Growing your own food – how to start

Many people are getting interested in the idea of growing their own food. People are becoming more aware of the negative impacts eating processed foods can have on one’s health. Thus, a trend is emerging where people are taking an active role about where they get their food from.

Growing your own food, it ensures that you are getting healthy food into your diet. It’s also physical activity that gets you outside, amongst nature and in sunlight. In addition, growing your own food provides you with a strong sense of satisfaction. Knowing that you have worked hard to produce the food you are about to eat, you will appreciate it that much more.

Not to mention the financial benefits of growing your own food. While, it may not be so cost effective when you are just starting out, in the long run growing your own food can save you up to thousands of dollars per year! So how do you start? Let’s find out….

Tips on how to start growing your own food

Start small

When you are first starting out with growing your own food it’s important not to start   too big. The best way to is to start small. Buy a few plants at first. Then gradually add to your crops as you become more comfortable with the plants that you have. It does take time to build up gardening skills, so it’s better to build up these skills gradually.
You are bound to make mistakes, and they will be easier to deal with on a small scale. If you get too excited and buy many plants and they are unsuccessful, you are likely to become discouraged.

Plant easy plants

it’s a good idea to start with plants that are easy to grow and look after. Lettuce and other green leafy salad veggies are easy, and you will get high yield from them. In addition, they are quite easy to grow in pots and in containers.

Get an urban compost

use a compost or urban compost if you live in the city. Compost is a good way to dispose of organic scraps in the most environmentally friendly way. What’s more, is that it creates an amazing source of nourishment for your crops.

Create a vertical garden

especially if you live in an Urban environment this a good way to grow herbs and leafy greens.

Choose the right sunlight spot

ensure that you choose the best space for your plant in terms on sunlight. The best place to plant is a spot that receives sunlight in the morning. If you plant in a place that receives more sunlight in the afternoon you might need to water it a little extra in the afternoon.

Plant veggies that you like to eat

this might be obvious, but still there is not much point planting something that you will never eat anyway. The harvest might end up being wasted.

Get the right soil

it’s important to start to grow your own veggies. You probably won’t have a successful harvest with the existing soil in your yard, so you will have to source a good quality soil from a local soil supplier to start with. Eventually you can start creating your own soil, but it takes a bit of time to learn how to do it.

Buy starter plants from garden stores

instead of growing your own food from seeds, the best way to start is by getting starter plants. These are vegetables plants in their infancy. While they cost slightly more than seeds, they are good way to start on gardening. Starter plants will give you a higher success rate than seeds. This will give you more confidence when you are starting out growing your own food.

What should you plant?

When you are first starting out with growing your own food, it’s important to start with easier crops. Here is a list of some the easier veggies and herbs to start growing in your garden in Australia:

Vegetables:

  • Tomatoes – they are great to grow because they easy. They just need access to sunlight and a support to grow on. To protect them from pests, grow basil next to it (which is also easy to grow).
  • Cucumbers – another amazing vegetable to start with. They like sunlight, warm temperatures and need a support for climbing. With regular watering, they will grow like weeds!
  • Carrots – carrots are simple to grow, but it may be difficult to produce beautiful long ones unless you have a good soil that isn’t too rocky. They grow best in raised beds and grow best in an area with plenty of sunlight.
  • Radishes – they are super easy to grow and only take 20 days to reach full size. Growing them from seed is easy too, they just need regular watering. The great thing about radishes is that you can sow seeds and grow them all year round.
  • Green beans – one the best homes grown vegetables, because there are heaps of different varieties to choose from. They are a great source of protein to add to your meals. You can find bean types that are vines or small bushes that support themselves.
  • Zucchini – these are one of the best vegetables you can grow because they grow so well – especially in a warm climate. The other great thing is that they grow easily from seed. They just need to be grown in soil with good moisture.

Herbs:

The great thing about planting herbs is that they each possess their own medicinal properties. They also help to make your food taste amazing and can have a variety of positive effects on your physical health.

