Every person has a hobby, a fun activity that you love to do during your free time. Some (56%) even have multiple hobbies. If taken seriously, your passion projects can actually become a lucrative side hustle. Heck, with consistency and commitment, you can even transform this profitable hobby idea into a real business that pays the bills.
Imagine waking up every day excited about what the day has in store for you since you make a living from your hobby. If this intrigues you, take a look at these profitable hobby ideas that can make you money.
Table of Contents
14 profitable hobby ideas that make money
1. Writing
If you love writing, publishing articles online can earn you substantial income. You can sell your services through various platforms like Fivver or Upwork or directly reach out to clients for paid gigs.
Alternatively, choose a niche and provide constant blogs about the topic. This way, you present yourself as an expert in that field, and you will build an audience over time. You can then create a platform where you share opinions and rent out your writing skills.
There is a wide range of topics that you can cover. You can choose to write your personal stories, product reviews, tips, or tutorials. Work on topics you feel passionate about, be it politics, history, cooking, health, or fitness.
With time, your site will begin to attract display ads and affiliate marketing, making you more money. The startup cost is relatively low. Although it might take time to make money through writing, you will gain income from websites with time.
2. Cooking
If you enjoy cooking, you can quickly transform your passion into a profitable business. Open a YouTube channel to teach people how to make various food items.
Keep in mind that 59% of 25 to 34-year-olds use their mobile devices while cooking. They love to practice new recipes so you can create content to target this population. One main topic that you can concentrate on is healthy food options.
You can deliver sumptuous and nutritious meals to people locally. Alternatively, rent a cooking space in places like universities or other sites many people visit.
Ensure that you check with your state health department for any certifications required. Also, create your online shop and begin to market your cooking skills and products.
3. Gardening
Gardening is another craft that can earn you some money. Find people locally to buy your fresh products, like mushrooms or green vegetables. Alternatively, you can offer gardening services to people who have less time to care for their gardens.
You can even sell gardening products and tools to people who love to indulge in their gardening. Keep in mind that the global gardening equipment and supplies market will grow to nearly $130 billion 2024.
Alternatively, begin to plant house plants and sell them online. Plants have now become a trendy home decor since they bring a touch of nature inside. 30 % of all households in the USA have at least one houseplant.
4. Photography
If you enjoy taking photos, set up an account on websites like Shutterstock or Flickr to sell your photos to potential clients. Every time a person downloads your image on these websites, you earn some royalties.
You can also sell your photography services. People can hire you to take photos at weddings, events, or during model shooting. Market your photos on various websites, and you will always find digital marketers in need of stock images.
Alternatively, you can teach your photography skills online. You can even fly drones for aerial photography preferred by real estate companies or in events like weddings.
5. Drawing
Those who love drawing and painting can also monetize their creative talent. Painting is a great way to unwind and express yourself, but you can choose to sell your work online to make money. Most companies that deal with clothing also buy prints, and if you land a job in one of these facilities, you are likely to earn a substantial amount of money.
If you have some basic design skills, you can make business logos and create themed printables. Upload samples of your work online, and clients who love your style can hire you on a contract basis. You can also teach your audience how to draw, paint or design for a fee.
6. Music
If you are good at music, there are various ways you can make money. First, most YouTubers search for good background music for their videos, and you can create this. You can also compose songs and list them on SoundCloud for people to purchase.
Alternatively, make some simple sound effects and beats, then sell them on AudioJungle. If your hobby is playing musical instruments, join local bands and become a session musician. Print out fliers and business cards and distribute them widely so you can get invitations to perform during events.
You can also train people to play guitar, violin, drums, and other instruments, especially children, and make money out of this.
7. Woodworking
Woodwork may seem like an outdated skill, but self-employed woodworkers are faring pretty well. If you have a passion for carpentry, you can use your skills to generate extra income.
This field has very low competition. Market your carpentry or furniture repair services in your local area, and you will most likely get clients. You don’t need to sell bulky items. Start with unique things like wooden seasonal gifts.
Alternatively, create wooden wall decor, cards, and gift signs. If you can restore antique furniture, you will have high marketability since few people can do this.
Refurbishing furniture is a very profitable hobby idea. Visit your nearest thrift store, buy old furniture remodel it and then sell it at a higher price.
8. DIY Crafts
Those who enjoy making items with their hands can also sell their products. Today, most people go for handmade products since they communicate a certain quality level, care, and uniqueness. For example, create some handmade bracelets and candles and sell them online.
You can also make gift cards, wedding invitations, and cards for all occasions. If you have a talent for making handmade scarfs, you will always find a demand for such items. You can even create toys, cushion covers, wall covers, jewelry, hats, and beanies.
9. Fashion
You can turn your love for fashion into a profitable business. Create a clothes collection line and use social media to promote your fashion line.
Also, open a YouTube channel to teach people how to match outfits. Train people how to dress accordingly for various occasions too.
Someone with better color analysis, style combination, and proportion matching skills will thrive with this profitable hobby idea.
People will begin to hire you as their fashion designer. Today, some platforms allow upcoming fashionists to join their teams as independent stylists. You can set your schedule and be your own boss.
10. Calligraphy
If you love experimenting with letters and handwriting, you can create wedding invites or sell handmade cards. You can also use calligraphy to create other personalized gifts and sell them.
For instance, Shinah, a calligrapher, quit her job to follow her passion, and now she earns 30% more than what she used to make while employed.
11. Coffee Making
For the coffee enthusiast, you can use your hobby to earn extra cash. More people want to know how to brew their favorite coffee at home.
It’s one of the most popular beverages worldwide with more than 450 cups consumed daily in the USA. You can capitalize on this opportunity by providing coffee subscription services or start a coffee product reviews website.
Alternatively, you can get the coffee beans, grind and sell them online. Or, launch a coffee truck and sell different coffee types in your local area. Another hobby-based business that a coffee lover can indulge in is selling coffee equipment.
12. Creating and Editing Videos
There is a heightened demand for high-quality videos on different platforms. If you can turn raw and unedited footage into a creative video, this might be highly rewarding. Keep in mind that most businesses consider videos an important marketing tool to promote their products and services.
Create a YouTube channel and try attracting an audience base interested in your services. You can also create instructional videos on various topics and monetize them.
Alternatively, offer your services on Fivver or ViEdit Once a client post a project you can handle, send a proposal with your proposed price, and if the client agrees, you can edit their videos at a fee.
13. Brewing Beer
If you love sampling new beer creations, why not make money with this profitable hobby idea?
Homebrewing has become a popular trend nowadays as more people prefer making beer at home instead of spending too much money on a purchase. In fact, 1.1 million Americans brew their beer at home.
Establish a home brewing accessory shop online to target this population. Ensure that you confirm any legal requirements in your area concerning alcohol products. Also, you can teach people how to brew beer online at a fee.
14. Pet Care
If you love hanging out with pets, you can turn pet care into a profitable side hustle. The demand for pet care is still high, and people tend to spend too much on pet feeds, grooming and training. So, you can make homemade healthy and delicious dog treats and sell them online.
Alternatively, you can connect with pet owners in your area and offer dog training, boarding, daycare, and walking services. The best thing is that you get to set the price but always ensure that you charge a fair price. Rover is one site that you can list your dog care services.
Profitable hobby ideas: The bottom line
One great thing about monetizing your hobby is that you get to do something that you love often. Regardless of your hobby, you can make it profitable by teaching it to others, starting blogs to share tips, or starting an online store to sell your products or services. Don’t be afraid to fail, and you can always try an alternative if one hobby fails.
