Money Making Hobbies That Will Make You Richer

Most Americans don’t like what they do for a living. Most likely, you work because you need money to pay for things. Some people are lucky enough to have jobs they love, but most people would rather be doing something they enjoy than working.

But what if your hobby was also a way to make money? You might think it’s impossible, but there are a lot of ways to make extra money doing things you enjoy.

In this article, we’ll look at 50 different hobbies that can help you make money, along with some specific ideas for how you can do that.

The ideas in this article are based on the idea that we’re talking about a side job or something you do on the side, but many of them have the potential to become your full-time job if that’s what you want.
Things you can do to make money

Now, let’s take a look at a few hobbies that have great potential for making money. You probably like at least a few of the things on this list.

50 Different Hobbies That Can Help You Make Money

1. Blogging

Blogging is my favorite side job for a lot of different reasons. Since you can start a blog about anything, this can be used for almost any hobby.

There are many ways for bloggers to make money, but no matter how they do it, running a blog is a great way to spend more time on a hobby. It’s fun and can help you make money. What could be better?

If you want to be able to spend all your time doing what you love, blogging could be a great business idea. Even though it will take time to turn a blog into a big source of income, there are many bloggers who make six- or seven-figure incomes, so there is definitely the chance to make money.

Another thing I like about blogging is that it helps me build something that I can sell later if I want to. I’ve sold several blogs for six figures, including ones about my hobbies like photography and web design. This has made a huge difference in how much money I and my family have.

How to Make Money with a Blog About a Hobby:

Ads on screens (like banners)
AdSense
As an affiliate, you sell other people’s products.
Make your own things and sell them (digital or physical)
Give out services
Sponsored content should be published. If you want to start making money as a blogger, the first thing you need to do is decide what your blog will be about. You’ll need a domain name (.com) and web hosting once you’ve decided on a topic. Check out my article on domain name ideas for help finding the right one. You can also read my article on how to start a blog step by step. It only takes a few minutes and is easy to do, even if you don’t know much about computers.

2. Taking pictures

I put photography near the top of the list because it’s my hobby and I’ve been able to make good money with it. It’s also one of the most popular hobbies that make money. Read How I Turned a Photography Hobby into $1,138,610 if you want to know more about my story. You can also read this Forbes article about my hobby of photography.

There are a lot of photographers, but there are also a lot of hobbyists who can make money. For me, one of the best things about making money from my hobby of photography was that it let me travel and enjoy nature while I worked.

People usually use photography as a way to make money, but I didn’t do that. Instead, I got paid to take photos for individuals and families. To get started, just talk to your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. You’re almost certain to find at least one or two people who would pay you to take photos. It could be of a family, a child, a newborn, a pregnant woman, an engagement, a sport, a professional headshot, or even a wedding.

Once you have a few clients, you can hope that word-of-mouth will bring you more work. You can also make a Facebook page for your photography business. When you’re done with a session for a client, post some of the best photos to Facebook and tag the client (ask their permission first). If you tag them in a photo, their friends might see it, which could bring you more clients.

How to make money with a passion for photography:

Take pictures for clients as a freelance photographer.
Sell prints of landscapes or fine art.
Sell stock photos
Start a blog about your photos.
Get paid to write for other photography blogs as a freelancer.
Write an ebook about photography. To start making your portfolio, gather some photos you’ve taken in the past. You can make your own portfolio website for less than $10 per month with a platform like SmugMug. If you’d rather start with something free, you can host your portfolio on a site like Behance.

Once your portfolio is ready, start asking people you know if they would like to have portraits or family photos taken. Use your new portfolio to show off your best work.

Hobbies that will give you the skills to excel in life

3. Flying Drones

A growing number of people fly drones as a hobby that makes them money. By using your drone to take photos and videos, you can turn this hobby into a business. And if you turn this profitable hobby into a business, you can write off the cost of a drone as a legitimate business expense.

You could do this in a few different ways, but one of the most common is to start a business taking photos and videos of real estate. For online listings, every house or property for sale needs photos, and many realtors hire photographers for this purpose. Drone photographers can take great photos and videos from above that really make a listing stand out. It’s a great business you can do on the side or grow into a full-time job.

You could also use your drone to take photos or videos that you could sell on stock photo websites. Most people are willing to pay for a high-quality photo or video taken by a drone. This is because most people can’t take these kinds of photos on their own.

Stock photography is a great way to make money on the side, but it’s hard to make enough money to do it full-time. If you want to make more than a few hundred dollars per month, you could combine this option with taking real estate photos with your drone.
Ways to Get Paid to Fly Drones:

Real estate agents will ask you to take photos and videos.
Take pictures and videos from the air that you can sell on stock photo websites.
Offer services to take pictures or videos of events
Make a drone photography blog or YouTube channel.
Make a course online to teach people how to fly drones.

Step 1: Check out the Drone Photography course on Skillshare to get started. You can learn everything you need to know to start taking beautiful photos with a drone in about two hours. New users can sign up for a free trial on Skillshare, so you can take the course for free.

4. Putting money

About a year ago, more and more people started investing as a way to make extra money. Investing is easier than ever for the average person to do now that there are apps like Public.com and Robinhood.