  • Basil – it’s a great herb to start growing in your garden since it so versatile. You can use it in virtually any meal. In salads, pastas, soups and you can also make a great pesto out of it.
  • Chives – herbs that taste slightly like onion. They are also a great addition to any meal. Some foods that chives pair well with are potatoes, fish and salads.
  • Coriander – this is a great herb to grow in your home garden, especially if you live in a warmer climate. Coriander is easy to grow from seed.
  • Dill – otherwise known as Dilweed, this herb is great to have in your garden. Dill does wonders to flavour foods and are a great addition to fish, soups and potatoes. Some of the medicinal properties of Dill include that it prevents insomnia, helps to manage diabetes, boosts immunity, plus much more.
  • Fennel – is another great herb to have when you start growing your own food since its bulb can also be eaten as a vegetable. It has a unique flavour like aniseed, and is a perfect addition to salads. Some of the health benefits of consuming fennel is that it leads to increased bone strength, lower blood pressure and reduces inflammation.
  • Mint – this another amazing herb to have growing in your garden. Mint is perfect for brewing into a tea, and can be made into mint sauce, or can be a great addition to deserts or fruit salads. Some of the medical properties of mint is that it helps with digestion. It helps with indigestion and gas, gastric ulcers and is also great for oral health.
  • Parsley – is another great herb to have growing in your home garden since it’s an amazing addition to your cooking. Some of the health benefits of parsley is that it has anti-inflammatory properties, it strengthens the immune system and has anti carcinogenic properties.
  • Sage – leaves have a very strong flavour which make it a great addition to any dish. Sage grows best when it has a lot of access to sunlight. Sage can also be dried and preserved to use later.
  • Thyme – another easy herb to grow in your garden is thyme. This is a great herb to add to soups and roasts. Thyme is best grown from cuttings, since it is difficult to grow them from seed. Alternatively, you could plant them from starter plants that you get from the garden store.

What are the benefits of having a food garden?

There are many benefits of growing your own food. So here we’ve outline them for you so you can decide for yourself if starting your own food garden is something you would like to do:

Improve your overall health

one of the obvious facts of growing your own food is that you will improve your health as well as your family. It means you will be accessing vital nutrients and minerals that will have a positive impact your body. Not to mention the physical benefits. Growing your own food requires physical labour which is good exercise. Plus, it means you get outside and in the sun, which is always beneficial to your health.

Save money

while it does take a bit of time to start saving money from your food garden, eventually your groceries expenses will shrink as you begin harvesting your own food. If you start growing pumpkins and other starchy vegetables you can store them and use throughout the winter months.

Lower your carbon footprint

growing your own food is not only beneficial to you but it also benefits the whole planet. When you take responsibility for growing your own food in sustainable gardens. When you don’t use pesticides or herbicides you are saving the earth from the damages of chemical pollution.

Eat food that tastes amazing

The fresher the food the better it tastes. So, if you are growing your own food, the time it takes to get from the garden to your plate is only very short and means it will taste better. Studies show that organic vegetables tastes better than generically farmed vegetables since the synthetic fertilisers compromise the taste.

You take control of your own food security

when you grow your own food, you are taking food security into your own hands. The global market place means that food prices can fluctuate at a moment’s notice meaning you are not in control when prices sky-rocket for some reason. When you take control of growing your own food you are not leaving yourself at the mercy of the food market. You provide your own food.

Learn about nature

growing your own food gives you an opportunity to be in touch with nature. While you are reaping the rewards in terms of health benefits you are also giving yourself the opportunity to learn about nature, specifically about growing food. The whole process of growing your own vegetables is a hands-on learning experience.

What are the disadvantages about growing your own food?

While there are many benefits that can be enjoyed from growing your own food, there are some drawbacks:

Takes time

unfortunately it’s not possible to create a successful food garden without spending a decent amount of time working on it. You need to consistently tend to your garden and make sure every plant has what it needs. In addition, it does take time before you will be able to be fully self-sufficient with your vegetables.

Start-up costs

while you can save money from growing your own food, there are some costs involved with starting your own food garden. You need to buy soil, seeds, starter plants, pots, gardening tools and perhaps a compost bin.

Holiday costs

if you go away on holiday you may also need to pay someone to look after your garden while you’re away, particularly if you are gone for long periods of time. If you don’t pay someone to tend to your garden could start dying which be a waste of your hard work and energy.

