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My hobbies just sort of gradually became my vocation- Al Yankovic
Hobbies are an excellent way to unplug from the real world and use your brain in creative ways. Hobbies can be intellectual, physical, or a combination of both. Hobbies can be artistic or technical, they simply need to be an activity that is done regularly during leisure time. While there are no hard and fast rules about having a hobby, most people don’t think of them as a means to create income. They see hobbies as something to do when not making money. Yet, it’s not uncommon for people to turn their hobbies into a source of income.
Hobbies can make you money!
What you do to release your creative energy might be a source of income. Many people find that honing the craft or skill they love doing off-duty can become an on-duty activity. When friends and family start asking for access to what you create, it’s an indicator that there could be a side-hustle blooming.
It’s possible to monetize your hobby with very little effort. From selling items you create to offering services, there are unlimited ways to make money from a hobby. Over time it may become a primary source of income.
Don’t minimize your talents
When people do something out of joy or have unique talent, it can be hard for them to attach value to it. We live in a society where value is attached to hard work or extreme effort. Don’t minimize your talents. It’s entirely possible to easily create something or have fun and earn income at the same time.
Being creative is a wonderful outlet and it can be an opportunity to serve a niche or provide goods and services to others. You don’t have to get a formal education in something to make it a vocation. What started out as a hobby may become your new way to earn income.
Test the waters before you dive in
There are a lot of ways to see if your hobby may be a source of income which could create additional money for your budget or pay for the costs of the hobby. It could also blossom and replace your primary source of income in some cases. The key is to test the waters before you dive in. Try these ideas to test your theory and see if your hobby has income earning potential.
Throw up a free website- There are free and low-cost ways to create websites. Try creating a website that showcases your work or services and see if you get traction.
Say yes to inquiries- Many people have a hunch they can monetize their hobby when people ask for their goods or services. If you find that people are asking for what you make or create, it may be an indicator that there’s a source of income available. Say yes to inquiries and use word of mouth to see if you get more requests.
Make it a part-time gig- You may want to go after potential income by actively pursuing monetizing your hobby. Try making it a part-time gig without bailing on your full-time work. Make the second source of income a part-time priority and if it takes off you can explore the opportunity to go full time or keep things a side hustle.
What started out as a hobby could make you some extra money. The talents you develop off-duty could become your primary source of income over time. Explore whether or not there is a market for your hobby and consider using your talent as a way to earn more money.