10 Of The Most Fun And Engaging Hobbies That Make Money

If you are looking for ​hobbies that make money, you’ve come to the right place! There are plenty of things you can do in your spare time that can also be a way to earn, either on the side, or as another full-time job. Check out our comprehensive list to find one that suits your preferences and skills.

Photography

Photography is an ideal choice of a hobby, with full-time photographers making from $30,000 to $75,000 per year. Indeed, there is plenty of fun as well as money to be had by those that can snap a good shot or two; after all, photography is an art form in its own right.

As one of the most versatile side hobbies, photography allows you to monetize your picture-taking services at events and special occasions like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.

Those who offer their services to expectant mothers for maternity shoots can also earn quite a bit. The great thing about covering these sorts of events is that they tend to happen outside of regular work hours; in other words, if you have a job or other responsibilities, you can still probably find the time to cash in on your hobby.

Of course, if you are charging for your services and making your photography hobby into a business, clients will expect you to have at least the basic equipment, including a DSLR camera and tripod. Good equipment is expensive and tends to cost around $300 - $400 for just the basic stuff.

Many clients will also ask you to take video of their events, as well. While investing in a video camera will cost you a little more initially, it does mean you can expand the service you offer and acquire even more photography-based revenue streams.

Another reason photography is among the most ​​profitable hobbies is the option to create and sell stock photos. Stock photos are images posted to the internet to be used across a wide range of platforms, including social media like Twitter and Instagram, by bloggers, in e-books, and on websites.

People will pay handsomely for quality photos that match their brand style and help illustrate their point.

Indeed, some photos may even cost hundreds of dollars, although these are usually for white-label use. On a less grandiose scale, you can expect each stock image to make around $0.35 a month. Quantity, as well as quality, is vital in the stock image game.

You can also use some techniques to help you maximize your income with stock photography: Check online and social media trends and then create images that mesh well with them. After all, if people are talking about certain topics, they will likely need photos to illustrate their ideas.

Additionally, putting yourself in the mindset of someone likely to use stock photography, such as a small-business owner, social media or marketing professional, or content writer, can help you craft images that will be in higher demand, and boost your earnings.

Check out websites like StockSnap.io and EyeEm to see how the process works and get started.

Blogging

Blogging ranks highly here, although many people begin blogging as something of a hobby or outlet, and less of a side hustle. Instead, by talking about things that are close to their hearts, such as their families, careers, or passions, they gather an audience with similar lives or worldviews.

However, it is vital to remember that bloggers of all levels have something that a business wants - readers. 

Even hobby bloggers with around 1,000 unique views a day can monetize their site. Some bloggers working part-time claim to have made up to $200,000 a year, although a target of around $500 - $2,000 a month is more realistic, to begin with.

To make money from blogging, you need to do everything in your power to attract new readers and keep the old ones coming back. You will then be in the perfect position to sell advertising space on your site, as well as offer affiliate deals. Affiliate deals are when a company pays you to promote its product or brand.

Additionally, don't forget that there is another way of making good money from a hobby blog - sponsored content. This is when you receive cash for hosting pre-written content that links back to a specific page or product.

The value here comes from the SEO boost that the page or product will receive, and you have to do very little except upload the post that has already been written for you. To get involved with sponsored content, get in contact with some SEO agencies to see if they have any clients that are a good fit.

Podcasts

Chances are, you already listen to a podcast or two, and understand just how popular these types of audio-only shows are becoming.

Perhaps it's about how they tend to focus on a particular niche, like true crime, science, or entertainment, or maybe it's that the format allows for deep dives into topics, that makes people love them.

It could even be that listening to a host for over an hour per episode helps us create a parasocial connection unlike anything else we have in the modern world. Whatever their appeal truly is, one thing is certain: Podcasts can bring in substantial income, with top shows like My Favorite Murder generating over $15 million in 2019 alone!

Of course, there are millions of podcasts out there, and few can expect the fame and reward seen at the top. Yet, there is still reasonable money to be made if you go about things in the right way.

Try and keep any additional work that happens off air to a minimum. Indeed, while both are important to attract and retain listeners, the magic at work in a podcast is a fascinating topic paired with a charismatic host.

To that end, if you have a passion for a particular subject, but don’t really sound great on the mic, you may want to team up with someone that does. Indeed, dividing the labor so you both have a better chance at making a healthy income will be far more beneficial than struggling to be profitable alone in the podcast world.

Graphic Design

Those who studied graphic design can use many wonderful tools, like the Adobe creative suite, to earn plenty through their passion.

Those just starting out will likely first get small projects, and earn under $100 per task. This is one of those hobby jobs that can work both as a part-time option, or a full-time career.

Of course, the most lucrative jobs are found with larger corporations that need top-end professional designers. However, there are always small businesses, people starting up YouTube channels, or Twitch streams who will need graphics, logos, and the like.