You don’t need a lot of money to start, which is good. You can start with just a few dollars, but your ability to make money will be limited if you do. You could lose your money, so don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.
If you want a different way to make money than the stock market, real estate could be the right choice. Groundfloor lets anyone invest in real estate with as little as $10. When you start, you’ll also get a free bonus. With Groundfloor, you can put your money into short-term loans that could give you a return of 8–12% per year. It’s an excellent option for hobby investors.

Ways to Make Money with an Investing Hobby:

Buy and sell stocks
Buy and hold stocks
Invest in cryptocurrency
Invest in rental properties
Peer-to-peer lending and real estate crowdfunding

Action Step: Create your account at Public.com so you can start investing. There’s no reason to delay starting your investing hobby.

5. Web Design and Coding

There are plenty of businesses and organizations out there that need the services of a web designer. You could be creating the first website for the business or organization, redesigning an existing site, or providing ongoing maintenance for their site.

Don’t know how to code? Don’t worry, you could still work as a web designer. WordPress themes like Divi from Elegant Themes make it possible for you to create custom websites for clients without the need to code. Divi features a powerful drag-and-drop builder and hundreds of pre-made templates that you can use as starting points.

Ways to Make Money with a Web Design or Coding Hobby:

Design and/or code websites for clients
Maintain websites for clients
Create and sell your own website templates and themes (including for WordPress, Shopify, and other platforms) (including for WordPress, Shopify, and other platforms)

For more details, please see my article How to Make Money as a Web Designer.

Action Step: Start by deciding what services you want to offer, and then dedicated some time to get more familiar with the platform. For example, if you want to use the Divi Builder to create websites for clients, sign up for a membership at Elegant Themes and watch their tutorial videos to get a thorough understanding of how Divi works. When you’re ready, start reaching out to people you know or businesses in your area that might need your services.

6. Graphic Design

There are plenty of other design opportunities aside from websites. Graphic design is a perfect hobby for making money because there’s always demand for designers and there are projects of all shapes and sizes.

As a part-timer, you can still put together a great portfolio that shows off your abilities. If you’re just getting started, there are plenty of clients for small jobs that may not have the budget to hire a professional agency.

Of course, graphic design is a profitable hobby that could turn into a full-time income in the future, if that’s something you want to pursue.

Ways to Make Money with a Graphic Design Hobby:

Design for clients (logos, brochures, business cards, product labels, etc) (logos, brochures, business cards, product labels, etc.)
Create your own stock graphics to sell at marketplaces like Creative Market and deal sites like MightyDeals
Start your own website to sell your stock graphics
Write design tutorials on a freelance basis for blogs and magazines

Action Step: If your plan involves offering services to clients, you’ll need to put together an online portfolio to showcase the quality of your work. You can either create your own portfolio website or host your portfolio on a community site like Behance. Once your portfolio is set up, you can start reaching out to people in your personal network and try to land your first client.

To learn more about how to earn money as a freelance designer, see Freelance Graphic Designers Masterclass.

7. Taking Surveys

One of the most popular ways to make extra income is to take online surveys. There are countless survey sites that allow you to create a profile and get paid to take surveys.

In most cases, you won’t make a lot from each survey, but if you’re just looking to make some extra money in your spare time, it can be a good option.

If you enjoy answering questions and sharing your opinions, this could be a good fit for you. One of the nice things about this side hustle is that it’s totally flexible. You can take surveys whenever it’s convenient for you, and you can even do it while you’re relaxing or watching TV.
Websites That Pay You to Take Surveys:

Swagbucks ($5 sign up bonus)
Inbox Dollars ($5 signup bonus)
MyPoints ($10 signup bonus)
Survey Junkie
Rakuten Insights

Action Step: Getting started with online surveys is really easy. All you need to do is take a few minutes and create a free account at a couple of sites like Swagbucks and Survey Junkie. Once your profile is set up, you can begin taking surveys and making money.

8. Creating Niche Websites

Here’s another method, like blogging, that you can use with just about any hobby. Niche websites focus on a specific topic. Many of them make money by participating in Amazon’s affiliate program, other affiliate marketing programs, and display ads.

The great thing about niche websites is you can create your own website on any topic of your choice. If the topic is one of your hobbies, your work will be that much more enjoyable.

Many niche websites publish content that includes links to products sold at Amazon, but you can also use other affiliate programs or monetize your site in other ways. The niche sites that use a lot of Amazon links usually publish detailed product reviews, or lists of the best products of a certain type (example, Best Blenders Under $100).

If you want to learn all of the details about how to do this, please see my article Complete Guide to Building a Profitable Niche Website.

Ways to Make Money with Niche Websites:

Amazon Associates (Amazon’s affiliate program)
Other affiliate programs
AdSense and other ad networks
Publish sponsored content
Create and sell your own products

Action Step: The first step is to choose the niche for your site and secure a domain name. While it’s possible to create a site on any topic that interests you, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to make money with the site. To ensure you’re choosing a niche that offers profit potential, think about the types of products you would be able to promote as an affiliate at your site. If there are no products you could promote, it’s best to choose another topic or niche.

You also want to make sure there’s enough content for you to write about on your topic of choice. I recommend brainstorming article ideas, and if you come up with at least 100 ideas before you decide to move forward with the site. That may sound like a lot, but it’s really not hard. Browse other blogs/sites in the niche to get ideas.

