15 best hobbies that will make you money.(For Kenyans)
Did you know that you can make money from your hobby?
Apparently you can. Today we look at how to go about it and even point you to sources that will help you earn.
Now let’s dig into the top 15 and best hobbies that you can earn from.
Photography.
Photographers amaze me. How do they capture simple everyday items and turn them into realistic detailed pictures that tell a story?
Like any other hobby, photography can be transformed into a profession that lets you pay bills and save.
Photographers can earn extra income in 4 main ways.
- Selling their creations in stock photography sites.
Shutterstock, Alamy, and 500 XP are the top stock photography sites you could check out. They have competitive rates to keep the income flowing to your account.
- Sell through your website.
This is more profitable as you have the right to set your rates and licensing terms. A downside to selling photography through your site is the heavy marketing and website maintenance required to keep the site running.
- Reach out to local business owners.
Chance are, a local business in your area, be it a restaurant, a software company, or a learning institution that will require a photographer.
All businesses need to promote their products. Here is where you come in. Snap the products or service outcomes, probably work with an in house designer to come up with the final product and finally close your contract.
Flat rates are likely to wok if you want to make money from your photography hobby.
- Cover events and ceremonies.
We all need it. A reminder of that one happy time in our life. There’s a huge number of people who require professional photographers to document their events and ceremonies for keep’s sake.
Be the guy that they turn to.
If you are just starting, Digital Photography School has great content on photography. And for all the visual people, Jordan Matter has an awesome YouTube channel about photography.
2) Graphic Design
An eye for design and good drawing skills?
Are you the guy that people always turn to when they need well-designed invitation cards, posters for their business or fliers?
Then this is yours. Among the many hobbies that we will look at, Graphic design is one of the top payers. And, you will never run out of work.
You can work in-house or choose the freelancing path and with different clients that appeal to you.
Graphic design work never ceases on 99 Designs, Upwork, and the creative market.
3) Video Creation and editing.
Your friends call you the video guru. You enjoy making silly but creative videos on Vimeo and Youtube.
If this sounds a lot like you, the video creation and editing industry may be your path.
As long as you are up to par with the latest trends, you are creative and experimental, you will earn from your video creation hobby.
A YouTube channel with great quality videos will serve as a portfolio to showcase your skills and traction more clients.
Making money from your video editing and creation hobby is easier if you opt to work on reviewing products and producing instructional videos that lead to sales.
Alternatively, you could side up with content creators like bloggers, musicians and spoken word artists to offer video creation and editing services. (Video content is quickly gaining traction in most businesses around the globe.) Which means more work for you.
4) Transition from a fitness fanatic to a coach and make money from your fitness hobby
The health and fitness industry is growing rapidly as people strive to reach their personal goals and stay young. If you are one of the fanatics who enjoy lifting weights, trying different exercises that build six-packs, or toning workouts, you stand a chance to transform your hobby into a side-hustle or a full-time job depending on how passionate you are.
Fitness hobbyists can transition their hobbies into income streams in three ways.
- Partner up with a local gym.
Become someone’s in-person trainer. Motivate, lead, and earn while you are doing it. Most gyms in a high traffic area will need the service of an experienced personal trainer. You could also earn by training clients in their own home. (As long as you don’t mind being in a stranger’s house.)
Coach and consult through your website.
A website is better as you can diversify your income streams through your knowledge of personal fitness. Your website will enable you to earn from affiliate fitness gear and paid workout videos.
Finally, when you have curved a place in the competitive niche, you could write an e-book or offer to coach those who want to start a healthy lifestyle.
- A YouTube channel.
When you gain a large following on YouTube, the paid advertisement on your channel could make you a decent sized amount of cash. Plus, you could opt to have sponsored and promotional videos on your channel.
5) Music and instrument playing.
Event organizers are always on the lookout for musicians and instrumentalists to entertain people. This is one way of earning from your hobby. You could also host workshops or do person to person training to teach the instruments that you’ve mastered. (An entertaining way of making money from your hobby.)
6) Painting.
- Sell your paintings on social media. Especially a visually inclined media like Instagram.
