Coronavirus Not Allowing You to Work? Turn Your Hobby Into a Side Hustle!
Making ends meets when the unemployment rate is higher than ever thanks to COVID-19 has become a huge point of stress for many of us. Campuses are closing, with most classes switching to online platforms, and that means on-campus jobs have disappeared. Summer is usually a great time for students to earn more money, but a lot of those jobs just aren’t available this year.
Don’t lose hope just yet. Even if you were laid off, let go, or furloughed, you still have a few other avenues to try. Namely, you can turn that hobby you’re good at into a side hustle! Here are some of our ideas for earning some extra cash.
Calling All Creatives!
Are you a Photoshop enthusiast?
Have an eye for video editing?
What about an ear for audio mixing?
Do you enjoy writing?
How about coding, programming, or website design?
Tons of people are in need of your skills. Put together a quick portfolio (if you want to) and advertise yourself on online services like Fiverr and Upwork. The jobs are likely to be small—at least at first—but you can get through them quickly, and the money adds up fast. Make sure you save your completed projects for your portfolio!
Crafting Is Life
Does your favorite hobby involve making something? Crafting? Are you an artist, carpenter, or designer? Creating an Etsy store might be the best option for you.
The cool thing about Etsy is that you can create and sell just about anything. Artwork, jewelry, pet collars and leashes, furniture, journals, calligraphy, clothing—you name it, and someone out there is searching for it.
Setting up your account is relatively easy. All you have to do is decide what you want to create and sell and get started!
Photographers Wanted
Do you have a camera you can put to good use? Do you have an eye for capturing the best shots? Even if you’re still learning the ropes—or if all you’ve got is a new iPhone camera—selling your photos and videos is a great way to keep developing your hobby and make some money while you’re at it.
You can sell stock photos and videos on popular websites like:
- iStock
- Alamy
- Dreamstime
- Getty Images
- Shutterstock
- EyeEm
- Pond5: This site deals primarily with stock videos.
- Unsplash: Note that this site doesn’t buy or sell photos; however, it’s a great way to create exposure for your work.
Tutors and Teachers
If you play an instrument or have a talent for a particular school subject, consider giving lessons or offering tutoring sessions. In many cases, these can be arranged via video call, so you can still adhere to social distancing rules.
Social media is a great way to advertise your services and reach the people who are interested in hiring you. Reach out to your friends and join some local groups that will let you post about your availability for piano lessons and math tutoring—you get the idea.
 
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative
If you can’t think of any hobbies that seem immediately profitable, it might be worth taking a second look.
If you enjoy reading, search out some online writing groups and see if anyone is in need of a beta reader or editor.
If you’re a gamer, you might want to give streaming a try.
If movies are your thing, search around for focus groups in need of viewers, or write and sell some articles and reviews of your favorite media.
More likely than not, there’s a way to make a buck off of doing what you love. Don’t be afraid to get creative!