9. Restoring Furniture

If you love working with your hands, you may really enjoy a side hustle flipping furniture. You can easily find old furniture for free or cheap at yard sales, flea markets, thrift stores, or Craigslist. Use your skills to re-finish the item and then sell it for a profit on the Facebook Marketplace or several other selling apps.

Not only is this a fun activity, but it can be quite profitable, and you can make good money for the time you invest. It’s one of the best hobbies that make money for people who enjoy working with their hands.

If you want to learn from a successful flipper, be sure to read Flipping Furniture for Profit where I interview Virginia and she shares all the ins and outs.

Action Step: The first step is to find a piece of furniture to work with. You may already have an old piece of solid wood furniture in your house that would be ideal for flipping. This is an excellent way to start because you won’t need to dedicate time to finding a piece, and you won’t need to spend any money on it. If you don’t have anything at your house that you can use, check with friends and family, or spend a Saturday morning browsing some yard sales.

10. Yard Sale and Flea Market Flipping

While furniture is a great item to flip, there are countless other things you can buy and resell for a profit. You may be surprised to learn that some people make a full-time income flipping items bought at yard sales and flea markets.

If you love finding great deals at garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, estate sales, and auctions, this is a side hustle you should consider. It’s flexible, fun, and you can start to make real money pretty quickly.

Action Step: Before you get started, you need to know what to look for. This free workshop from a pro flipper will teach you how to start making money with your own re-selling business in 14 days or less.

11. Video Games

Getting paid to play video games would be a dream job for a lot of people. It sounds crazy, but some people actually make money from playing video games. Read this article on Market Watch called Millennial Kids Can Earn $10,000 Per Month Playing Video Games. This article is specifically about people making money by streaming their live gameplay, but there are other ways to make money playing video games.

Ways to Make Money with a Video Game Hobby:

Streaming your live gameplay
Selling your video game accounts
Competitive gaming
Start a podcast or YouTube channel about gaming

Action Step: If you’ve got some gaming skills, the first step is simply to decide which method you want to use to make money. Streaming your gameplay or starting a YouTube channel are two of the options that give you the most realistic path to making money with this fun hobby.

12. Writing

If you like to write, there are plenty of different ways you can make money. Freelance writing is one of the best opportunities for making money online.

There are tons of blogs that pay writers, and more blogs are being launched every day. There’s a huge need for talented writers, and some of the best opportunities pay very well.

Freelance blogging is just one possibility. There are many other ways to make money with your writing hobby.

Ways to Make Money with a Writing Hobby:

Write for blogs and websites
Write for magazines
Write and sell ebooks
Write greeting cards
Write sales copy

Action Step: To get started, see our lists of websites to write and get paid instantly and freelance writing jobs for beginners. You’ll find opportunities you can pursue immediately.

13. Create a YouTube Channel

Creating a YouTube Channel is a similar online business idea to blogging in some ways. You can create content on any topic of your choice, it’s just in video form instead of text.

The other significant difference is that your YouTube Channel will be hosted on YouTube, so you’re not in total control over the site and everything that goes on there.

Of course, you can also create your own blog or website and embed videos from your YouTube channel.

A YouTube channel is great for monetizing your favorite hobby because it can be fun, and there are millions of people on YouTube and Google searching for videos on hobby-related topics. I use YouTube all the time to learn things related to landscaping, tools, and other DIY topics. The YouTubers creating the videos help me out a lot, and they’re making money from it as well.
Ways to Make Money from a YouTube Channel:

Ad clicks
Sell sponsorships for your shows
Promote affiliate products

Action Step: Once you’ve chosen your topic, the next step is to create your channel and your first video. Don’t obsess over creating the perfect video. It’s more important to simply get started. Use whatever equipment you already own to create the video, whether it’s a smartphone or a webcam on your laptop. You can upgrade your equipment as your channel grows, but there’s no need to invest a lot of money right from the start.

14. Create a Podcast

Podcasting is also a lot like blogging or creating a YouTube channel, except the content is in audio format instead of text or video.

You can start a podcast on just about any topic you can imagine, as long as there are people who want to listen to it.

A podcast can be used in combination with a blog, and actually that’s a really effective way to provide your audience with quality content both written and audio.

In terms of earning income, podcasting is a natural fit with affiliate marketing. You can invite guests who have their own products to sell (like courses or ebooks) and then promote those products as an affiliate.

Ways to Make Money with a Hobby Podcast:

Sell sponsorships
As an affiliate, you sell other people’s products.
Create and sell your own products

Action Step: To learn how to start a money-making podcast, please see Podcast A-Z: The Complete Course for Podcasting.

15. Voice Acting

If you enjoy acting or using your voice in different ways, you may be able to get paid to do voiceovers and other types of voice acting. With the high volume of video content that’s being created online, there’s a strong demand for talented voice artists, making this one of the best hobbies that make money.

Not only is there a lot of work available, but talented voice actors can make a very good income, whether it’s part-time or full-time.

Websites like Voices.com and Fiverr are ideal places to find work.

