Create a Part-Time Job From Your Hobby

Earn Money From Your Hobbies

With the current state of the world economy, few people can afford having an expensive personal hobby. Along with specialty lattes, private yachts and vacation houses, this luxury is quickly disappearing. Rather than having a hobby that drains your money, consider adopting one that actually fattens your wallet. Among other things, making goods to sell, writing an article or giving private lessons can help you to make a profit off of your favourite pastime.

Teaching a Lesson

From sports to music, most people ultimately end up hiring someone to teach them how to play. If your favourite hobby happens to be a sport, consider offering lessons privately to earn some side cash. In addition to the money, personal trainers and coaches often get a sense of reward out of helping someone else out. For the more serious hobbyist, coaching is a possibility. Numerous youth sports leagues exist that need a coach and are willing to higher one for a small fee.

Musically inclined individuals can advertise on community boards and in newspapers for lessons. From the tuba to the piano, parents want their children to get a head start on successfully mastering an income. Considering the length of time it takes to learn an instrument, this hobby could be a consistent source of income for years to come. Musicians can also hire out their skills at weddings and local events. While getting to meet new people and enjoy a slice of wedding cake, these hobbyists can also derive a slight income stream.

Sell Your Work

For the private artist or craft enthusiast, it is time to start selling your work. Local craft stores often have a list of future craft fairs that will be occurring. At these events, artists and crafty individuals can set up a table and market their product. In between fairs, they can use websites like etsy.com or local galleries as an additional revenue source.

With the rise of the internet, photography has also achieved new on-line markets. Websites like www.123rf.com offer a way for amateur photographers to bring in side income for their projects. Exceptional photos can be sold to magazines or turned into greeting cards. For the highly trained hobbyist, weddings, events and photography classes are an open market for your skill set.

Shopping Time!

Surprisingly, even the act of spending money can help you to earn more. Individuals are often paid to work as a mystery shopper. These mystery shoppers visit local businesses and send in reports and how good the service or product was. Although it generally will not bring in a great deal of money, it does mean that dinners out on the town and some smaller items will come at no cost. For the avid shopper, consider working as a personal shopper as well.

Buying things with your own income can turn a profit. As many college students are starting to figure out, name brand, high quality thrift stores are interested in second hand clothes. These thrift stores will pay a decent amount for second hand items that they can resell at a higher cost. Visit your local thrift store on sale days and pick up brand name items. Later, go to the name brand thrift store and resell it. The biggest downfall with this method is the strong possibility that they may choose not buy it. If this happens the item can always be sold on EBay.

Fitness

Any fitness enthusiast knows just how much it costs to stay in shape. From a gym membership to running shoes, the cost of working out can be monumental. Luckily, there are ways to lessen the impact working out has on your wallet. For individuals who work out in a gym or pool, becoming a personal trainer, exercise instructor or a life guard is a great way to get involved in the fitness world and earn back the cost of your membership. Try being the umpire at your child’s football game or become the scorekeeper to make your afternoon pastime into a money maker.

Outdoor sports offer an even better chance to turn a profit at your hobby. There is always a need for qualified trail guides, white water rafters and extreme sports teachers. If rock climbing, bungee jumping, sky diving or caving are any of your favourite sports, there is always the chance that you could teach it on the weekends. Just check out the laws in your area, obtain the proper certification and you are on your way towards a weekend activity that reaps dividends.

Get Cooking!

When you run the numbers, cooking can become an extremely expensive hobby. From the cost of equipment to the rising price of ingredients, cooking a gourmet meal can severely deplete your wallet. If you have a strong talent in the kitchen, consider hiring out your services as a personal chef or a caterer. These jobs give you the chance to cook the delicious gourmet food you always dreamed about without having to foot the bill. Bakery enthusiasts can teach a class on cake decorating make birthday cakes or sell their wares at local farmers markets. For longer lasting food items, a craft fair (especially around the holidays) can always be a good option for selling your special recipe.

Green Thumbed Hobbyists

Gardner’s rejoice—farmers markets have a special spot for you! Extra compost as well as fruits and vegetables can always be sold at farmer’s markets in the area. During harvest time, you can put your green thumb to work and help your local farmer bring in the crops. For the avid enthusiast, year-round work can be found as a semi-professional landscaper or gardener. Learn more about you hobby, meet new people and get paid for doing so.

Repair Time

Any video game player or computer nerd can tell you: this hobby is not cheap. To make the pastime more cost effective, consider using you knowledge to perform repairs or build computers. Exceptionally talented computer enthusiasts can work as a computer consultant or even design websites for clients.

Writing Articles for Income

Freelance writing has a dedicated core of professionals, but a lot of work in the field is also done by dedicated writing aficionados. Spend some time every week to start a blog in a particular niche. Although it can easily take six months to develop revenue, overtime you can actually make a profit at it. Professional quality work can be sold to magazines or turned into an e-book. Cash prizes and contests even exist for the budding novelist or poet who is trying to get their book published.

Other options for the writer include work as a content writer. Numerous websites dot the Internet that will pay you to write articles on the topics they need. Once you can gain an efficient enough writing speed, this hobby can even become a full time career.

Hobbies Can Make You Income

Having a hobby does not mean that your purse has to be emptied of change. By learning what exists in your field, you can turn your personal hobby into a profit making enterprise. Over time, this enterprise can even become a main source of income. You started selling your hobby to pay for your pastime—but the same enthusiasm that led you to do it, can also ultimately lead to financial success. Surprising as it may seem, one day your hobby could become your career and lifelong passion.