Are you unemployed? Even if you don’t have a job, you at least have a hobby. With the internet so ubiquitous in modern society, everyone has a shot at gaining the attention of the masses. Once you have someone’s attention, your intention should be to convince them they need your service or product. Whatever you’re into, there’s an audience for it–all it takes is a little resourcefulness.
Hobbies make money. Here’s how to become a professional at:
Plants have always been green…it’s considered bad chloroform otherwise…
1. Blogging
If you have a flair for writing, building a blog is easy. You can get a free blog domain at blog services, such as WordPress or Blogger. Choose a template design to start out, and begin composing entries. Don’t worry about not having an audience yet; you’ll build one with your content. Focus on writing things you enjoy, and learn the basics of formatting. This way, you’ll build a portfolio you can use to apply for paid blogging gigs.
Amazon Affiliates and Google AdSense accounts are easy ways to earn advertising money from your blog. Learn more about how to make money blogging with our Lifehack on 24 Ways to Earn Money on the Internet.
2. Gardening
Gardening is more than a hobby for some; it’s a way of life. Selling your harvest is an easy way to make money, although you’ll need a rather large garden to produce enough to make a meaningful profit. Consider incorporating the fresh ingredients you harvest into other products to sell, instead. Food isn’t the only fruit of gardening labor, however, as the legality of growing marijuana is quickly spreading across the US.
You can also teach DIY-enthusiasts how to garden through blogging about it. You can tend other peoples’ gardens by searching Craigslist, or other classified ad sites. If you have the experience, contact local nurseries and see if anyone’s hiring. You’ll be rolling in the green in no time.
3. Playing an Instrument
The music business isn’t tough to break into. All you need is a way to make music and an audience. If you play an instrument, you can make money by giving private lessons. Touring musicians are constantly looking looking for stand-in musicians while on the road (search gigging for backup bands). Also, it never hurts to leave your card at local recording studios and record stores, in case anyone’s looking for a musician with your skills.
Alternatively, iTunes, Amazon, and Google all have stores to list your music. List yourself on SoundCloud, Pandora, Spotify, and anywhere else you can. Remember that every artist you’ve heard of has a large team and distribution channel behind them. In order to compete with that, you’ll need to work extra hard.
4. Sewing
You can make decent money by hemming clothes, if you’re quick at it. Many people lack this basic skill, and they’re happy to pay $5-$10 to repair clothing that would otherwise cost much more to replace.
Another way to make money is to sell your handcrafted sewing creations online, with sites like Etsy. You can also sell your homemade sewing patterns online, through your website. In order to get promotion for your patterns, submit them to sewing and craft magazines, for publication. This will introduce your patterns to a large audience and boost sales.
5. Baking
If you know how to bake, there’s no limit to the ways you can earn money. Getting a job in a kitchen is so easy. Food blogs are always popular, and there’s never a shortage of people on the lookout for a good recipe. Consider filming yourself or taking pictures while cooking, to expand your audience.
6. Gaming
Make money at video games by making wages with friends, like the kids in The Wizard. If you’re particularly leet, it’s even possible to join a professional league. You don’t have to be the most skilled gamer, though.
Playing video games means you can review or otherwise describe them for any number of publications, if you prefer long-form writing, or retail sites, if short-form is your thing. Plenty of gamers have successful YouTube channels, and Livestream and uCast got a boost from their inclusion in next generation consoles. If you’re especially passionate about video games, working in a retail location, such as Gamestop or EB Games, may be the field of your dreams.
7. Dancing
If you like to move it, you could always get money as a dancer. You don’t need to strip; plenty of dancers make a living off the pole. Casting agents and producers are constantly looking for extras and dancers for projects. Dance teachers make a great living too, as people both young and old love taking classes.
8. Drawing
Not all artists are starving; many of them make a decent living. Aside from traditional museum art, you can see art in literally every aspect of business–graphic designers creating logos and other branded merchandise for marketing campaigns worldwide. With such a large variety of digital and analog drawing mediums available these days, the only artist who’s truly starving is the one not looking for work.
9. Gossiping
If you love keeping up on all the latest gossip, journalism is the job for you. Depending on the subjects you’re into, getting into journalism is really easy–all you need to do is keep watching and reading the news that relates to you. By doing this, you’ll keep up with the juiciest bits of gossip related to your field. Passing this gossip to other people is what journalism is all about, but I’m one to gossip, so didn’t hear that from me.
10. Socializing
Everyone wants a social media presence, and some are willing to pay for it. If you’re savvy enough to learn quick ways to gain followers on all the major social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, Google+), you can turn your love of socializing into a fruitful career. Start with your own social media account, and contact people to showcase how your skills can help their bottom line.
11. Photography
Everyone takes photos these days, and everyone still has an insatiable hunger for more photos. If you have an eye for photography, websites such as Shutterstock allow you to sell your work in image format. Other sites, like Cafepress, sell a variety of goods that bear your photo. Also, consider freelancing, and check job search for any gigs or job openings. Whatever you do, keep your camera with you at all times; you never know when you’ll catch a glimpse of a celebrity or noteworthy event.
12. Telling Jokes
Everybody thinks they’re a comedian, and with the internet, you have an avenue to prove it. Go out to amateur and open mic nights to perform and perfect your craft in front of a live audience. The comedy site Cracked.com has an open forum setup to vet aspiring comedic writers. A properly hilarious video will get tons of exposure on YouTube. Emulate your favorite comedian by making movies, skits, stand-up, cartoons, or whatever else you can come up with.
13. Collecting
You can make money collecting practically anything; whether it’s coins, stamps, comic books, or gadgets. Retro is always in, and people always collect things. Whatever you collect, search the term online to connect with communities who collect the same things. Pawn shops can be a great place to sell certain collectibles,. Many used record and book stores have merged into used-merchandise swap meets, and they’re both great places to buy/sell your collectibles. Otherwise, just post them on eBay or Craigslist.
14. Shopping
Not only is mystery shopping legitimate, it’s a great way to make money. Basically, you complete a real transaction, rate the quality, and are reimbursed. If you love shopping, scratch that itch while still getting paid. Otherwise, you can get paid to write product and store reviews anywhere online. Start off with building followers on your Yelp and Foursquare accounts and rating the places you already visit. By the time a paying gig pops up, you’ll already have an established following.
15. Correcting People
If you love correcting people, you’ll love being an editor. Sites like Freelancer.com, oDesk, and eLance, provide several job opportunities in the editing field. If editing isn’t your style, try something a bit more active, such as management or teaching. No matter what field you choose, be sure to correct everyone to the best of your ability, because everyone loves a know-it-all.
Regardless of your hobby, it’s possible to make money. Business principles remain the same no matter what product or service you’re offering, and sales is the key to your company’s future. If you’re tired of slaving away for someone else and want to instead make money pursuing your hobby, open yourself up to the career of your dreams and take a leap of faith. You never know where you’ll end up, until you try.
