Turn the things you enjoy doing for fun into a side hustle and earn extra cash. This is a massive list of hobbies that make money that you can do right from your own home!
What is your favorite hobby? Almost anything that you enjoy doing can be turned into a way to earn a bit more income. Even if you don’t have a hobby, this guide will give you some ideas you can learn and try.
Where To Sell Your Creations
Most of the hobbies that make money involve selling things you create. There are many ways to sell your products – some require direct connections with people, and some are entirely online.
The most popular places to sell things you make are:
- Etsy – As long as it is handmade or vintage, you can set up a shop on Etsy. This is one of the largest websites for selling handmade goods.
- Shopify – If you have some tech knowledge, you can set up an online store on Shopify and sell directly to customers.
- Facebook – Lots of people start small, selling directly to friends and family on Facebook. Others choose to utilize Facebook marketplace and sell locally.
- Farmer’s Market – Set up a booth at your farmer’s market and sell directly to people who are there to browse.
- Partner With A Local Consignment Shop
- Amazon Handmade – Amazon set up a website just for people to sell their handmade goods.
- Cratejoy – This is an excellent option if you want to partner with a few other people and sell subscription boxes. Here’s how to sell with CrateJoy.
- indieCart – Just like Etsy, indieCart is a place where people can sell handmade items.
Fun and Creative Hobbies That Make Money
If you have free time and want to increase your income without leaving home, check out all of these fun hobbies. All of them can be used as a way to bring in more money. Some of them might take a bit more monetary investment than others, but all of them are rewarding for creative people like you.
1. Make Jewelry
Do you enjoy creating bracelets, earrings, and necklaces? Start selling your designs! When you begin to see which types of jewelry sell and which don’t, you can focus on the ones that are in higher demand.
Think beyond just beads. There are ways to make clay jewelry, jewelry out of tassels, and even solder metal accessories.
2. Sewing
I could write an entire article about all the things you can sell if you know how to sew. There are so many! To save time, I’ll just list out the most popular ideas:
- Clothes
- Blankets/Quilts
- Hats
- Totes
- Bags
- Cloth Diapers
- Kitchen Accessories
- Facemasks
- Hair Accessories
3. Writing
If you enjoy writing, you might as well get paid for doing it! I have an extensive list of paid writing gigs that you can browse. These are the types of writing jobs that are in the highest demand:
- Blog Writing
- Freelance Writing for businesses or magazines
- Poetry
- Resume Writing
- Search Engine Optimized Articles
- Short Stories
- Travel Writing
4. Painting
In addition to selling your paintings on canvas, you can turn your artwork into other goods like shirts and mugs.
Don’t stop at painting on canvas! You can paint on vinyl records or reclaimed wood and sell it as wall art.
5. Graphic Design
If designing things on the computer is more your speed, there are lots of ways you can do this and work from home. People are constantly hiring freelance graphic designers. Some of the things you might create include:
- Brochures and flyers
- Business cards
- Logos
- Printables
- Simple graphics
- Social media posts
- Website design
6. Hand-Lettering
The art of hand-lettering is very similar to calligraphy. Hand-lettering is a broader term that calligraphy falls under. If you enjoy creating art out of letters and words, consider making them into art people can buy!
Some of the ways you can sell hand-lettering include:
- Cards and Invitations
- Wall Decor
- Dishes
Lots of people create hand-lettered art and then scan it and create an SVG file for their Cricut. They then cut out their art with the Cricut and put it on anything from mugs to shirts.
Related content: Beautiful Handwriting? 8 Remote Handwriting Jobs
7. Baking
Whether you enjoy making cupcakes, pies, or bread, consider selling it at the Farmer’s Market. Then, you can spend your time doing what you love – baking in the kitchen and earning money from it.
Before you start a cupcake business from your home, read my guide! There are so many things to remember before you begin this venture.
8. Knitting/Crochet
There is also an almost endless amount of things you can make with yarn if you know how to knit or crochet. From things people wear to toys and gifts, you can usually find a pattern for anything you want to make.
