Most of us have hobbies that we enjoy. We look forward to spending time doing them and feel relaxed while we are doing them. This means that it can be useful to think of ways that doing this can make us some money. This is because it can still be fun and relaxing but we will gain some income from it, which might be much needed. There are lots of different ways to gain income form what you do and it will very much depend on what you are doing and your level of experience. Below are some ideas:
- Sell things you make – many hobbies involve craft and art skills and so often people will make things. If this is the case for you then it could be possible for you to sell the things that you make. There are lots of ways that you can do this, either online or offline and so you should be able to easily find a way to do it. Obviously selling things that you make takes confidence. You have to feel that the items are good enough to sell. If you are not sure then ask friends and family, ones that are honest, about whether they have seen similar things for sale and what they would change to make the items more saleable. By asking them in this way they will be inclined to give you feedback rather than just being positive and encouraging. Although it is nice to have encouragement you do need honesty as you do not want to waste your time trying to sell things which will not work. You can also do research yourself and see what other people are selling and then you will be able to think about whether you feel you could fit into the market somewhere. If you are a novice, then you might need to practice more before you feel that you can start selling, but at least with some research you will know what you are aiming for and what areas you need to practice the most.
- Make instructional videos – these days a lot of people make videos to help others to achieve what they are doing. You will need to have a way of recording, but many people will just use their phones to do this. Some people do not like the idea of having to talk on video but this is not always necessary either. You could write things down on paper and film them or put word effects on top afterwards. There are ways that other people get away with doing this and so if you watch other videos you should be able to pick up some tips. Even if you are a beginner these can be worth doing. You will be able to help other beginners with tips that are at their level. Some people do not want to listen to an expert as they find it too difficult and overwhelming and having someone that is at a more novice level teach them can make things simpler and less daunting. It can be fun and knowing that you have been helping others can be rewarding. Once the videos get popular you should also be able to make some money form them in advertising revenue.
- Have a website/blog/message board – Another way to help people out, if you are not keen on the idea of videos is to set up a website, blog or forum where you discuss it all. You will still be able to make money form advertising, but you may have to approach companies to sell them adverts or use a big company to provide banner ads and things like that for you. You could also make commission from affiliate links. If you add lots of content and keep adding new, you should find that you will get visitors returning. Setting up an associated social media page might also help to get more people involved and interested.
- Run classes– if you would rather deal with people face to face then you could run classes where you teach them things. This can be a lot of fun as you get to be with like minded people and not only will you instruct them but you can also have a chat with them and share tips and tricks. You will need to think about where you run the classes and how to get the materials you need, but some people might even do this from their own home.
- Write a book – another way to pass on your knowledge is to write a book. This can sound really hard, but these days you can easily self-publish books and sell them as ebooks so you do not even have to find a publisher if you do not want to. It can be a great way to express yourself and you will be able to inspire others.