To secure work, you will need to do two things: The first is to create a portfolio of work that potential clients can review to see your skills. Hobbyists can find plenty of practice projects online, along with image blanks that can be used to display their creations as they would appear if a business were to use them.

Secondly, to make sure potential customers can get in contact with you, be sure to display your portfolio on your website, as well as sites like Behance. You can also use freelancing sites like Fivver to find new clients for your services.

Crafts

Out of all the DIY hobbies, products on the handmade market are something consumers expect to pay a little more for. In fact, the arts and crafts industry rakes in $1.2 billion per year: Get involved and get your cut!

Crafting has to be one of the most fun hobbies, considering how wide the range of products you can make is: Costumes, jewelry, toys, blankets and homeware, clothing, and even consumables like soap and candles. Indeed, these hobbies are only limited by your creativity and imagination - and we know that’s basically limitless.

You may even wish to pivot from making crafts in bulk, to offering products like crafting kits that people can complete at home, tutorials they can watch online on sites like Craftsy, and even patterns for sewing, furniture upholstering, embroidery, rug tufting, crochet, and knitting.

The advantage of these hobbies is that they can help you earn a passive income, where you make an item (the pattern) once, and then sell it over and over again.

Of course, rather than starting your own handmade craft business based on your hobby, it can be helpful to first test out the market.

After all, there are no guarantees that an item will sell just because it’s handmade. Sites like Etsy are handy here, because they allow you to sell and market your goods in what amounts to a 24/7 craft fair. You can then expand your business by setting up your own site or offering your products in retail stores.

Writing

Probably the most straightforward way of making money from writing currently is to write blogs or offer your services to a content agency.

The first and fastest of your available options is freelance blog writing, where you create content for others based on their specification. You can do this by contacting businesses and websites to see if they require your services, with the average price for a 500-word blog being around $50.

Another is creating your own blog and using that to establish an income stream. Of course, this is likely to take a little longer, as you will have to build up your readership. 

The least glamorous, but often lucrative way to earn through writing is offering ghostwriting services. Ghostwriting is the practice of hiring aspiring or established writers to write books for someone else, for example, a public figure, such as a politician, athlete, or entertainer. Your name won’t be on the book, but it will be on the paycheck for it.

Video Games

It’s no secret that the video game industry has become a huge money-making machine. You may expect advice on turning your gaming into a source of revenue to include going pro by signing for an esports team or brushing up on your coding skills to create your own mobile game. Of course, these are routes you can take, but what we are most concerned with here is making money while also allowing you to play the games you love. 

Happily, that is precisely what platforms like Twitch and YouTube can be used for, with some users making $3,000 to $5,000 per month! Yes, that’s right: You can get people to donate to you as you play through one of your beloved video game titles! But that is not all. You can also increase your income stream by accepting advertising revenue, and selling your own merch, like t-shirts, or something specific to the content you create.

Indeed, there is definitely something about the gaming community that lends this hobby to becoming a source of income.

Social Media

With businesses spending around $200 to $350 per day on social media marketing, growing your love of tweeting, posting, and hashtagging from a hobby into a business is more than possible.

There are two routes to choose from here: The first is to begin managing the social media of other businesses and organizations. Many people do this by offering services bundled for a set fee. The business can then select the one that best suits its needs each month, or it can hire you full-time as its in-house social media manager.

The other option is to attempt to make yourself a social media celebrity, otherwise known as an influencer. An influencer is someone that, like a blogger, creates a community of fans around their own brand by creating content they want to watch or engage with over social media.

They can then leverage this as a marketing tool for other businesses, brands, and organizations. In many cases, influencers can be paid well for doing so. Indeed even nano-influencers with 1,000 to 10,000 followers can make up to $250 per post. The highest-paying platforms for this type of work are Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Amazon and eBay

Those who love nothing better than rummaging through Goodwill stores and garage sales will adore our next option. Of course, what we are talking about here is reselling on platforms as huge as Amazon and eBay for profit. 

The idea here is to buy items for a low price and sell them for a higher one, thereby pocketing the profit. Part-time sellers regularly achieve an income of $750-$3,000 per month, so this can be a very appealing option. 

However, it is worth remembering that there are quite a few overheads to consider here: The fees platforms take, postage and packing costs, and the potential losses from unsold items.

There are tactics that you can use to help keep your overhead lower, such as using alternative platforms, like Craigslist and Vinted, which don't charge any fees to vendors!

Surveys

The last candidate on our list is a fun hobby: Taking online surveys. There are various companies that you can do this for, and some even offer rewards for playing specific games, or watching specific videos.

One of the best things about this option is that it can be fun, and done in a relaxed atmosphere. For example, nothing is stopping you from answering surveys while you listen to your favorite music, watch TV, or ride the bus or train to work!

Of course, it's unlikely that you will be able to replace your full-time wage only by completing surveys, but you can make enough money to top up your holiday or vacation budget this way.

Visit sites like Swagbucks ($2.5 per survey completed) and remember to check how rewards are paid; look for cash, or easy-access remuneration like Amazon vouchers.