Most of us have hobbies— On weekends or days off we spend some of these spare hours because we have fun and also as a way to cope with stress.
While we don’t think about it as a means to earn money, some of them can be a potential stream of income if you really need money.
Here’s a list of 12 common lucrative hobbies that make money, whether it’s through freelancing, becoming an affiliate, building an audience, or starting a business.
5.) Gardening
If you have a green thumb, consider yourself lucky. Gardening has seen a spike in popularity as people spend more time at home during the pandemic.
It’s a hobby that can make you happier, healthier, and perhaps even richer. Data shows that millennials spent $13 billion on plants in a single year just in the US alone.
A good example is the success of Leaf & Clay Succulents seller which is either for a one-time purchase or on a subscription basis.
You can also sell products to help your customers indulge in their own gardening hobbies. Technology seller ēdn introduced an indoor garden to their product line.
4.) Brewing Beer
Americans are the top consumers of beer in the world, and it’s growing more than ever. In 2018 alone, the global homebrew market was worth an estimated $12 million.
If you’re a beer lover and know how to craft beers, there could be a good business opportunity there. The Brooklyn Brew Shop for example sells homebrew kits and accessories so its customers can enjoy the hobby themselves.
If you want to get serious with this business, make sure you comply with all legal requirements in your local jurisdiction. Alcohol products come with extra restrictions and regulations—and not being privy to that can end up costing you big time.
3.) Coffee
On average, people around the world drink more than 400 billion cups of coffee every year, a massive industry worth $60 billion annually. Some coffee drinkers have become accustomed to brewing their caffeine fix at home, it’s time to take advantage of this opportunity. If you are passionate about coffee it could be next on your list of lucrative hobbies.
Do you enjoy searching for the perfect bean? Or creating a perfectly frothed cappuccino, or just sitting down to your morning cup with a book, the business idea is endless.
Globe-trotting creatives Jeff Campagna and Tania LaCaria found that coffee mixed well with one of their other passions: motorcycle travel. They opened up their own bike garage, Steeltown Garage Co., complete with a coffee shop and merch for sale, and they’re cultivating a whole community through their hobby-based business.
2.) DIY Crafts
Are you a home buddy and enjoy working with your hands? there are plenty of opportunities for you to make and sell: simple furniture, candles, bath bombs, jewelry, soap, and more. This is a $60-billion industry waiting for your next idea.
“Handmade” means a certain quality, personal touch, and uniqueness that department store alternatives often don’t offer.
Typically, you can start selling on a smaller scale to friends, and family, or on Etsy, and think about scaling into a full-fledged business as you build confidence and earn the trust of these customers.
If the idea of crafting the goods yourself isn’t striking a chord, you can also sell products that allow customers to flex their own maker muscles at home.
Create DIY kits for fun projects, like FlowerMoxie’s DIY bridal bouquets.
1.) Gaming
It might be hard to believe that the idea of gaming being one of the most lucrative hobbies can be true.
But if there’s a pattern in this list, it’s that if you can get people to pay attention to you, you can potentially turn it into a profit.
In this case, it’s the rise of the “Let’s Play” video format that has enabled us to make money online via gaming, in particular, live-streaming on Twitch.
Just like vloggers make money on YouTube, you can monetize gaming by sharing ad and live streaming. But there’s also the potential to get one-time and subscription donations from a large community of viewers. This means the amount you earn through live streaming will vary greatly, but it’s relatively easy to start at least making residual income.
Gaming is a fast-growing industry with a lot of passion behind it. If you’re an avid gamer who understands the needs of the market, you already have an advantage as an entrepreneur in this space.