Ways to Make Money with Voice Acting:

Commercial’s Advertisements
Sales videos
Podcast intro’s Corporate training videos

16. Music

If you love music but have a full-time job in another field, you may enjoy a side hustle that allows you to make money from your hobby. There are several different possibilities involving performing, teaching, and entertaining.

One of the most popular options is to work as a DJ. There are plenty of weddings and events that provide opportunities to make some extra spending money.

Technology also offers some new possibilities, like teaching online lessons through sites like TakeLessons and Lessonface.

Ways to Make Money with a Music Hobby:

DJ weddings and events
Start a band
Sing/play at bars, restaurants, and events
Teach private lessons (locally or online) (locally or online)
Start a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel

Action Step: With so many different possibilities, the first step is to decide how you want to make money with your musical hobby. The approach you would take to start a business as a DJ would be completely different than what you would do to start a YouTube channel. Consider the options listed above and see which one would be the right fit for you.

17. Social Media

How much time do you spend on social media each day? Have you ever thought about using it to make money?

Social networks are used for more than just wasting time. Businesses use social media to connect with their customers and increase exposure through digital marketing.

If you enjoy spending time on social media, there are a few different ways you can put this to use. Many businesses outsource work related to social media, which means there’s an opportunity for you to be hired to do the work. See my article How to Make Money on Pinterest.

Aside from managing social profiles for clients, you could also create your own following (become an influencer) and make money from sponsorships. Many people have done this successfully, and it’s especially popular right now with Instagram.

Ways to Make Money with Social Media:

Work as a Pinterest Virtual Assistant
Work as a Facebook ads manager
Become an influencer

Action Step: Working as a social media manager or social ad manager is the most practical option, so that’s what we’ll focus on. To get started, set up your own website to provide information about the services you’ll offer. You can then start reaching out to potential clients. Starting with clients in your local area is an ideal option because many small business owners prefer to work with someone who’s local.

18. Surfing the Internet

Who doesn’t love to surf the internet? Wouldn’t it be great if this was a money-making hobby?

It might not be one of the first hobbies that make money that comes to mind, but there are actually a number of different companies that will pay you to surf the internet. You’re not going to get rich with these offers, but there are some easy ways to make a little bit of extra income from things you already do. For more, see my article about ways to get paid for surfing the web.

Ways to Make Money by Surfing the Internet:

Swagbucks members can make money by using Swagbucks as their search engine, as well as from things like watching videos online.
MobileXpression will pay you to share your mobile browsing data with them.
UpVoice will pay you for visiting sites like YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel will pay you to share your browsing data with them.

Action Step: Getting started is easy. Simply sign up for a few programs listed above and take the necessary steps (for example, installing an app) (for example, installing an app). It takes just a few minutes and then you’ll be earning rewards with no effort.

19. Selling on Amazon

A few years ago, my wife and I started a side hustle together selling private label products on Amazon. We intended for it to be a small project, but it grew much faster than we anticipated. We made a six-figure profit in our first year and sold the business the following year.

If you enjoy buying or selling online, this could be a great side hustle for you. You could also incorporate it into your hobbies in terms of the products that you sell. For example, if I wanted to build a business around my photography hobby, I could create a brand and sell photography accessories on Amazon (products like lens cases, camera backpacks, rain gear to protect a camera, tripods, lens cleaning cloths, and much more) (products like lens cases, camera backpacks, rain gear to protect a camera, tripods, lens cleaning cloths, and much more).

To learn all the details, please see my article Complete Guide to Selling Private Label Products on Amazon.

Ways to Make Money Selling on Amazon:

Create your own private label brand
Retail arbitrage (buy sale items and retail stores and resell for a profit on Amazon) (buy sale items and retail stores and resell for a profit on Amazon)
Buy wholesale items
Buy and sell used items

Action Step: The first step is to decide which approach you want to take (from the bullet points above) (from the bullet points above). Creating a private label brand worked well for us, but there is more investment and effort involved in going this route. Starting with used items or pursuing retail arbitrage allows you to start with less of an investment of time and money. The Selling Family offers some of the best training if you want to learn how to start a successful retail arbitrage business.

20. Brewing Beer

Any type of job or business involving beer would be a dream come true for a lot of people. With thousands of people brewing at home and many more who are interested in learning, this is one of the best hobbies that make money right now.

If you’re already interested in brewing beer, why not try to find a way to make some money from it?

Ways to Make Money Brewing Beer:

Sell your own beer (be sure to check the requirements in your area and do it legally) (be sure to check the requirements in your area and do it legally)
Sell your recipes
Start your own blog, podcast, or YouTube channel
Create an online course or write an ebook to teach others

21. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking

If you love pets, have you ever considered turning this hobby into a business? Whether we’re talking about a part-time side hustle or a full-time business, working with pets is one of the best options on this list of hobbies that make money.

Many pet owners are not able to walk their own dogs as often as they’d like either because of a busy schedule or physical limitations. As a dog walker, you can get paid to get exercise and spend time with pets, and you might be surprised by the income potential.

Starting a home-based pet sitting business is an ideal way to take this profitable hobby and turn it into a significant income source. You can make good money by pet sitting, especially when overnight stays are involved.

