Hobbies You Can Turn Into Side Hustles

One of the oldest pieces of career advice in the book? Get paid to do what you love. Like that saying goes, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” But not everyone is fortunate (or motivated) enough to turn their favorite hobby into their main career.

But even if your career and your hobbies don’t quite line up, that doesn’t mean you can’t still make some money doing something you enjoy. The side hustle a great opportunity for people who want some extra cash to pay off debt, make ends meet, or just keep their hobby going.

Here are some hobbies that you can potentially turn into side hustles:

Photography

If you love taking photos and you’re good at it, why not put a few on the market and see what happens? Your landscape photos or artistic shots could find a home in online marketplaces like Pexels or iStock. You’re unlikely to get rich off your work, but who knows — your unique photo could become the next big meme.

Music

While your dreams of making it big with the band you had in high school might be a thing of the past, you can still be a rock star to somebody by teaching music. Whether you decide to give lessons in person, create a series of YouTube tutorials, or offer virtual lessons over Skype or Discord, you can command some decent money sharing your expertise with others.

Sports

A professional sports career can be a tough field to break into. Slightly less challenging, but no less rewarding, is coaching or refereeing a local team, Little League, or charity organization. With some ambition and time, you could even further your sports education and turn your coaching side hustle into serious money.

Voice Work

If you have a knack for impressions, a voice made for radio, or just some funny voices you do well, there’s a market for that. Many voice actors, both amateur and professional, make a few bucks performing on Fiverr and other online marketplaces. All you need is a decent mic, a means of recording, and the power of your voice.

Writing

There are probably more ways of making money writing online than almost any other activity. Creating a popular, profitable blog may not be as lucrative as it once was, as there are way too many people doing it, but it’s not impossible if you have an unexplored niche. if you want to create an eBook or e-course and share your expertise that way, the barriers to entry are lower than they’ve ever been, and plenty of free tools to help you get started.

Video

Could you talk about your favorite hobby all day? Then why not get paid to do it? People with a passion for games, arts and crafts, or just about anything you can imagine are already doing it. Creating your own YouTube or Twitch channel is a free and easy way to potentially reach 1000’s of people. Building an audience large enough to monetize your hobby might take some time and effort, but it can also be a way to draw people into other services you can provide, like one-on-one tutoring. While you’ll need a decent camera and recording setup, you can get started with nothing more than your smartphone.

Cooking and Gardening

Cooking and gardening are two classic hobbies, rewarding not only in the execution, but in the results. If you have more fruits and vegetables from your garden than you can handle, or if your friends have told you that you could be a professional chef, maybe it’s time to see about making a little money on the side. Your produce, baked goods, canned goods, or artisan foods can be sold to friends and neighbors or taken to the farmer’s market for sale over the weekend.

Graphic Design

Maybe you love tinkering with graphic design, but have no ambitions to try to make a career of it. Making icons, fonts, logos, backgrounds, or other graphic design elements in your free time can be an easy way to make some extra money. Online marketplaces like GraphicRiver, Icon Finder, or other venues offer a percentage on packages sold. Selling graphic design elements is a time-honored means of passive income: once they’re online, they can provide a trickle of residual income for years into the future.

Animals

Love animals, but don’t have one of your own? You could start an easy and possibly lucrative side hustle hanging out with some furry friends. Starting a dog-walking or pet-sitting business costs next to nothing to get started — all you need is a good reputation and some positive reviews from sites like Rover and things could really take off.

Selling Online

Finally, if you want a side hustle that could potentially make you mega bucks then consider selling items online. You never know what buyers will want or need until you list your items, it may surprise you. There are a few avenues you could explore when it comes to listing things online. You could make homemade products, you could do some upcycling, or you could get rid of your old junk and clutter. Whichever option you choose will involve listing things online. There are many platforms to choose from including vinted and eBay. If you go down the eBay route, then you should check out the ebay flyp calculator. This will let you know if this is worthwhile journey to be on and inform you of any seller fees and profits you will make.

Building up a great side hustle isn’t always easy — even when you’re making money indulging in your favorite hobbies, it can sometimes be extra work. The key is to make sure you love what you’re doing — and keep loving it, even if it becomes a job.