You received positive feedback on your writing?
If you love to knit, can you make simple garments which
look good and which fit?
It's important to
consider whether you're good at your chosen activities because
in order to make money from
something, you usually need to have reached an acceptable
standard at it. You don't need to be an expert, but you
shouldn't be an absolute beginner.
If you're struggling to think of activities you enjoy, here are
a few popular hobbies:
-
Photography
- Writing (fiction or non-fiction)
- Painting
- Knitting and sewing
- Woodwork and DIY
- Playing a musical instrument
- Cooking and hosting dinner parties
- Sport and exercising
Thought of a hobby? Good... now ask yourself
the next question:
Question
Two: What have you paid
for when enjoying this hobby?
When you're thinking about how you could possibly
make money from your interests,
it's very useful to consider what you've paid for while
carrying them out. Almost every hobby will involve some
expenditure. Think about products (items which you buy) and
services (often intangible things that you pay others for,
(e.g. training courses, subscription to a membership-only
internet site).
Some common examples are:
- Buying books which teach you techniques
- Buying magazines about the latest trends in your hobby
(there are magazines for almost every interest)
- Going on courses (such as a crafting course, a writing
week, a cooking weekend...)
- Buying equipment and tools related to your hobby (this
doesn't just apply to DIYers - think knitting needles and
wools, sheet music and new instruments, sports gear,
ingredients and kitchenware, digital cameras and
software...)
- Paying someone to train you (perhaps a sports trainer,
a chef, a college tutor)
Chances are, you'll have spent a fair bit of
money on your hobby over the years. Jot down anything you've
bought -- especially things that you paid for when you were
just getting started.
Question Three: What product
could you make, or what service could you offer to
others?
Look at the list you wrote in question two. Are any of those
products or services ones which you could offer to others? For
example:
- If you bought a lot of "beginners' guides" when you
were starting out with your hobby, could you create an
ebook to sell to others who are new to it?
- If you subscribe to several hobby magazines, could you
write an article for one or more of them?
- If your hobby involves regularly buying materials,
could you sell these to others (online on ebay or at a
local market)?
Think about what skills you've learned which
you could teach others. You could produce information materials
such as audiobooks or ebooks, or send a proposal to a
publishing company. You could run training sessions or courses,
or get in touch with a local educational institute that might
hire you.
If you still haven't found any area where you can
earn money by delivering a product or service to fellow
hobbyists, think more widely. Does your hobby produce an end
result which could be shared with the world? Every art or craft
hobby is suitable here. For example:
- If you love painting, have you ever attempted to sell
your work (either producing prints, or one-off
pieces)?
- If you take great photos, do you just put them on
Flickr, or have you
tried selling them on istockphoto?
- If you enjoy writing fiction, have you ever sent a
piece to a short story magazine?
- If you bake the best cakes in town, how about starting
a stall at a local market?
Once you start to brainstorm like this,
you'll be surprised how many possible ways there are to
make money from your hobbies. Your
biggest challenge might be restricting yourself to just
one!
Do you make money from your
hobbies? Do you have an interest that you think you could
make money from? We'd love to hear
your tips and ideas in the comments.
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