16 Hobbies That Make Money In 2021 - Earn Smart Online Class (2024)

Did you know that you can actually make money from hobbies?

Yes, hobbies are a ‘thing’ these days and you can use them to earn extra money from the comfort of your home, while setting your own hours.

That’s why I’m writing about the best hobbies that make money while at home or anywhere else.

With this type of arrangement, working on your money-making hobby hardly feels like work at all!

Whether you like taking online surveys, writing content for others, blogging, crafting, or traveling, the possibilities for making money are endless.

So, let’s look at money-making hobbies that you can use to earn money no matter where you are in the world.

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Best Hobbies that Make Money

Here is a list of top hobbies that you can use to make money at home (or anywhere else).

If you want to enjoy some downtime, but also be profitable at home or away, learn how to make money from a hobby with these 16 ways.

Some hobbies are easy, some are fun, but all of these are profitable!

#1. Answering Online Surveys

If you are thinking to yourself, “I need a hobby that makes money”, then answering online surveys should be at the top of that list.

Surveys take a few minutes to complete and you can do them in your spare time.

Do you like sharing your thoughts and opinions about certain products and services? Why not join companies like Survey Junkie or Swagbucks and answer surveys for money?

Surveys are really easy to complete. You can take them while watching TV or even at the grocery store.

They take 20 to 30 minutes max and some companies like Vindale Research pay as high as $50 per survey.

Some companies pay in points redeemable for free gift cards but others will send you real money (PayPal cash).

If you are looking for hobbies to make money that won’t take up much of your time, then online surveys are your best bet.

Survey sites I personally recommend are:

• Swagbucks
• Survey Junkie
• Opinion Outpost
• Branded Surveys
• Pinecone Research

#2. Proofreading

Did you know that you can make up to $36,000 per year while working part-time with one of these online proofreading jobs? Well, now you know!

There is a high demand forfreelance proofreadingskills because bloggers want perfect content for their blogs, and students want their essays to look just right. Not to mention authors who want their books to become bestsellers.

You can actually turn proofreading into a nice hobby and make money from home working on your own schedule.

Caitlin Pyle is asuccessful freelance proofreader who earns $50,000+ per year just by proofreading documents from home while enjoying her fun vacations.

She created aFREE 45-minute freelance proofreading workshop to show beginners how to earn money online simply by proofreading documents.

Get Instant Access to the FREE Proofreading Workshop!

#3. Blogging (my favorite money-making hobby this year)

Blogging is among the fun hobbies you can make money off of.

Starting a blog not only brings you money but it also gives you an opportunity to share ideas with the world and allow you to write about topics that interest you.

For example, you can start a blog about your traveling adventures, show people how to cook delicious meals or give tips on how to dress on a budget.

It doesn’t really matter what the topic. If there is a market for it, it will be profitable.

Getting started is quick and easy. Just go to Bluehost and get set up for as little as $3.95/month.

I said that blogging is among the best hobbies that make money and for a good reason.

This is my 8th-month blogging and I earned $4,789 last month. You can read more about this on how I made $4,789 blogging in January 2019.

Side Note: I never talk about blogging without mentioning Michelle Gardner. It was through her course,Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing that my blog really took off, and has become the profitable business you see today.

#4. Freelance Writing (ranks top in profitable hobbies to make money)

Are you good at writing and can whip up a 2000-word article in an hour? It’s time to turn that writing into a side hobby and make good money while at it

Freelance writing is among the best hobbies to make money at home this year, and the list will not be complete without it.

Gina Horkey is a successful freelancer. She made $4,000 per month, in the first six months of starting her freelance writing venture while working full-time at her previous job.

She created an amazing e-course, 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success that can teach you how to become a freelance writer. She goes in-depth on the A-Z’s of freelance writing.

Worried that you will not find work after you undergo the training?

Here is a list of70+ freelance writing jobs for beginners to get you started!

Writing will not only earn you money,but it will also allow you to learn more about topics that interest you.

Side Note:Grammarlyis a handy tool perfect for freelance writers that check for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors to make your work look professional.

It’s such a time saver for me. Get it here and save time too!

Related: Make Money Online Without Money Invested

#5. Teaching English Online

If you have some time on your hands and love playing with kids, you can teach them English and get paid for it.

VIPKidandMagic Earsare two teaching platforms that hire teachers on a regular basis. Everything is done virtually, mostly through Skype.

Depending on the company that you work for, you can earn up to $24 per hour.

We have other tutoring companies that hire teachers, as well, to teach a new language, a new subject or just a particular skill.

I cover those tutoring companies in this post of35+ smart ways to make money online Faster. Check it out if you want to learn more about this.

I also want to point out that teaching is among the best hobbies for college students to make money.

