Imagine that your job involved being the caretaker of a tropical island on the Great Barrier Reef; it’s fair to say that life would probably be pretty awesome. Your days would be spent swimming, soaking up the sun, petting turtles, and having fun. Sadly, most of us spend our day doing tedious things like… work.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make money from doing the things you love. Some are more lucrative than others are, but if you are stuck for ideas, check out the list below for some fun ideas.
Blogger
Blogging has really taken off in recent years. Millions of people have their very own corner of cyberspace where they write about their interests, family, racy adventures, and anything else they feel like sharing with the world. It’s easy enough to set up a blog. You can use a free application such as WordPress, or check out top website builders for ideas. Once you have an audience, monetize your site and watch the cash come rolling in.
YouTube Star
YouTube is now second only to Google in terms of popularity. More people use YouTube than Facebook for entertainment, which is why popular YouTubers such as PewDiePie and Jenna Marbles have made a fortune from the creation of funny videos and how-to tutorials. It will be tough to reach that level of success, but if you are good at something, start a YouTube channel and shout out to the world. The more visitors you get, the more you can earn.
Build Websites
Are you good at coding? Do you have an eye for design? Building websites is easy if you have the basic skills. The trouble is that most businesses have neither the time nor the inclination to build websites. Instead, they rely on free website builder packages, which look terrible and are usually unfit for purpose. So why not help them? Use your talents to create gorgeous, SEO friendly websites. It’s a nice little earner!
E-Commerce
Selling online is simple. Anyone can open an eBay account and start selling goods. Buy stock to sell or spend your weekends browsing markets and garage sales looking for goods to sell on for a profit. If you have an eye for a bargain, or you know your niche, you can make a killing. And once you have a customer base, build your own online store using WooCommerce or Shopify.
Professional Poker Player
Gambling is not for the faint hearted, but some people are naturally good at counting cards and working out the odds when playing poker. I wouldn’t advise anyone to cash in his or her assets and head to Las Vegas, but if you are good at poker and generally win more than you lose, you could make a decent living from playing poker.
Pet Sitter
Do you love animals? Is walking the dog the highlight of your day? Pet sitting is a rapidly growing niche market. Millions of people work full-time jobs and don’t have time to walk their dogs or play with the cat. Pet sitters take care of dogs, cats, rabbits, and any other pet during the times when the owner isn’t around because they are at work or on vacation. To be a successful pet sitter, you have to be used to dealing with all manner of pets. It is also helpful if you are willing to provide day care services for pets, so now is not a good time to invest in solid wood flooring or a new leather sofa.
Artist
A talented artist can easily make money from their hobby. It won’t happen overnight, but one you get your name out there, you can start charging reasonable prices for your work. The more popular your work is, the more you can charge. To build up a reputation, exhibit far and wide, and publicize your work on social media, in particular visual sites such as Behance, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram.
Copywriter
Talented writers can easily make money by selling their services online. There is a huge demand for blog posts, articles, press releases, and even fiction. Start off by looking for work on one of the popular freelancer sites. In time, you will have a regular client base and be able to charge for your work.
Fiction Writer
The written word is a powerful tool. Anyone can string a sentence together, but not everyone can tell a story. Thanks to the rise of e-publishing, anyone can write a novel and publish it online. Platforms such as Amazon Kindle make it incredibly easy to say you are a published author. All you need is a manuscript and a cover photo. Pick the right genre and you can make a fortune. It’s better to stick to niche sub-genres if you want to build a following, but if you have a crime thriller in your head just waiting to come out, go for it.
Photographer
Photography is a creative hobby, but it can also make you money. Digital photography has opened up a wealth of opportunities for amateur photographers to make money from their hobby. You can list your images on stock photography websites and when anyone downloads them, you earn commission. Since images are needed for websites, there are tremendous opportunities to make money if you target the right niches.
Mystery Shopper
We all love shopping, but wouldn’t it be cool to get paid for doing something we do anyway? Mystery shoppers are paid to do exactly that: go shopping. Louis Hernandez Jr even highlights how important this is for businesses. Of course, it’s not all fun since you must ask specific questions, buy certain things, and visit stores you might not otherwise visit. Still, it’s a fun way to make a few extra bucks if you have some time on your hands and real work sucks.
This is just a snapshot of a few ways to make money from a hobby. There are plenty more if you are feeling adventurous, including dating rich older men if that’s what you like doing in your spare time. Let us know how you get on in the comments!