Ways to Make Money from Pets:

Create a profile on Rover so pet owners in your area can find yous
Walk dogs
Offer pet sitting services at your homes

Action Step: To get started with dog walking and pet sitting, create your profile and Rover and list the services you offer. Rover has a very active community and pet owners will be able to find and hire you. You may also want to look for a few clients on your own. You can talk to people in your personal network, reach out to pet owners in your neighborhood, or place ads on local bulletin boards.

22. Driving

If driving is one of your hobbies, you can make money from it in a few ways. Ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft are very popular alternatives to taxis. They also give drivers the chance to make money on their own time.

There are a lot of delivery jobs out there, especially in big cities. Some of these companies, like DoorDash, deliver food from restaurants, and some also deliver groceries. Flex is another great way for delivery drivers to work with Amazon.

If you choose any of these options, be sure to think about how much more it will cost to keep your car running because you’ll be driving it more.

How to Make Money Driving as a Hobby:

DoorDash
Lyft
Uber and UberEats
GrubHub
Amazon Flex

Step 1: Decide what kind of driving you want to do. If you are a delivery driver instead of a rideshare driver, you won’t have to drive strangers around. DoorDash is our top pick because they are almost everywhere and most drivers always have work.

23. Character in Costume

Do you love getting dressed up and putting on shows for people? Working as a costumed character at parties and other events could be a great way to make money from your hobby. You can hire costumed characters for a child’s birthday party, a community event, a fair or festival, or even a business event.

Step: You might be able to find clients through your personal network, by posting ads on Craigslist, or by making a profile on Gig Salad.

24. Shopping

Getting paid to shop may be the best way to make money from a hobby. You’ll be able to make money instead of having to spend it.

As a shopper, there are a few different ways you can make money. You’ve probably heard of “secret shoppers” or “mystery shoppers” before. Even though these jobs do exist, there aren’t very many of them and most of them don’t pay very well. Still, you have some options if you just want to make a little extra cash.

In the gig economy, there are also more and more ways to make money as a shopper. There are a few companies (listed below) where you can get paid to shop for other people. There are times when this also includes delivery.

How to Make Money Shopping:

With Field Agent and IntelliShop, you can do secret shopping.
Shipt and Instacart are grocery shopping and delivery apps.
Do personal shopping or work as an assistant.

Step 2: Think about the different options and choose the one you want to go with. If you’re going to work through a platform like Instacart, make your profile and get started. Some apps need a background check, so you might not be able to start working for a few days.

25. Antiques and Collectibles

Do you have a hobby where you collect something? If so, have you thought about making it a business?

You could buy collectibles in order to sell them for a profit instead of just keeping them for yourself. This method is often used for antiques, but it could also be used for other kinds of collectibles.

This would be like selling things at yard sales or flea markets and then selling them again. You would look for things that are being sold for less than they are worth, buy them, and then sell them somewhere else for more.

What you can collect and sell:

Antiques
Records on vinyl
Comic strips
Coins
Toys
Items related to sports

26. Crafts and items made by hand

This is a big group, so it could include a lot of different things. If you are good at crafts and enjoy making things, you could sell them on sites like Etsy. Etsy is a huge online market where a lot of people buy and sell handmade artsy goods.

People make a lot of money selling their creations on sites like Etsy, and there are so many things that can be sold.

You can sell the following types of DIY crafts and hand-made items:

Clothes and other stuff
Jewelry
Home decor
Wedding supplies

27. Lawn and garden care

If you like being outside, a great way to turn this into a money-making hobby is to offer landscaping or lawn care services. Some jobs, like cutting the grass, are easy and don’t require much experience. Other projects, like building a deck, would take more time and knowledge. No matter where you are in life, you can make money here.

How to Make Money with a Hobby in Landscaping:

Mow lawns
Leaf raking
Remove snow
Powerwashing

28. Gardening

There are also ways to make extra money from gardening, if that’s something you like to do. You can grow your own food and sell it at road stands, farmer’s markets, or flea markets. If you have a large property, you could also set up a stand in your garden or do something else there (berry picking, corn mazes, hayrides, etc.).

You could make money from your own garden, but you could also do things like weed and trim other people’s gardens to make money.

How to Make Money from Your Gardening Interest:

Sell your produce
Offer things to do on your farm or in your garden.
Provide services such as weeding and trimming.

Step 2: Decide what you’re going to sell or what service you’re going to provide. Look at the land you already have to see if you could grow food to sell. If not, think about helping people in your area with things like weeding and trimming.

29. Cooking and Baking

There are a few ways to make extra money if you like to cook or bake. You could, of course, do things like bake cakes for birthdays or weddings. You can also use your skills in a number of different ways with an online business, which gives you a lot of freedom in how and when you work. You could also teach other people what you know.

People have probably told you that you should open a restaurant if you’re a good cook. Even though that is a choice, restaurants fail at a very high rate and require a lot of work and long hours.

How to make money with a passion for cooking or baking:

Make cakes for birthdays or weddings
Give classes on how to cook
Write a book or ebook of recipes.
Start a blog or a YouTube channel about food.

Step 2: Think about the kinds of businesses you could start, such as selling baked goods, teaching, or running an online business, and choose the one that would work best for you.

30. Sewing

Sewing seems to be a skill that is becoming less common. That means that if you can sew and enjoy it, there are probably other people who would pay you to do it for them.