When you are done with your lessons, you can set aside 2 or 3 hours per day to teach in your dorm room.

You can use the money you make to pay for tuition or pay off debt if you have some

I wrote a detailed post showcasing 20 of the best jobs for college students to pay off debt. Feel free to check it out if you are a student looking to make some money online.

Related: How to Make $1000 Fast

#6. Graphic/ Web Design

This is more of a professional skill than a hobby but still, you can make money as a web or graphic designer.

Web design and graphic design skills are in high demand these days.

Bloggers, authors and online entrepreneurs are always looking for people to create their websites, logos, business cards or e-book covers.

If you are knowledgeable about this, you can put your skills to good use and make good money.

A great place to start will be 99Designs but you can also offer your services as a freelance designer or web developer on Fiverr.com or Upwork.

#7. Cooking

Does your family enjoy your cooking? Don’t let that creativity go to waste. Cooking is also one of the best hobbies to make money at home. And there are many ways to go about this.

• You can start a blog and share recipes with your readers then monetize using ad placements, or create 30-page e-books containing different types of recipes and sell for $10 or $20 per e-book. Blogs are unlimited in terms of income potential. CreateSpace and Amazon Kindle are two avenues you can use to sell your e-books. While we are still talking about Amazon, you can review kitchenware and appliances then make more money through the Amazon affiliate program. Upfuel blog owner made $90,000 in 2 years as an Amazon associate and he shares his tips.
• You can shoot short videos where you show your viewers how to cook meals or how to bake cakes and other foods. Here is a list of 32 food and nutrition blogs that you can follow to get some inspiration. Don’t forget to check out Pinch of Yum and Oh She Glows for even more inspiration. The opportunities are endless.

#8. Crafting

Crafting is a skill (hobby) that has been around for a while now.

If you are gifted in creating jewelry, artwork and other handmade goods, then you can turn that into a side hobby to make money while at home.

Etsy has made it possible for gifted people like you to set up your own Etsy shop then sell your products with ease.

Many people, especially women visit Etsy to find decorations, handmade crafts, printables, and other related goods.

You already have a market for your product. What are you waiting for? Set up your Etsy shop and start selling today.

Need some inspiration?

Alicia Shaffer has an Etsy shop named Three Bird Nest and she sells scarves, socks, and headbands. Guess how much she earns per month? Her shop earns $70,000 every single month.

Related: 20 Crafts That Make Money

#9. Photography

It’s no secret that humans are visual creatures and we love to see the good stuff. Don’t we? If you can turn a family photo into a beautiful piece of art, then you are in business!

Many websites will be happy to get your pictures and sell them on your behalf. The few good ones that I can think of are:

• Shutterstock
• iStockphoto
• BigStock Photo
• 123rf
• Fotolia

Further Reading: Get Paid to Sell Pictures on Feet Finder

One thing I want you to remember is that this is a new business venture. And just like with any new business, it takes a while before you see any tangible results.

Don’t quit if you don’t make money in the first few weeks. Keep pushing and going until you get it right.

Interested but need inspiration? No problem!

Digital Photography School will give you all the inspiration you need.

Looking for female themed websites for even more inspiration? Sure!

The stock photo membership sites below will do the trick. Take a look and have a feel for the type of photos you need to be creating.

• Haute Chocolate
• Bosslatina
• IvoryMix
• Wonderfelle

A good cameraman is as good as the camera he uses. For you to capture beautiful memories, you need a camera that fits the bill.

Canon EOS and Sony W800 are great cameras to add to your tools of the trade.

#10. Selling Stuff Online

The internet has made it so easy for people to sell anything online these days.

Be it that old keyboard that you no longer use, or that antique that you got from Africa, you can sell it on eBay, Amazon or Etsy.

Etsy is well known for handmade goods and crafts. But with Amazon and eBay, you can sell clothes, electronics, toys, books, furniture, beauty products, you name it!

To give you a dose of inspiration, Dennis Glazov went from $0 to $250,000 in just three months selling on eBay. So, don’t let anything stop you. If he can do it, you can do it too.

As for Amazon, I have an expert who can share with you everything you need to get started as an Amazon FBA seller. Her name is Jessica Larrew.

She runs her business, The Selling Family, and earns six figures every single year. She has a Free 3-Part Video Series that will help you get started the right way.

You can also listen to her webinar containing the 6 Steps to Start A Profitable Amazon FBA Business

Related: Apps that Pay Real Money

#11. Traveling Around the World

Traveling is another great hobby that I love besides blogging (A girl has got to love ’em all, right?) I love to travel and see the world, and I’m sure you do too.

A question that must be on your mind right now is, “But, how do I make money while traveling?” Great question!

Travel companies and agencies are willing to give you free tours or allow you to stay at resorts for free but in exchange for a review.

