread, edit and write content for others who are willing to pay for articles like on Fiverr.
Photography
A lot of people pick up cameras and love taking pictures of events and friends. Some even go beyond and buy accessories for their camera. If it’s something you love to do for fun and will be doing at events anyway, offer a cheap service for great photos.
This is especially great when it comes to huge events like proms, sweet sixteens, and weddings. Professional photographers can make or break a couple’s budget, so if you offer something small for a quality job, you’ll be bringing in a good amount of money for something you love to do.
Regardless of which path you choose, the most important thing to remember is that your money-making ideas should never cause you more stress than their worth. You should always be something you can fit in your schedule while being something you love to do.
