Most dictionaries once defined a hobby as an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation. How times have changed along with its definition.
Hobbies have now become a side hustle. A study of 2000 Canadians who worked full time, found that 22% of respondents had already turned a creative hobby into a side hustle while 60% were hoping to do so in the future.
Fast-forward to 2020 when Plato's well-known proverb - "Necessity is the mother of invention" became a reality. The effects of the pandemic forced many people to become creative. Hobbies became more than side hustles.
They became the primary source of income for many Canadians. It can for you too. Whether you're interested in changing careers and doing something you love or supplementing your current income, many new hobbies will allow you to earn money.
Read on to learn more about hobbies that make money in 2021.
Amazing And Fun Hobbies That Make Money In 2021
Making money doing what you love might seem too good to be true. You might even be wondering where to start. Ironically, it's actually simple. Start with what you love.
Do What You Love
This is the best place to start. The great thing about doing something you love is that you already know the resources it requires, how to do it, and you enjoy it. From there, do some research to see if there's a market for it.
Get ideas from friends, neighbors, or co-workers, and don't be shy about your work. You never know who might be interested enough to pay for it.
Do What You're Good At
You might be really good at something but never thought of doing it as a hobby, far less making money from it. If you continuously get compliments from family and friends about your cooking or your crafts, why not explore earning an income doing it.
Your chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies might be a best-seller at work. Or there might be an interior designer interested in giving her clients your miniature paintings as a gift of appreciation.
Try Hobbies That Are Easy to Learn
Hobbies such as selling used items, organizing events, or online trading are easy to learn. There are also many courses available. Some are even free. This allows you to consider getting into a hobby you never even thought of before.
Hobbies In Demand
You can also consider learning hobbies that are both easy to learn and in demand. Some of these include:
- Podcasting
- Video Blogging or Vlogging
- Social Media Specialist
- Virtual Assistant
- Online Tutoring
There are many more and they can be suitable no matter what stage you're at in life, or what you trying to accomplish. So if you want extra income, as a stay-at-home mom, or you've been affected by the pandemic, even if you've retired, there are a variety of options available.
Photography
Photography is a great option. After all, isn't everyone an amateur photographer? This field is a lot different from how it used to be in the past.
You no longer have to make a huge investment in equipment. Many modern phones and cameras can produce the same effect as what was once thought to be only possible with professional tools. You just have to have a good eye and the right timing.
You can provide photography services for special events including birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries. You can also take photos that are ideal for stock photography shots for websites and blogs and sell them via sites such as Etsy. Photography sites such as Shutterstock are always looking for photographers to join their community of contributors. You can earn money for your photos via these sites.
Making Dog and Cat Treats
Pet owners love to ensure their pets eat healthy food and treats. Many of them don't like the options currently available on the market. Making dog and cat treats is a great hobby you can start to fill the void in this growing market.
You can research the best ingredients to use or do a training course to learn more. Once you get the hang of it, you might decide to make treats for special occasions such as birthdays or significant pet milestones. Or you can focus on cats or dogs with specific health issues such as allergies or joint pain. It would be fun doing the research and coming up with new recipes that work.
The great thing is that once you make them, you can try them on your own pets then start selling them to neighbours, family, and friends. They will certainly spread the word and get your business going. You can also reach out to pet stores or veterinarians in your neighbourhood.
Making Jewellery
Creative hobbies are always great income earners. If you're creative and have always had an interest in gemstones or different types of jewellery, then jewellery making might be one of the money-making hobbies to try.
Making Your Own Jewellery
Find ways to make your jewellery unique so that it stands out. Then decide the best way to sell it, whether it's via Facebook, Etsy, or exploring a space within a store. Once you've made your jewellery, take photos that capture the beauty of the pieces and include descriptions of each product. Use these to market them and once they're purchased get testimonials from your customers that you can use to generate future sales.
Direct Selling
You may not be quite ready to make your own jewellery and that's not a problem. There are many direct sales jewellery companies that you can join and sell on their behalf. It's important to choose a company that sells pieces you love so that it's easier to promote and market them.
Then start sharing them online, with friends and family. You may even consider having a jewellery party so you can display the items to friends or colleagues.
Affiliate Marketing
Another option that will also allow you to sell jewellery is by becoming an affiliate marketer. This is ideal if you already have a significant online presence.
You just need to find creative ways of sharing information about their product. You earn money every time someone buys the piece or pieces based on something you've posted or shared.
Blogging
Last year, just over three-quarters of Canadians spent three to four hours online every day. Fifteen percent spent more than eight hours online per day. Getting and keeping their attention while they're online is the goal of many businesses.
They do this using interesting content including blog articles. This is why blogging has become one of the great hobbies to pursue. You can sign up with a service that hires writers to provide articles to their clients.
