Turn your hobby into a career that's a money making machine (2024)

Getting paid for doing something you love is the dream scenario- spending each day practicing your craft, having fun while the money rolls into the bank. What could be better? Now that the internet is so accessible, this is something so many people have taken advantage of.

And you can too- whether it’s earning a little extra cash on the side or making it your full-time career if you have a passion there are ways you can monetize this. Here are some examples of skills and hobbies that you could turn into cash.

Blogging

I’m a big fan of blogging, and I’ve been doing it for over a decade, and almost half a decade professionally… yep, it’s my job. There are bloggers that earn over 2 million a year, or $50,000 per month… just by writing about things they love. If you want to get started with blogging, read my super easy 4-step tutorial on How to start a WordPress blog and 50+ ways to make money online from home for blog monetization tips!

Readers want to get their content online in easy to process chunks. They want reviews and recommendations from real people, and blogs can offer exactly this.

Companies have tapped into this, and now pay bloggers very well for a chance to be featured on their site. If you already own an established blog, it’s well worth looking into options to monetize this.

You could sign up to Google Adsense, which give you a small amount of money every time someone clicks on your website. They give you a little more if someone clicks one of your ads.

You could use affiliate companies like the ones listed here and here (plus check out this affiliate course if you need some knowledge!). Installing a small piece of code into your blog will automatically hyperlink certain products, and then you will get a percentage of the purchase price if anyone clicks and buys from them. It’s easy and convenient and means you don’t have to manually insert links into posts which can be time-consuming. One of the best ways to earn money as a blogger is through sponsored posts.

There are a few things sponsors will be looking for when choosing a blog to work with. The first is the general presentation of the site. Do you have a clean, professional looking layout? It shouldn’t look cluttered or spammy, pictures should be large, bright and clear and the text should be easy to read.

Secondly would be to purchase your own domain name. It only costs a few dollars a year, and since many sponsors will rule out blogs with ‘blogspot.com’ or ‘wordpress.com’ still in their domain name, it’s worth the small investment.

Finally, you will need to work on your domain authority. This is a metric used to assess how well a site is performing. There are certain factors that are out of your control, but one thing you can do is increase your number of backlinks. You could do this by writing guest posts for other bloggers, and include a link back to your own site. This will boost your domain authority and make you more attractive to work with for sponsors.

Making Music

Do you play an instrument? Becoming a tutor and teaching people one-on-one would be a good way to make some money from this. In some cases, you might even be able to offer video calls instead of meeting in person means you can expand your clientele to anywhere in the world. This is a great option if you wanna dip into the digital nomad lifestyle…

If playing live is more your thing, have a look online and see if any local bands are recruiting members. You could play at shows, local festivals and in different establishments- event planners after often keen to get acts like this on board. It could lead to regular paid opportunities.

If you like to use software to create music from scratch, you could put together something you’re proud of and try and get it heard. If you’re lucky, it could get picked up by creators and be used as a theme song in a show or advert.

Video Gaming

If you want to become a video game creator or writer, this usually requires a bachelor’s degree. However, if gaming is where your passion lies, there are ways to earn money that need no qualifications at all. If you’re a charismatic person, why not become a streamer or Youtuber? There’s a huge audience for gamers, who simply play while having fun and recording themselves.

It might seem too good to be true, but just look at Youtubers like Pewdiepie. He earned an estimated twelve million dollars through Youtube last year with most of his videos being game- plays. You will need a recommended computer for gaming, something that can handle large graphic heavy games being run.

You will also need recording equipment, a camera, and a microphone. If you play video games in your spare time anyway, set up the camera and create some videos- what have you got to lose? It might take a while to build up an audience, but it’s something that could earn you some extra cash and in the future could be turned into a career if it goes well.

You might also like to read:

• Crafting a site your users will love
• How to protect your business online
• Getting Bored Of Your 9-5? Read These Inspiring Tips To Change Your Career
• Hobbies To Pick Up During Quarantine This Year!
• How to improve yourself AND your career prospects