Nevertheless, the overall benefits of growing your own food a so great, its likely to outweigh those few disadvantages. Though, if you would like to start you own vegetable garden and need help with the start-costs you could consider getting a small personal loan. At We Find Loans we can help you to find one that’s right for you http://35.201.15.107/

How to invest in property – investing in property or shares?

How to invest in property

While investing is quite a popular way to invest less than 6% of Australians own an investment property. This is probably because navigating the real estate world can seem like a lot of work, and is often something people prefer not to get involved in. In addition, a lot of people don’t know how to invest in property.

However, investing in property is relatively straightforward. It is just a matter of understanding the terminology, and the steps you need to take before you make the final decision to invest.

What does investing mean?

The act of investing means to commit money to a project or activity in the attempt to earn money or profit from that endeavour. It is way of earning money in the future by plant the seeds with your money in the present. Investing secures yourself income for the future without solely depending on your salary as your source of income.

Investing is a smart way to use your money to plan for your future, by making wise financial decisions. Investing means putting your money away, with the intention for it to grow.

What can you invest in?

There are several ways you can invest your money. Depending on what stage of life you are in and what you are looking to get out of your investment will be a big contributing factor of determining what type of investment you will go with. Here is a list of the different ways you can invest your money:

  • Shares:
  • Property: investing in property is a popular form of investing for many Australians. Property investments allow you to receive a return on your investment as you receive money from rent.
  • Bonds: investing in bonds means that you lend money to an entity such as a government or corporation to help fund a certain operation. They pay you back over a set period with interest. Corporate bonds often have higher yields than government bonds but they are also riskier.
  • Superannuation fund: your superannuation is an investment. Is it made up of a portfolio of different investments such as shares, property and bonds which gain in value over time.

Get your finances in order before you invest

One of the most important things to do before you know how to invest in property is to get your finances in order first. There is no point making investments, if you are struggling to pay your off debts or are barely keeping up with your living costs. Here is a list of steps you should first take before making the move to invest.

  1. Get a good idea of your financial position – this means working out your budget. Track your living expenses for 1 – 3 months to give you a good idea of what you spend your money each month. This will allow you to have a clear idea of what your costs of living are so you know exactly what you will be able to save per month.
  2. Create some back up savings – this is good practice as it helps to protect yourself in case you were unexpectedly left without income. If you can save up enough money to cover your living costs at least a few months it will protect you financially.
  3. Pay off bad debt first – as mentioned above it important to get bad debt out of the way before you even consider investing. If you have any bad debt such as credit card debts, or any personal loans, it’s important to get these out of the way first.

What is property investment?

Investing in property is quite popular in Australia, and it is said be the oldest form of investing out there. One of the ways you can make money from investing in property is from the re-sale value of the property at a future time. If the property’s value increases you can sell it and make a profit. You can also increase the value of the property by doing some renovations to it, and selling it at a higher price.

You can also make income from property investments through the rent that you earn from tenants living or working on the premises. Having a tenant on your property and generating income through rent is the best way to get a return on your property investment, since it gives a regular income.

Knowing how to invest in property is a matter of understanding the various types of property investments. Here is a list of the various ways you can invest in property:

  • Residential real estate – this type of property investment involves investing in houses or apartments intended for families to live in.
  • Commercial real estate – this type of property investment refers to the buying of office buildings and renting them out to businesses.
  • Industrial real estate – you rent out properties that are related to industrial processes, these include warehouses, assembly plants, distribution centres and manufacturing facilities.
  • Retail real estate – this refers to property investment where investors owns shopping malls or shopping strips whereby tenants are restaurants, shops, hair salons and other retail vendors.

How to invest in property?

Before you invest in property there are a few steps you need to take first. The first thing to do is to look at your finances. List all your assets and work out how much you’ll be able to invest by working out your budget.

The next thing to do is to get pre-approval through your lender. Find out if you’ll get approved for a loan by checking your credit rating, and reducing your debt.

Work out what your financial goals are. Often people invest in property to secure their financial future, so they have an extra income to live on. By setting these goals it helps you to work back from them to help you plan how to achieve them.

Next is to understand what your risk tolerance is. This will help you to devise a strategy that is appropriate for achieving your goals.

