If you dread getting up and going to work, then turning your hobby into a part-time or full-time home business is a great way to turn something you love into your career. Not only will you be able to spend your days doing something you enjoy, but a hobby is often an ideal business to start because you’re already knowledgeable in the area, which reduces the startup time. With some creativity and hard work, nearly any hobby can be turned into a home business. Here are ten common hobbies that you can easily start making money from:
1. Gardening
According to experts at Mowers Online, “we are spending more time in our gardens than ever before.” There’s no doubt that gardening has become more popular over the years, but did you know that there’s actually plenty of ways to make money from your love of gardening? Whether that means selling your local homegrown fruit and vegetables, offering your expertise in gardening classes, selling bouquets of fresh cut flowers, or renting your garden out to people who don’t have the space. All of these ideas can be turned into a money-making business, when given the right amount of time and dedication. Turning your enjoyment of gardening into a home business can be a fast and easy way to make a living, especially if you already have the tools and a nice outdoor space.
2. Writing
Shopify states that “Writing and publishing online has the potential to offer you a lot of practical value outside of being a mere hobby.” Is there a subject you’re particularly passionate about? It can be business, politics, health, fitness, cooking or just about any other category you can think of. If you enjoy writing, then starting your own blog is a great way to make some extra money and could even turn into a full-time business over time! You can set up a simple website through WordPress and then start building your blog. Eventually, you will get a regular flow of visitors, and soon enough you should get the opportunity to add advertising arrangements and affiliate deals which will start making you money. Another simple way to make money writing is to sell it as a freelancing service on sites like Upwork and Fiverr. Good content writers are usually in demand, so you should be able to find regular work once you have some experience and a portfolio with examples of your work.
3. Makeup
If you enjoy experimenting with makeup and often get compliments on your technique and application, then why not try to make some money from this skill by becoming a freelance makeup artist? The beauty industry is growing and makeup artists are in high demand. If you have the skills and toolkit, then start by offering to do free makeup trials on friends, family members and work colleagues. You can then set up a Facebook and Instagram page to showcase your work and advertise your services. Over time, you might find yourself getting plenty of repeat business just from referrals. You will be able to raise your rate and income as you gain more experience and clients.
4. Fitness
If you’re a fitness fanatic who loves spending time in the gym, then you may be able to start making some money from it. The most obvious way is by becoming a personal trainer. Experts at Good Financial Cents explain how “Gym’s all across the country have personal trainers, and since turnover is high, local gyms are likely to have vacancies.” It’s important to remember that you will probably have to undergo some training and become certified as a personal trainer, before you can start working in a gym, but this is great way to turn your passion into profit, and make money from something you love. With this career, you can really make a difference in someone’s life, as, like Labspa states, “personal trainers are able to find the exact way to educate and empower [clients] to achieve their goals.” It’s important to look at what makes successful trainers popular, so you can adopt these things into your own business plan and make your venue stand out from competitors.
5. Photography
If you have a camera and love taking photos, then you may be able to earn an extra income from your pastime. There are several ways to make money from photography. A number of major websites such as Shutterstock and Flickr provide photos to users across the web. You can earn some money by setting up an account on one of those sites and adding your photos to sell to potential clients. You could also make money by offering your photography services at events like graduations and weddings. Professional photographers tend to be very expensive, so you may be able to win easy business by selling your services as a discount alternative, even if you’re new to the industry and don’t have any qualifications. As you gain more experience and develop a portfolio of work, you will be able to increase your rates and income.
6. Cooking
If you love to cook, enjoy hosting dinner parties, and have an entrepreneurial streak, then you could make an amazing food caterer. If you want to start your own catering business then you need to find your niche by thinking about the food you love to cook. You could specialise in baked desserts, wedding receptions, or even exotic cuisine from around the world. Decide what type of food you’re passionate about and you can find the perfect catering niche for you. The next steps to starting your catering business would be to find a venue, set up your kitchen, buy equipment, and hire staff if needed. Don’t forget that you will also need to apply for the appropriate permits and licenses. If you’re interesting in the food industry but don’t want to actually prepare and cook food, then you could look into offering services to catering businesses. One option could be to provide food packaging services using new technology like vacuum packers, an ice cream maker or a sous-vide machine. Offering useful services like this could prove extremely popular in the food industry and make a successful business venture.
7. Drawing
Like writing, drawing and design are skills that you can offer as a freelancer. You can sign up to platforms like Fiverr and find clients who require these skills for a number of jobs, including marketing projects, illustrations for books, or custom portraits. You could also look at printing your art designs on things. Physical products can be the perfect way to make money from your creativity. From canvas to t-shirts, books to mugs, you can create custom products from pretty much anything and then sell these items online. It’s important to remember that you’ll need to market your art and products and build a unique brand that appeals to a specific audience. Fortunately, print-on-demand services mean there’s now no need to bulk buy and hold your own products. With print-on-demand, merchandise is printed as and when orders are placed and items are produced on an as-needed basis. This helps to minimise the time, costs, and risks associated with managing inventory, thus providing a low-risk way to make money from your art.
8. Traveling
Do you love traveling the world and ticking off bucket list destinations? Are you spending your time planning your next travel adventure? Then why not try to make some money from your wanderlust! People are traveling more than ever before and the digital nomad lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular. If you love traveling, then start a travel blog with advice and information on the places you visit. Follow the advice for setting up a blog in the above writing section. You could also make money as an influencer by posting pictures from your travels on social media like Instagram. It’s important to remember that the competition for paid travel blogs and social media posts is extremely high. It will most likely take a while to build a following and receive any offers for advertising arrangements and affiliate deals that will earn you money. However, if it’s something you’re passionate about then give it a go, and see if you can make some extra money from your love of travel!
9. Crafts
Over the past few years, the handmade crafts community has grown from a small niche to a full-fledged industry. If you’re a creative person who loves making crafts, then you have a simple and easy way to turn your talents into a source of income. Sell some of the crafts you produce! This can include anything from jewelry and bags, miniature models like n scale buildings, clothing to cushions and candles. Getting started is easy and you may not need much money at all to launch your business empire. Platforms like Etsy allow people to market and sell their handmade crafts to a global audience online. Although Etsy is the most popular choice, there are plenty of places to sell your crafts online.
10. Animals
There are plenty of money-making opportunities for animal lovers. Most pet owners work full-time, which gives them less time to spend with their animals. Dog walking, pet sitting, pet taxi, dog training and grooming are just some of the pet service businesses you can set up with minimal or no financial requirements. You could even start your own mobile pet grooming business. With the right amount of skill and experience you’ll have plenty of work, as this premium pet service is in high demand! You can also decide to sell pet food and their accessories for profit.
Turn your passion into a career!
We live in an age of entrepreneurs. The Internet means it’s easier than ever to start your own business. There are hundreds of people who start successful small businesses every year, so if you’re not happy in your current job, then look into ways to make money from your hobbies and get paid to do something you enjoy!
