Wouldn’t you just love to earn an income doing what you love? Most of us would, but the question is, how do we make it happen? We’re not all business minded, and there are others out there with way more knowledge and talent than us.

The truth is, making money on the side from your Hobby is easy with a little entrepreneurial spirit. This isn’t a “get rich and quit your job” article though, these tips can certainly help you Start with a side income which you can grow if you invest time in it. So, here are five ways to make money from your hobby. A report by Open Colleges provided some of the information used in this article.

Look at what others are doing in your space

If you’re a creative, through writing, sewing, graphic design, calligraphy, photography, craft, or anything similar, there are many others in your position who have figured out how to make money from it. A graphic designer might have an Etsy store selling digital products, like templates for planners or printables. A calligrapher could be making a killing doing wedding calligraphy or other special events. If they’re doing it, chances are there’s a market for it and it might be worth looking at how you can contribute from your own angle.

Can you sell it?

If you make anything by hand, whether you paint or do a craft, you have the option of selling it on places like Etsy or on your own website.

If you don’t want to sell online, you can sell your handmade items at weekend market stalls. Many of these markets just require you to pay a small fee, and then you can set up your stall and take advantage of the foot traffic. It also gives you a chance to interact with customers face to face, which is a great way to build your confidence!

Share your knowledge

If you have a more obscure hobby (say you’re really into succulents and you know everything about them) you could create an online course all about succulents and succulent care. Sites like Udemy and Teachable are great platforms to host your online course where people can pay to become your students. It’s a bit of work to set up, but after that, you don’t have to do much else and you can start earning an income - and all you’ve done is to talk at length about your favorite plant!

If that’s a bit too intimidating, you can always start with YouTube. If your content is helpful, you can grow your channel to the point where you are making an income from it. Remember, the internet is a great place to learn and you definitely have something to offer, even if you think you don’t!

Provide a service that people need

People love the convenience and will often pay someone else to help them with tasks they either can’t do themselves or don’t have the time to do. Find out whether there is a need for what you enjoy doing. If you’re a blogger, perhaps you can write for another company’s blog by sharing your experience with them. Or maybe you love dogs and are considering establishing a Dog Walking service on the side?

That's what Lachlan King did. Lachlan had always had a passion for animals and always dreamed of working with them. He recently started up his very own dog walking business, Officially Canine. “I had to do a fair bit of research to try and figure out what is an acceptable price to charge, as well as market share and any competition,” he says. So far he has a few repeat customers and is marketing his business through letterbox drops and social media.

Resell for profit

If you just love thrifting (like I do) you can make some extra cash by reselling some of the things you find for a profit. Yes, I know it’s hard to let go of treasures but if you can’t see yourself wearing it… it might be worth pocketing the profit and buying yourself something better.

Same goes for car boot sales or garage sales, where you can find some valuable pieces for a bargain that are in high demand on eBay.

Are you inspired to start earning money from your hobby? Hopefully, these tips have given you an idea of how you can approach your hobby from an entrepreneurial perspective!