Finally, it’s important to do some research so you can be as informed as possible about the investment choice you are going to make. Understand the market, and get as many valuable insights as possible.

Once you have made your investment it is also important to remain informed. Keep up to date with what’s going on in the property market.

How to invest in shares?

Now you know how to invest in property, another common type of investment is to invest in shares. This is where you buy parts of the company so you have a stake in the company. Though investing in shares seems like a foreign and complicated concept to some people would prefer not to go there. But if investing in property seems like too much of a hassle, investing in shares might be a good alternative. So, here we’ve put together a small guide to investing in shares.

Why invest in shares?

Investing in shares allows you to benefit from the magic of compounding. It allows you to multiply the money you invest, so that you get more money without having to work for it. Investing also helps you to protect yourself from inflation. Prices are constantly rising, which means that the value of money these days will be worth less in the future. Since investing allows you to benefit from compound interest.

What shares should you buy?

People might not want to invest in shares because they don’t know what to invest in. A good place to start is by investing in a company that you know. It could be one that you buy many products from, or that you use all the time. Another way to invest in shares is through an index fund. It is a diversified investment portfolio that allows you to invest in a mix of shares, bonds and real estate investments. This is a good way for the average person to start investing as the diversified investment portfolio means you are not putting all your eggs in one basket.

How do you start investing in shares?

The most common way to do it is through a broker or brokering service. Brokers can also be online brokering services and will have lower fees than a full-service broker (though they will give you investing advice).  They will use one of Australia’s stock exchange platforms to trade your shares.

If you are just starting out, you could start with an online investment broker and you can invest as little as $500 to $1000.

Here is a list of some of the best online brokers in Australia that you can start with: Amscot, Belldirect and CMC markets.

Should I invest in shares or should I invest in property?

Now you know how to invest in shares and how to invest in property, you may be wondering what’s better? Some people think property is a better investment and others think shares are. So, which investment makes more money?

If you look at the investments on a short-term basis either property investment or investment in shares will show a higher return than the other. This is because it depends on the volatility of the market during the time that you do the comparison on. Many people that the share market is risky to invest in because it demonstrates high volatility. Though, the housing market shows a similar volatility over time. That puts them on a level playing field.

Thus, if you look at both investments on a long-term basis, while property does go up in value, so do shares. Though evidence shows that the value that property increases with over a 20-year period is much less, than the value that stocks increase over the same period.

Another point to consider is that the maintenance costs required for a property over 20 years could end up costing thousands, while the costs of maintaining a trading account is virtually zero.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t invest in property, but it might be a good idea to invest in both.

Investment terminology

To further help you understanding how to invest, whether it’s how to invest in property or how to invest in shares – here are some key terms that you should know.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

This refers to the total yearly cost of a loan. It includes fees such as service charges, loan fees, mortgage insurance and interest.

Appreciation

It is the amount that the investment goes up in value. Regarding property, it is home much that house is worth later. The opposite of appreciation is depreciation which is when a property goes down in value.

Capital gain

If you are trying to know how to invest in property, this is the term given to the amount that you earn, from your investment. In other words, the profit you have made.

Diversification

This refers to not putting all your eggs in one basket. An example would be an index fund as it is a mix of different types of investments. If you have made investments in shares and in property this is called diversification.

Equity

Equity in relation to property refers the difference between the amount you owe on your home loan and the total value of the property if you were to sell it.

Earnings per share (EPS)

This is otherwise known as dividends which is when a company

Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI)

This is an amount that you must pay to the mortgage lender if you do not have 20% of the deposit of the property. It is determined as a percentage of the value of the property.

Rental yield

The refers to the return on your property investment expressed as a percentage. It calculated by working out how much you spend per year on the investment, and how much you earn from it.

At the end of the day, choosing to invest in property or investing in shares is a matter of taking the time to understand the different type of investments. Before you invest, you should learn how to invest in property or how to invest in shares so that begin your investment endeavour being will informed.

What credit card should I get?

what credit card should I get

Deciding whether to get a credit card or not can either be a very easy decision to make, or a very difficult one. You may be concerned about your ability to use credit responsibly. Or you may be worried about the fees and interest costs involved. On the other hand, you might be super excited about getting your first credit card because of the freedom it will give you.  Either way, this is a question you are likely to ask yourself – What credit card should I get.