- Open an Etsy shop and list your paintings.
- Contract businesses. (Restaurants and non-profits opt for paintings as decorations.)
- Form connections and bid to art curators. (Make sure to have something creative and unique.)
- Teach painting classes to younger kids. (Art by sketch master is one artist from Kenya who utilizes this income-generation method.)
7) Coding and programming.
Techies, I didn’t forget you.
The trends in employment are shifting as more businesses opt to source workers on a remote and freelance basis. You should get in the mix, showcase your skills and creativity, and bag a job for yourself.
To stand the chances of winning a bid as a freelancer, have a good portfolio hosted either on your website or a portfolio platform.
Check out Epic Jobs and Upwork for lucrative coding and programming jobs.
8)Design and Printing T-shirts.
If you love inventing witty, original phrases that would do t-shirts justice, this is for you.
Websites like spreadshirt gives you a ready market to shell your t shirts.
You could also design, print, and market the designs in your local shopping malls and store outlets.
9) Woodworking.
This is aimed at all those who can turn a piece of useless-looking log into masterpiece furniture.
How can you monetize your woodworking hobby?
- Create and sell your woodwork on social media listings.
- Approach hotels and museums that need unique pieces with a value proposition.
- Offer door to door services to repair battered furniture and wood decorations.
- Restore antique furniture and sell to highest bidders in online markets
10) Sewing.
This is aimed at all who have the skills to make perfect hems, seam lines, and repurpose age-old clothes into brand new runway attire. If you fall into this category of people, you can;
- Offer cloths repair services to people around your community.
- Design and sew event wear and costumes.
- Make and sell matching outfits to couples and families.
11) Crocheting and Knitting.
As with sewing, knitters can make money from their hobby. With tactical marketing, good quality work, and exceptional people skills, selling your crocheted and knitted crafts will be easier.
Some of the in-demand crocheted and knitted products are baby items. Think cute sweaters, knitted socks, and crocheted shoes.
Then again, you can sell your patters and lessons to willing beginners.
12) Voice Over hobbyists can make money from their imitation hobby.
Can you imitate your favorite movie characters to perfection?
Is doing different voices and prank calls to friends your cup of tea?
Then dive into the numerous voice over jobs that are advertised daily. You can gain professional experience by volunteering at Librivox. It’s a public domain that makes available books to all people in different languages. As a volunteer, all you need is a good microphone, a PC, and free audio editing software. Of course, your voice is needed.
How can you earn as a voice-over artist?
- Become an audiobook reader.
- Voice act for movies and animations.
- Commercial voice-over gigs.
- Video game voice overs.
Production hub always lists available voice over jobs for Kenyans and people from other countries.
13) Read your way to money.
Book lovers, did you know that you can earn from your hobby?
Yes, you can.
Online book club is a website that lets you earn between 5 USD -60 USD by reviewing books depending on your level. Take note that you’ll have to review your first book with no payment. This lets them gauge if you are a good fit for their company.
14) Translation for all multi-lingual speakers.
People that have more than one language up their sleeves, and can speak and write in them fluently have a chance to make money from their hobby. You could work as an English to Swahili translator or vice versa. A French to English translator and so on.
ZipRecruiter and Upwork regularly post translation jobs available to Kenyans.
15) Grow and sell herbs and spices.
Spice and herb is your expression language. You know what makes a good herb and spice, spend countless hours working away in your backyard, growing these plants. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that spice and herb growing has taken a peek in the Kenyan and international market in the last few years.
This then becomes a great opportunity for you to join and make an income from your hobby.
HELITECH Facebook’s page has great posts that will boost your product’s quality and quantity through their training. They also help connect you to buyers.
Kabete Organic gardens also has posted on the growing of herbs and other spices that you get could into.
You could also choose to sell your herbs and spices to nearby hotels that have the demand or juice to sell at better prices.
Conclusion.
Making money from your hobby is easy as you already love what you do. What you require is resilience, strategic marketing, and continuous production to meet the existing demand.
Also check out this productive activities if you are pursuing a new fun way of spending your time.
Which among these hobbies do you regularly get into?