A few years ago, my wife and I had a business where we sold things on Amazon. One of the products we ordered from China had a problem with the stitching (hundreds of items). I saw an ad for a local woman who did sewing and alterations on Craigslist, and we hired her to fix the things for us. She mostly did alterations and customizations for her business, and she said that word of mouth and posting on Craigslist kept her very busy during prom and wedding season.

How to make money with a sewing hobby:

Offer to make changes and fix things.
Make clothes to order for customers.
Make and sell things for the home
Give sewing lessons

Step 2: Tell people you know about the services you offer, start a Facebook page, and put ads for your services on Craigslist. You could also put up ads on bulletin boards around town.

31. Decorating

There are a few ways to make this a creative way to make money if you have a good eye and some design or decorating skills. As an interior designer, you could work on a variety of projects, both commercial and private.

You can also make and sell your own items for decorating your home. You could use a market like Etsy or use Shopify to set up your own online store.

How to Make Money with an Interest in Decorating:

Work as a designer of rooms
Make and sell things for decorating
Start a blog, a podcast, or a channel on YouTube.

Step 2: Start by putting together your portfolio. To show what you can do, you’ll need good photos of your work. If you don’t already have projects to put in your portfolio, do some work around your own house or for family and friends.

32. Style and Looks

If you are interested in fashion and beauty, you could start a side business as a stylist or makeup artist. You could also give advice on how to dress. You could do this on the side of your full-time job, or you could work harder at it and turn it into your full-time job.

You could also make your own things and sell them. You could sell things you made by hand, or you could start a private label brand and find a manufacturer to make the things for you.

How to Make Money from Your Fashion and Beauty Interests:

Learn how to put on makeup.
Become a hairdresser
Make your own things and sell them.
Start a blog, a podcast, or a YouTube channel of your own.

Step 1: Decide if you want to start a business that provides a service, makes and sells a product, or provides content (blog, podcast, or YouTube channel).

33. Modeling

Do you enjoy modeling? If so, you might be able to use it to make a little extra cash.

As a model, there are many ways to make money, but right now, one of the best ways is to work with photographers who sell stock photos online. Stock photographers need models to take the pictures that bring in money, so many of them hire models.

You can look on Craigslist or other local message boards to find these kinds of jobs. You can also make your own post and tell photographers what you can do for them.

How to Make Money as a Model:

Stock photographers need you.
Model for drawing or art class
Make a profile on Model Mayhem or one of the other websites that are like it.

Step 1: Put together a portfolio with a few professional photos of yourself. If you don’t already have photos, ask a friend who is good at photography to help you or hire a photographer in your area. You could also trade with a photographer by giving them permission to sell your photos in exchange for using them in your portfolio.

34. Making T-shirt designs

One of the best ways to make money from a hobby if you are creative and like to design things is to design t-shirts. Even if you’re creative but not the best designer in the world, you could still make money by having someone else do the design work.

With print-on-demand websites, you can start your own t-shirt business without having to spend thousands of dollars on inventory that you might or might not be able to sell.

How to Make Money Making T-Shirt Designs:

Merch by Amazon is a way for you to sell your designs.
Use Shopify or another platform to open your own online store.
Use sites like Teespring, Bonfire, and Printify to sell.

Step: You need designs for your t-shirts before you can start selling them. Work on some ideas and make the designs for the first few t-shirts you can sell. Find out more by reading How to Start a Print-on-Demand Business.

35. Art

If you love art, you might want to make money from it. To do what you love, you don’t have to be a “starving artist.” You can either have a full-time job and make money from your art on the side, or you can use technology to make your art more profitable.

With art and design skills, there are many ways to use the internet to make money. I used to have a blog about web and graphic design. Even though I’m not an artist myself, I hired several freelance designers and illustrators to work on projects for that blog and the products I sold on it.

How to Make Money from an Art Interest:

Sell your art at shows or galleries.
Draw comics for a living.
Get a job as an artist.
Stock photo and graphic markets are good places to sell your work.
Give art classes in your area.
Make an online video art course and sell it.

Step 2: There are so many different options that the first step is just to think about them and figure out what would work best for you.

36. Carpentry and working with wood

Woodworking is a very popular hobby, and there are many ways to make money from it. I’ve seen many people use this skill online by making a YouTube channel, an ebook, or an online course. And, of course, there are lots of services and products you can offer in your area.

How to Make Money as a Woodworker or Carpenter:

Build custom furniture
Fixing up your home and furniture
Make and sell things you made yourself.
Use YouTube, an ebook, or an online course to teach other people.

Step 2: Think about the different ways you could do it and choose the best one for you. Many people who enjoy this hobby are willing to spend money to get better at it, so making some kind of educational content or product is a great idea. It could be a blog, YouTube channel, online course, or ebook.

37. Repairing Things

Do you like putting things right? I do, but not very often because I’m not very good at it. Most of the time, I try to do it myself, fail, and then look on Craigslist for someone I can hire to do it.

I found a guy on Craigslist earlier this year to fix two leaf blowers that I couldn’t get to work. After working all day, he fixes all kinds of small engines in his garage at home in the evenings. From what I heard when I talked to him, this side job seems to keep him pretty busy.