Some of the most popular yarn-made items online are:
- Hats, gloves, and scarves
- Wool diaper covers
- Baby clothes
- Toys
- Hair accessories
- Home decor items
- Christmas ornaments
- Blankets
9. Woodworking
Woodworking is another hobby where you can sell your handmade collection to earn extra money. If you want to sell and ship nationwide, consider making smaller items like coasters and cutting boards.
With a more substantial financial investment, you can buy the tools to make chests and custom furniture.
10. Photography
Turn your love of photography into a side (or full-time) business. You can choose to take family photos locally or set up a studio in your home and take pictures of food and crafts for websites. Some photographers also sell stock photography to places like Shutterstock.
Related Reading: 40 Ways to Make Money Selling Photos Online
11. Gardening
Is gardening a form of stress relief for you? Make your garden even just a tad bit larger, and you can begin selling your produce at the farmer’s market. Or, consider canning your tomatoes and selling homemade salsa.
Related Reading: Flexible and Work-At-Home Jobs for People with a Green Thumb
12. Coding
Small business owners are always hiring coders to create apps or help them with website tech issues. Consider charging for your time as a web tech specialist and watch your bank account grow!
13. Shopping
Shopping is a pretty expensive hobby. So, turn your love of shopping into a way to make money instead of spending it!
Become a personal shopper, suggesting outfits and alerting people about sales. Or, you can sign up as an affiliate with your favorite brands and create a fashion blog. Then, every time someone buys through your link, you get a percent of the sale!
Related Reading: How to Get Paid to Shop For Others
14. Fitness
Working out is another hobby that can earn you money. Lead a local fitness class at a public park. If you don’t want to work directly with the public, create a YouTube channel full of instructional videos.
Another option is to become a fitness trainer or running coach, helping people achieve their fitness goals.
15. Traveling
Traveling is another hobby that can quickly become very expensive. People who prefer to explore the world discovered a way to turn this into a job. Start a travel blog! With the right kind of content, you can earn ad revenue and even score free gifts from businesses.
16. Antiquing
Thanks to the popular TV show “American Pickers,” antiquing is becoming one of the most popular hobbies that make money. You don’t have to own a storefront to make money from it.
Start small – buy some antiques at a low price and resell them in person or on eBay.
17. Makeup
If new makeup palettes make you drool, and you are constantly coming up with new look ideas, consider turning this hobby into a side hustle. You could offer to do makeup for brides on their big day or start your own YouTube and Instagram, where you show people how to create new looks.
18. Hiking
How do you make money from hiking? Good question!
Many people want to go hiking, but either don’t know how to find the trails or are too afraid to go alone. Start your own hiking guide business and help people get out and enjoy nature.
19. Yoga
Yoga is a really relaxing hobby, and once you learn enough to become an instructor, it’s very rewarding too! Gyms hire yoga instructors all the time. If you’d rather work from home, set up live yoga sessions on social media. Become a yoga expert so that people pay to join your classes and learn from you.
This is also a fantastic opportunity to suggest items for people to buy – use your affiliate links and earn extra income that way too!
20. Acting
You don’t have to work on a national TV show or movie to earn money as an actor. Thanks to the wonders of social media, you can set up your own YouTube channel to create content. Pair up with more people and create your comedies.
If you gain enough subscribers, people might notice, and you could land more significant roles.
Related Reading: How to Work From Home as a Voice Actor
21. Audio/Video Editing
This brings me to one of the last hobbies that make money – editing!
There are always actors and musicians out who don’t want to (or can’t) take the time to learn how to edit their videos. Freelance video editors can earn a comfortable income, depending on your skill and experience.
You can edit other things too, like audio for podcasts and commercials for small businesses.
Hobbies That Make Money – Final Thoughts
No matter what you enjoy doing in your free time, there is a way to turn that hobby into something that gives you an additional income. Before choosing which one to do, consider the overhead cost and the upfront investment. You also need to decide whether you really want to turn a hobby into a job.
Some people love it; others don’t. Do what makes you happy!