There are a few different types of credit cards out there that vary in terms of their features. So, if you’re looking to get a credit card for the first time you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll tell you all you need to know about what different credit cards are out there.

How does a credit card work?

Credit cards are forms of ‘credit’ which means they are a way of borrowing money. They allow you to pay for goods and services without having the money in your account.  Then you repay the credit card balance at the end of the month.

What credit card should I get – What are the different credit card types out there?

  • Standard credit cards – this is a regular credit card that doesn’t offer any frills or rewards. It allows you to use a balance up to a certain credit limit. The balance that you spend must be paid at the end of each month to avoid paying late fees.
  • Rewards credit cards – rewards cards offer rewards based on the purchases you make on your credit cards. The way It works, is you earn points for every dollar you spend on your credit card.  Though there are often higher fees involved with these types of credit cards.
  • Student credit cards – these types of cards are made for college students who have little or no credit history. They come with lower interest rates and are meant for students who are enrolled in a 4-year university course.
  • Secured credit cards – this is another option for students, or those who don’t have a credit history or who have a bad credit rating. The way these cards work, is that you must place a security deposit on the card. The credit limit is often equal to the deposit.
  • Charge cards – these types of credit cards don’t have a spending limit, though the balances must be paid in full at the end of each month. To get this type of credit card, you will normally have to have a very good credit rating.
  • Subprime credit cards – these are not very good credit card options as they are designed for people with a bad credit history and often have very high fees.
  • Business Credit cards – these credit cards are specifically designed for businesses, as they allow business owners to keep business transactions and personal ones separate. Businesses can either get standard credit cards or charge cards.

What credit card should a college student get?

As a college or university student you may be wondering whether you should get a credit card or not.  You may also be wondering what credit card should I get. As a student, it’s harder to get a credit card since you don’t have a credit history and may not have regular employment. Though some banks offer credit cards specifically for students.

Credit cards for students usually have lower interest rates, no annual fees, and up to 45 interest free days. Getting a credit card as a student allows you to build up a positive credit rating if it is the first time you are using credit.

What credit card should I get – How to choose a credit card?

When you ask yourself what credit card should I get, what you are really asking is what factors should I look at when it comes to deciding the right credit card for me. Here is a list of what to look for when choosing a credit card:

  • Interest rates – it’s important to look at the APR for the card. This is basically the cost of borrowing money on the card. Some cards the say they have a 0% APR but this may only be the initial rate, it could increase after a certain period. Comparing the annual percentage rate (APR) between credit cards might help you to decide which credit card to go with.
  • Rewards – if you are looking to gain perks from your spending you may want to get a rewards card. They allow you to build up points that can be used for anything from airplane miles to gift cards. The type of rewards you get will depend on the credit card company you use.
  • Annual fees – This is another factor that will influence what credit card you choose. Some cards have high annual fees, and if you’re not using your credit card very much then it could be costing you more than you are earning back from your rewards.

How to choose a credit card provider?

Answering the question what credit card should I get could come down to what credit provider you should choose. There are few factors you should consider when deciding which credit provider, you should use.

  • Accessibility – this means how easily you can contact and visit your credit card provider if need be. You may want to consider whether there is a local branch close by, or if they are plenty of ATMs around.
    Not using your credit card provider’s ATM can cost you $2.00 per transaction
  • Customer service – being with a large banking corporation my mean you have less personalised customer service. Whereas if you were to borrow from a smaller bank you might get a more personal service. Though the interest rates may be higher than with larger banks.
  • Extras and benefits – your decision about what credit provider to choose might be influenced by the benefits offered by your provider. Some things they might offer are discounts on some goods and services or they may offer some insurance services.

What credit card should I get – Tips!

 

  • Get a card that has interest free days so that you can pay off the whole balance before you are charged any interest

 

  • If you do think you will roll over your interest free period try and get a card that has low interest and fees
  • You don’t have to get a credit card with the bank that you use, research online what other credit card deals are out there
  • As bank for key fact sheet, which will outline the key features of that credit card – this will easily help you to compare credit cards with each other

How to get approved for a credit card?