There’s also a lot of work for handymen. This can include a wide range of things, such as painting, putting up lights or ceiling fans, and making small repairs. When my family and I moved two years ago, we had to replace about 15 light fixtures, which I knew would take me a long time to do. So I wouldn’t have to take time away from my business, I hired a friend who works as a handyman.

Things you can fix to make money:

Do odd jobs for people.
Fix up little engines (lawnmowers, snowblowers, leaf blowers, etc.)
Get a job as a mechanic.
Make a YouTube channel with how-to videos for doing things yourself.

Step: You can find work as a handyman through websites and apps like Handy.com and Jiffy. Make a profile on these sites, post ads on Craigslist, advertise on local bulletin boards, and talk to people you know. See my article How to Start a Handyman Business for more information.

38. Fitness and Health

A lot of people are really interested in their health and fitness. If so, why not turn it into a hobby that makes you money? There are many things that could happen.

You could start a business that provides a service. The first thing that comes to mind is probably being a personal trainer, but there are other things you could do (some are listed below).

The internet also opens up a lot of other ways to make products, teach, and share content. On YouTube and Instagram, there are a lot of health and fitness influencers who make money.

How to Make Money from a Health and Fitness Interest:

Do personal training.
Give advice on nutrition
Lead or teach classes (yoga, pilates, spinning, etc.)
Start a blog or an account on YouTube.
Make an ebook or video course to sell online.

Step: If you want or need to start making money, the best thing to do is offer a service in your area. But if you want to build something long-term and don’t mind waiting a while before you start making money, starting a YouTube channel or a blog is a better way to go because it gives you a higher chance of making money than being a personal trainer or doing some other service.

39. Sports

When I was a kid, I always wanted to make money through sports. It wasn’t going to work out for me to be a pro athlete, and I didn’t think much about other ways I could make money through sports.

There are a lot of good options, and most of them could be done easily on top of a full-time job.

How to Make Money from Your Sports Interest:

Lead a team.
Give private lessons or lessons to a small group
Referee
Start a blog, a podcast, or a YouTube channel of your own.
Write about sports for a local paper.

Step 2: Choose the path that will work best for you. Coaching and refereeing can be good ways to make a little extra money, but if you want to make it your full-time job, it’s better to work online. Choose a topic and decide whether you want to start a blog, a podcast, or a YouTube channel.

40. Riding a Bike

Biking is a great way to get exercise and can be a lot of fun, too. You might be surprised at how many ways there are to make money.

How to Make Money from a Bike Interest:

Deliveries by bike
Teach a class on how to spin.
Work at a bike shop near you.
Start a blog, a podcast, or a channel on YouTube.

Step 2: Think about the ways you could make extra money and choose the best one for you. I like the idea of a blog or niche website that is all about biking. You could write about biking tips, the best places to bike, reviews of bikes and accessories, and lists of the best products in different categories.

41. Dancing

If you love to dance, why not use it to make money? You can have fun, get some exercise, entertain or teach other people, and make money at the same time.

How to Make Money Dancing:

Give classes or one-on-one lessons
Paying work as a performer
Do your thing on the street
Start a blog or an account on YouTube.

Step 1: Starting a YouTube channel about dance is a great idea, and if one of your videos goes viral, you could quickly gain a lot of fans. Start by making a few videos and putting them on your channel. The first videos you make don’t have to be great. Just get some content out there and work on making it better as you go.

42. Bartending

Bartenders can make good money by working nights and weekends, so it’s a great way to make money on the side. There are a lot of bars and restaurants where you can work in most cities. You can also serve drinks at parties.

To get started, look in the local wanted ads for bartending jobs or stop by local restaurants and bars to see if they’re hiring.

43. Travel

Many people love to travel, and some have even been able to make it their full-time job. It’s kind of crazy how many people make their living as travel bloggers. There are, of course, plenty of other jobs that require a lot of travel.

But even if you have a more traditional full-time job but still want to travel and make extra money, there are ways to do so. The hardest part of having a side job that involves travel is probably making sure it doesn’t get in the way of your main responsibilities, like a full-time job, school, or family.

Not all travel bloggers are full-time. Many people start out by writing about their weekend trips or vacations, which is a good idea if you can’t travel all the time. You can also write about places you visit close to home that don’t take a lot of time to get to (for example, setting up a website or blog that features the attractions in your own area).

Using credit card rewards to get free travel could be a side job for some people. You can save a lot of money and travel around the world for very low prices or even for free if you don’t try to make money.

Travel is also a great hobby for people who retire early, especially if they retire early.

How to Make Money from Your Travel Interests:

Traveling smarter
Part-time travel agent
Start a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel about your trip.

Step 2: Read my article “How to Start a Blog” for step-by-step instructions on how to get your blog online in just a few minutes, even if you don’t know anything about computers.

44. Hospitality

If you enjoy having people over and making them happy, there are a few ways you could use this to make money. A few people I know have opened their own bed and breakfast. This is a good choice, but it takes a lot more time than a side job. Renting out a room on Airbnb would be a similar option that would take less time.

How to make money from a hobby in hospitality:

Withlocals lets you host an event for travelers.
Give tours of the area (see Tours By Locals)
Airbnb lets you rent out a room.
Open a bed-and-breakfast.
Start by making a profile on Airbnb and listing a room for rent in your home.