Or you can join a freelancing site such as Upwork that allows freelancers to provide services to clients all over the globe. These sites allow you to create a profile to provide potential clients with information about yourself and your experience. You're also able to showcase your work. If you don't already have blog articles, you may have to write a few sample articles to showcase your talent.
Cooking
Many people have busy lifestyles that make cooking meals daily a challenge. However, many want healthy options that traditional fast food outlets don't necessarily provide. It's a great opportunity for someone who cooks well and who can provide healthy options for people on the go.
If you enjoy cooking and do it well this is a hobby you can do at home and make money. There are several ways you can make money cooking at home.
Become a Personal Chef
Let people know just how good your cooking skills are. You can start by catering for a family event. Once people know you provide the service, let them know you're available for get-togethers, dinner parties, or that you're willing to cater for just about any event. Create a menu, set your prices, and market yourself online and via word-of-mouth.
Provide Online Cooking Classes
If you're not comfortable cooking for others, you can teach others your talent. There are courses available that teach you how to become an online instructor. They let you know the resources you need and the best way to get started and to continue marketing yourself.
If you're comfortable online, you can also sell your cooking classes online or publish your cooking channel on YouTube. Both will allow you to earn money sharing your cooking skills.
Home-Based Direct Sales
If you don't want to do the cooking yourself you can become a consultant and sell on behalf of a food company. This can be meal kits, wine, or even coffee and tea. For most, you'll need to purchase a kit and you earn based on the amount you sell.
On-Demand Cooking Sites
You can sell your culinary experience and love of cooking via online cooking sites. Some sites will pay as much as $1000 for each experience you share with their viewers. You can host events and share your cooking specialties with other food lovers.
There are also many other ways to earn money using your cooking skills including recipe writing, creating a food blog, watching cooking shows, or selling gourmet treats.
Working Out
If you love working out, this is the ideal way to make money while staying fit and healthy. There are over 13 apps that allow you to earn money by simply working out. Some challenge you to start a weight loss journey and pay you when you accomplish specific milestones.
Others track your fitness activity and pay you accordingly. There are even apps that allow you to earn money for charities. Many of these don't provide cash but you earn rewards or points that you can use at specific partner locations.
Gaming
Getting paid to do something you love sounds amazing. Maybe even too good to be true. But if you love playing games it can be a reality. The great thing about gaming is that it's not only fun, but it's one of those hobbies to do at home.
It can work in several ways. You can get paid for live streaming yourself playing video games. You can get paid testing out the latest version of video games. Or you can provide tutorials on some of the more popular games. Many gaming companies are willing to pay you to provide any of these services.
Kevin Edwards Jr. is a great example of how gaming can earn you money. His estimated net worth is over $12 million and it's all from creating a YouTube channel that features him playing Roblox and Grand Theft Auto. He also provides gaming content, including comedic gaming commentary, vlogs, pranks, and other gaming-related stuff.
Twitch and YouTube are two of the main income-earning video channels. Content creators on YouTube can earn from $2 to $12 for monetized views. This includes creators based in Canada, the US, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Monetized views account for about 40% to 80% of total views on YouTube.
Taking Surveys
Data is the currency of many marketers. Whether it's from ads, websites, or Google searches, data is extremely valuable. It allows businesses to make effective decisions about how to allocate resources to make greater profits.
Another way companies get data is through surveys. Online survey companies are always looking for participants to provide information about their experiences and buying preferences.
Sites such as YouGov look for participants from all over the world. You earn points answering surveys. You can then convert these points to vouchers or cash.
Being Funny
If people are always commenting on how funny you are, are always laughing at your jokes, or refer to you as being a riot (in a funny way), you can explore using this ability to make money.
Ray William Johnson did and made $1 million every year while staying at home being hilarious. He did this by creating a YouTube channel. His comedic material was his commentary on viral videos that caught his attention. Viewers found him funny and he made money from monetized views.
Being A Proofreader
If you find yourself correcting bad grammar on social media posts or texts, a proofreading job might be a good fit for you. The great thing about proofreading is that you don't need an English degree. That's because proofreading, unlike editing focuses on grammar mistakes and spelling, and not restructuring or reformatting content.
You can choose to invest in doing an online proofreading course to learn a bit more about what it entails. These courses often provide you with guidance on how to get started and market yourself as well.
Many sites hire proofreaders without any experience. Do your research and start earning by reviewing content, manuscripts, or even books.
Make a Living Doing What You Love
Ironically, although the pandemic has been a challenging experience for many, it also created opportunities they may have never discovered if their day-to-day living hadn't changed.
Take a chance and embrace the change. Find hobbies that make money in 2021 and then start earning.
Insurdinary can provide resources that can point you in the right direction. Check out our blog to learn more and find creative ways to supplement your income.