You have to tell them what your experience was like staying at a resort or visiting certain hotels.

Keep in mind, though, that you will need a blog for you to get these sponsored trips.

I’ve made setting up your blog pretty easy with this step-by-step blogging tutorial. It will get you set up in as little as 15 minutes.

Once your site is up, you can apply as an affiliate and refer people who want to travel to websites like booking.com.

They will pay you for every customer who makes a booking through your affiliate link.

Related: How to Make $100 a Day from Home

#12. Shopping

My daughter and I love to shop! And, if you’re a woman looking to find a hobby that makes money, you’re in luck. Shopping is among the active hobbies that make money online this year.

You can make money while buying that cute dress or that gorgeous handbag! It doesn’t really matter what you buy.

Just as companies are willing to pay people to take online surveys, they do pay mystery shoppers to tell them what they think of their products and services.

The best mystery shopping companies are:

• BestMark
• MarketForce
• Sinclair Customer Metrics
• Intelli-shop

#13. Gaming

I know you must be wondering how gaming got on this list of hobbies that make money online, but it’s true.

If you have some experience with creating awesome games that people love, you can upload them on Google Play or YouTube then monetize using ads.

Every time someone clicks on the ads, you make a commission.

The amount will range from a few cents to a few dollars depending on how your advertiser’s payment system works.

It may not seem like much at the beginning, but give it some time and the money will start coming in, in large quantities.

Just make sure you create a good game and get a substantial amount of traffic to it.

#14. Socializing on Social Networks

If you love sharing your thoughts and ideas on social media and have an audience, you can make good money this way.

Social platforms perfect for this kind of work are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

All you have to do is, find a topic of interest, post regularly and catch your readers’ attention.

Once you establish trust, you can start posting products or services your audience is interested in buying.

Every time someone clicks on the product link and buy, you make a commission.

Socializing on social networks is one of the perfect hobbies for women in their 20’s. They are still young, have a lot of free time on their hands with little or no responsibilities.

Top companies to check out for this type of work are Social Spark, Tomson, MassiveWay, BlogDash, Social Fabric, Pollinate, and Global Influence Network.

Don’t have a Facebook page but would like to create one? Search Engine Journal will show you how!

Another way that you can make money from social media networks is by becoming a social media manager or consultant.

Here, you manage other people’s social accounts on their behalf. Big brands and companies do not have time to spend on social media platforms.

And so, they prefer you to do these small tasks for them. Great places to check out for this type of work are Fiverrand Upwork.

#15. Instructor or Course Creator

Creating courses seems to be in demand nowadays and everybody is joining the bandwagon.

If you are knowledgeable about a certain topic, you can create 10 or 20-minute videos showing people how to do something right or better.

Platforms likeTeachableandUdemyhave made it so easy for instructors to create courses and sell them for profit.

Successful bloggers likeMichelle Gardnerof Making Sense of Cents andAlex & Laurenof Create and Go aresix-figure bloggers, and a big chunk of that money comes from their signature courses.

Michelle earns $100,000+ every month and a huge portion of that money comes from herMaking Sense of Affiliate Marketingcourse, (I’m a proud student!). Alex and Lauren earn thousands of dollars every month from their top-selling courses, as well.

Here are Alex and Lauren’sbest-selling coursesif you need some inspiration

• Pinterest Avalanche– Gets you tons of traffic to your blog using Pinterest
• Six-Figure Blogger– Step-by-step guide on how to digital products that people want to buy
• Make Money Blogging for Beginners– Helps you make money from your blog after you launch

#16. Posting Videos on YouTube

If you have a habit of posting videos on YouTube then you can surely make money.

It doesn’t matter what type of videos they are, so long as they are interesting and can attract a good following.

A gentleman by the name of Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg who runs the PewDiePie YouTube account made $7.4 million in 2015.

Funny thing is, his videos are not extraordinary. He is just an ordinary guy doing ordinary things.

But, one thing he is keen to do is to connect with his audience. I guess that’s what has helped him to achieve such massive success. Connecting at heart is very important.

So, don’t think that you need to have something high-tech for you to make money from YouTube.

Just create good videos that your viewers will love, connect with them then apply for Adsense. Every time someone clicks on the ads, you make a commission.

Additional hobbies to make money

• Fitness
• Sewing
• Gardening
• Music
• Drawing
• Voice-over Artist

There you have it, folks! 16 hobbies that make money in 2021.

Whether you’re searching for hobbies for men or couples that make money, I believe that this profitable hobbies list has given you enough ideas to run with.

So, go ahead and put those money-making hobbies to good use and bring in some extra cash today!

Related: 21 ways to earn money without having a job.

Have you used these money-making hobbies before? Know other hobbies that make money that I did not cover in this list? I’d love to hear from you. Please, leave a comment in the comments section below.

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