Once you’ve identified what credit card should I get, you will have to make a credit card application. To get approved for a credit card, it’s important to first look at the eligibility criteria. Different credit card providers may have prerequisites that influence whether you are approved for a credit card or not. The factors that you will be assessed on are:

  • Income – your level of income can influence your ability to get a credit card. For instance, most credit card companies require that you earn at least $15,000 annually.
  • Job status – the status of your employment may influence your ability to get a loan. For instance, if you are in a stable job and have been for a while, you are much more likely to be approved, than if you were to have a new job, or experience lack of job stability.
  • Poor credit rating/ limited credit history – your credit history can influence your ability to get a credit card since credit providers like to look at your credit history. If you have any defaults, meaning payments that you have failed to make such as bills or loan repayments, you may have trouble getting approved for a credit card.

Similarly, if you haven’t been using credit for very long, you may have a limited credit history which could equally affect your ability to get approved for a credit card.

  • Previous credit inquiries – if you have made multiple credit inquiries, this can also affect your ability to get approved for a loan, as each time you make a credit inquiry it gets recorded on your credit report.
  • Residency status – to credit card you will normally have to have residency status or Australian citizenship.
  • Age – you will also need to be at least 18 years of age

How to use a credit card?

Once you have answered what credit card should I get and know the various eligibility requirements to apply for a credit card it’s important to know how to use a credit card so that you can get the most out of it. Here are top 10 tips on how to use a credit card:

Pay off as much of your balance the end of each month 

In full if possible. This way you will avoid paying expensive interest fees

Pay for necessities rather than desires

This is important because its wiser to use a credit card to pay for things that you need rather than things that you would like to have. That’s because this type of spending pattern can lead to debt.

Don’t skip payments 

Paying your credit card bill every month is incredibly important as a late payment could result in interest charges, late fees or bad mark on your credit rating.

You can use your credit card as a budgeting tool 

This is a great tip for using your credit card. If you know that you will be able to use your credit card responsibly, you should make all your purchases with your credit card and pay off the full balance at the end of the month. That way you can see exactly how much you have spent at the end of the month. Then you pay off the balance with your income.

Get perks from rewards cards

A smart way to use a credit card is to use a rewards card. If you make all your expenses on your credit card you can earn rewards points on it.

Stay under the 30% credit limit

Your credit limit is the amount of money you can spend on your credit card. Though it’s always advisable to try and stay under the 30% limit to keep a low credit ratio.

Protect yourself from credit card fraud

Taking measures to protect yourself from credit card fraud is always good practice. Doing things like changing your passwords frequently, regularly checking your bank statements and using your bank’s protection services are good measures for protecting yourself against credit card fraud.

Pick your credit card due dates

Picking a date that is memorable to you is a good way of making sure to make your payments on time and avoid getting charged interest.

Avoid using your credit card overseas

Foreign transaction fees can cost up to 3% of the purchase you make. It’s better to get a travel card instead (that’s if you don’t have a rewards card).

Check your credit history

Checking your credit history regularly allows you to keep a track of how you are using credit card.  

Ready to decide?

Ultimately, to decide what credit card should I get it’s important to do a bit of research. Choosing your credit card will depend on the type of credit card you want, the fees, the interest rates as well as the special features such as the services offered. It will also depend on whether you want a rewards card or a no frills card – it’s completely up to you. At the end of the day, it’s still important to use a credit card responsibly as getting into credit card debt is not a good situation to be in. Using a credit card responsibly will help you to build up a positive credit rating which is beneficial to have for many reasons.

Nevertheless, if you have trouble getting approved for a credit card, you could consider getting a personal loan. At We Find Loans, we help you to find personal loans that suit you. This way you can build up your credit rating as you repay the loan, which could help you in obtaining a credit card further down the line.

Hobby income – How can I make money from my hobby?

hobbies that make money

Having multiple streams of income is the key to financial independence. Not having to rely solely on one salary allows you the opportunity to be unshackled by financial limitations. It is helpful in case something unexpected were to happen that would jeopardise this source of income. Having multiple income streams gives you something to fall back on in case you fall on tough times. One way of doing this is to have hobbies that make money. That’s right, making some cash on the sideline doing something that you love.