45. Planning and Organizing

Thanks to those of us who don’t have good planning and organization skills, there are ways to make money if you do and if you enjoy it.

One choice would be to start a business that plans events or weddings.

If you’re better at organizing than planning, you could help people get their homes or lives in order.

Planning and organizing can help you make money in a few ways:

Planning events is a service you can offer.
Become an organizing consultant
Start a blog, a podcast, or a channel on YouTube.
Write an ebook or make an online course to teach others.

Step 2: Make a list of the services you’re going to offer. Make a simple website that tells people about you and what you do. Then start talking to people you know, make a Facebook page, and put up ads on Craigslist.

46. Comedy

There are a few ways to make money if you like being funny and making people laugh. It’s not easy to make a living as a comedian, but you can make a little extra money on the side and have fun while you do it.

How to Make Money from a Funny Hobbies:

Try being a stand-up comic.
Try being a clown.
MC events
Start a channel on YouTube
Start a website with fake news.

Step 2: A YouTube channel that focuses on comedy is a great idea. Give your channel a name and get it set up. Then make your first video and keep working to make it better as you go.

47. History

Are you interested in history? You can make a little extra money by using your knowledge of and interest in history.

History may not be as easy to use to make money as some of the other things on this list, but there are still a few ways to do it. I live about 45 minutes from Gettysburg, a famous Civil War battlefield. There are many different kinds of tours with guides (including small private tours). If you live in a place that tourists like to visit, giving historical tours could be a good idea.

How to Make Money from Your Interest in History:

Give tours with a guide.
Start a website or blog about something from the past.
Write a book or ebook

Step 2: Think about the options and decide if you want to give tours in your area, write a book, or start a blog or website. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) on Amazon is a great way to publish a book on your own. It will take you some time to write your book, but it could keep making you money for years to come.

48. Having to do with kids

If you like being around kids, you can make money in a few different ways. None of them will make you a lot of money, but they can all help you make some extra cash in your spare time.

How to make money working with children:

Work as a babysitter or nanny.
Start a program after school
Tutor

Step 2: Babysitting is a great way to start making money fast. Parents will always need a good person to watch their kids. Talk to everyone you know, especially your parents, and you’ll probably find a few people who will hire you. You can also make a profile on sites like Care.com.

49. Language

There are a number of legitimate ways to make money with language skills. Most of these could be a part-time job or something you do full-time.

How to Make Money from a Language Interest:

become a transcriptionist.
become a proofreader.
Work as a scopist and edit for the court reporting business. Check out the Internet Scoping School for more information.
Offer to do translations

Step: If you know how to type, one of the best jobs you could have is as a transcriptionist. Start by going through Transcribe Anywhere’s free 7-lesson mini-course.

50. Speaking

If you like talking in front of people, you could use this skill as a side job. This could mean talking about a certain subject at events or getting paid to be a spokesperson on camera (or just on the radio).

How to Make Money from a Speaking Interest:

Talk at events like conferences and seminars
Work as a company spokesperson in videos
Give voice acting/voice over services

Step 2: People who are good at being on camera for online videos are in high demand. Many entrepreneurs and businesses need a spokesperson for sales videos, training videos, and other kinds of videos. Set up a profile on Fiverr and a gig to start selling your services.

How to figure out if a hobby could make you money

There’s a good chance you have a few different fun things you like to do. You might be trying to decide which hobby idea has the best chance of making you money. Before you put in too much work, you should figure out if the chance to make money is worth it. Here are some things to think about.

Do people love this hobby and are they willing to spend money on it?

The hobbies that make the most money are the ones that have a lot of fans who are willing to spend money. For example, selling digital products to photographers was my best way to make money from a hobby. When it came to me, I sold things to other photographers. Some of my customers were professionals, but many of them were just regular people who liked taking pictures and wanted to get better at it. Photography is a hobby that can cost a lot of money, but millions of people are willing to pay for it. Since photographers buy expensive cameras and lenses, you know they are willing to spend money.

Putting together furniture is another hobby from the list above. People are willing to spend money on furniture, so it makes sense that this hobby could lead to some money.

You can make money from a lot of hobbies, but asking yourself this question can help you avoid trying to make money from a hobby that no one cares about.

Is there a product or service you could sell or provide?

There are two clear ways to make money:

Sell a product
Provide a service.
Think about your own interests and see if you can make a product or provide a service based on them.

Putting together a product might sound hard, but it doesn’t have to be that hard or expensive. For example, your product could be an ebook, which is easy to make with free software like Google Docs or OpenOffice.

If you want to sell something physical, you can make it yourself (like baked goods, art, or woodwork), or you can have it made for you. It’s easy to find manufacturers who will make your product and put your brand or logo on it. If you look on Alibaba, you can find people who make just about anything.

Is this a trend?

Make sure you don’t spend a lot of time or effort trying to make money from a hobby that will just be a fad or a trend that will pass. People will still be interested in the best money-making hobbies 5–10 years from now.

Could it be done as a full-time job?

You might want to turn your money-making hobby into a full-time business, or you might have never even thought about the idea. I think it’s a good idea to choose something that could help you make a good amount of money. Building a business, no matter how big or small, takes time and work, and I’d rather spend my time on something that has the potential to make me a lot of money.

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