You may now be confused as to how exactly you could do this. Well, this blog is going to clear that up because here we’re going to give you some hobby ideas, talk about hobbies that make money and learn how to make money online with your hobbies. So, read-on if you’re ready to start supplementing your income by doing something that you love!

What is a hobby?

So, what exactly is a hobby? Well, in a nutshell, it can be described as an activity that someone does for enjoyment in their spare time. Or it’s another word for a small horse or pony. Hobbies can be anything that a person does for pleasure, so the list is huge! But here we’ve put together a list of some of the best hobbies that make money.

Hobby ideas:

  • Reading books
  • Fishing
  • Gardening
  • Exercising (Yoga, gym, swimming, running, etc).
  • Listening to music
  • Travelling
  • Sewing
  • Golf
  • Housework
  • Crafts
  • Cooking
  • Cycling
  • Camping
  • Skiing
  • Working on cars and automobiles
  • Writing
  • Boating
  • Mountain biking
  • Bowling
  • Painting
  • Dancing
  • Tennis
  • Theatre
  • Home decoration
  • Computer games

What are the hobbies that make money?

It can honestly be anything! Though there are some hobbies that make more money than others. We’ve put together a list of hobbies.

Some hobbies that make money include:

Writing/blogging 

If you know how to write, this is a skill that might be able to make you money. You could either start your own blog writing about a topic you are passionate about, or you could work as a free-lance writer, and get paid to write articles for different publications.

The key to success with writing online, is to create content that is useful for readers. It’s also important to build engagement with your readers, so they will keep revisiting your blog.

Tutoring

If you’ve got any skills that you could teach to others, tutoring is a way you could make money from your hobbies. If you know how to play an instrument or speak a language, you could teach lessons and charge for your services.  

You could either teach lessons online, via webcam or in person. A good place to advertise your teaching lessons are on Gumtree, or you could find students through word of mouth. Teaching others your skills is also a way for you to keep practicing and improving your ability in that skill.

Comedy 

If you are particularly funny and have a knack for making people laugh, this could be one of those hobbies that make money. There are various ways for you to make money from comedy. You could perform stand-up routines at a local bar or venue that hosts regular comedy nights, you could even write punch lines and jokes for Ted Talk speakers who want to make their speeches funny and engaging, or you could even try writing humour books for adults.

Craft 

Craft hobby ideas can be a great way for you to make money in your leisure time. Craft is a hobby that encompasses various activities including knitting, basket weaving, sewing, beadwork, embroidery or even pottery.

The great thing about craft hobbies is that they are often therapeutic activities that you can do in your spare time. Not only do they make you feel relaxed, but can make beautiful creations that people are willing to buy. You could either sell your products at weekend markets or sell them online through Etsy. Etsy is a great way for you to make money from your hobbies as it is designed specifically to sell craft products.

Coaching

This is like tutoring since you are teaching your skills and abilities to others. However, coaching is more associated with sports. So, if sport is a hobby of yours, you could consider coaching a team of kids in the evenings and on weekends. Coaching is also a way for you to get involved in the community, as well as helping to build strong leadership skills.

Public speaking 

Believe it or not, if you’re particularly skilled in public speaking and you enjoy it, this is one of those hobbies that make money! You may not know, but companies will hire people, who are good at public speaking, to talk to large groups at events on their behalf. You can start small, and then you can work your way up doing more high-profile gigs. Some people even end up earning thousands of dollars from public speaking.

Baking

This is another therapeutic hobby that is one of those creative ways to make money. Another benefit from baking is that you can work from home. You can sell your home baked goods, whether it be cookies, cakes or other delicious baked foods, at markets or bake sales.

First you will have to check out the food regulations in your state regarding food services. You will also need to obtain licenses to be able to sell baked goods. There are a few other things you will have to work out first before you start selling your food, but its relatively easy to start and there is always a market for it!

Web design 

A great hobby that can earn you money online is web design. If you’re good at creating websites, this is a hobby that people are willing to pay money for. Not everyone knows how to do web design, therefore they are willing to pay good money to those who do. One way to find web design projects is by doing free-lance work online.

As you build up your network and portfolio of projects, you’ll be able to charge more for your services in the future.

Ways to make money from your hobbies

Teach others 

One of the ways to make money from your hobbies is to teach others your skills. Not only will it allow you to practice your hobby, but you you’ll enjoy the personal benefit of teaching others and passing on knowledge. There are many people out there who want to pick a new hobby themselves and there’s likely a few people out there who’d love to learn what you know.

If your hobby is a sporting activity you could become a coach, and teach a younger group. Maybe you love cooking, you could lead a cooking class, particularly if you know how to make a certain type of cuisine.

Sell your products or services 

Make money online by selling your creations or services either through Etsy, Gumtree or other online sources. Perhaps you want to set up an Instagram or Facebook page, where interested customers can directly contact you if they’re interested in your creations. You could even sell your products at a market or craft show.

Enter work in competitions 

You could see what local competitions are on and enter your work in in the hopes of winning the price money.

Sell work to magazines 

If you’re a photographer or writer, you may be able to sell your work online or to magazines which could result in further freelance work.

Ways to make money online with your hobbies through passive income

Start a blog about your hobbies

If you are particularly knowledgeable about a certain craft you could even start a blog to teach others about it. This can be a good start for developing a passive income. As you continue to post on your blog you may develop a following, and the viewers will help to generate income.

Write and publish an E-book 

In the same vein you could even create an E-book about your hobbies. This is a way of creating a passive income stream, as your book will be able to make you money without you having to actively do anything. Once your book is being available on an online platform, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publish, Blurb, Lulu or Tradebit, each time your book is sold it will generate an income.

Create an online course 

This is another great way to make money online as this is something that can generate a passive income for you. If you have a skill you could teach to people, why not create an online course that people can follow.

Produce an audiobook 

Similar to an E-book, you could create an audiobook for people to purchase online. To accompany your E-book, you could create an audio version as a supplementary form of income. Some people prefer to listen to audio books, for instance on their way to work.

Create a smartphone app 

Though this one is not as easy to do, creating a smartphone app could be a way for you to meet a demand within society that has not yet been covered. You may have a hobby that would benefit from a smartphone app. If you could find some app developers and work with them on your idea to come up with a product. You could either charge a small fee for the app or you could charge a yearly subscription after a 1 month free trial of the app. As people pay for the app, it will generate income for you on the sideline.

Start a podcast about your hobby 

Another way to make money online from your hobby is to start a podcast. The great thing about podcasts is that it is a way for you to spread information about your hobby. It also allows you to create networks and relationships through the people you interview on your podcasts, as well as your audience. You can make money from podcasts by receiving a certain amount of money per download. Another way you can make money from a podcast is by doing some marketing for other products related to your hobby.

Make YouTube tutorial videos 

Another great way to make money from your hobby is through YouTube tutorial videos. People love having a video alternative to a written blog. Tutorials also make it easy to pass on knowledge. You may be wondering you can money on YouTube given that it is mostly fee to use: well, there are various ways you can do it. You could either become a YouTube partner and make money from ads, license your content to the media, or you could make money by selling products or merchandise inspired by your video content.

How making money from your hobbies can benefit you?

There are a few key benefits that you can get from making money from your hobbies. We’ve put a list together of the ways in which your hobbies can help you financially.

  • Having a supplementary income reduces the risk of being left without safety net if the unexpected were to happen
  • Making money from your hobbies allows you to spend more time doing the things you love
  • Since your hobby is something you are already good at and enjoy doing, you won’t have to spend a lot of money on training

So do you have hobbies that make you money?

At the end of the day, it’s always good to have a hobby whether it makes you money or not. Having a hobby allows you to do something that you love, which is good for the soul. Spending time on your hobbies can be therapeutic and healing, and reduce the stress of everyday life. Nevertheless, if you did want to start making money from your hobbies, and develop a supplementary form of income, there are many ways you can do it!

Whether it’s through teaching, selling your products online, or charging people for your services, making money from your hobbies is possible. It just takes time, dedication and consistency. However, if you are thinking about starting out and making money from a hobby, you may need to finance some start-up costs. If that’s the case, you could consider getting a small personal loan from We Find Loans. We Find Loans helps you to find the right lender to match your specific needs. Apply with us today and see how we can help you get your money-making hobby idea off the ground!