I’ve been thinking about this recently (I know, that’s dangerous of me), and thought I’d take the time to share it with you.
What if you could make money from your hobby?
We all have hobbies. Every one of us. Whether it’s golf, watching TV, surfing the Internet, or taking the dog for a walk. They are things which help us to unwind, and although they don’t bring real joy to our lives, they definitely help us to enjoy life.
For most of us, our hobbies are just that — hobbies. We don’t get paid for doing whatever it is each hobby requires us to do.
What if you could change all that?
Would you?
If you could start making money by playing your favourite sport, would you do it?
If you make money by walking the dog, would you do it?
Not as clear as it may seem…
Now, think carefully. The first response may be, “Yeah! Of course!” But, what if there was a chance that you’d lose the joy you once had in the hobby, because now you have to do it, otherwise there’ll be no bread on the table?
Maybe you could do it part time? However, you’d still have the pressure of competing against time, clients, or something else which makes life more difficult.
What if it made it impossible for you to engage in other hobbies? What if there were slight risks involved? Would this have any impact upon you decision on whether to turn your hobby into an income stream?
What’s your hobby? And if you could make money from it, would you?
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Added Commentary
By Justin Tadlock
on 14.11.07
Only if I could watch movies forever.
I’m going to try and take making money online a bit slower. As you’ve read on my blog, I’ve felt a little exhausted, and it may be time to take a step back. Sure, I want to make money, but I want it to feel like a hobby at the same time.
Make sure you’re still having fun. If it isn’t fun, then it’s no longer a hobby. Get your feet a little wet at first, and if possible, before diving head in into this venture.
By Michael Castilla
on 14.11.07
I agree with Justin. I enjoy making money off what I do online, but sometimes it sucks the fun right out if it.
I think I’ll also be taking a step back from trying to make as much money online.
By Armen
on 16.11.07
Justin - How do you know I have a “venture”?
Michael - I agree. I actually think people need to take a completely different approach to “making money online”, than what is the current trend.
For example, your model to make a living, should never be based on advertising alone. Advertising should only supplement.
By Michael Castilla
on 16.11.07
Definitely. Maybe you can write up a post on a better or different way to make money online!
By Armen
on 16.11.07
Michael - Not before I put it into practice
By Michael Castilla
on 16.11.07
Oh true! Well I guess you can try it out and then tell us your experience. Or something like that
By Nyssa
on 25.11.07
I was meant to leave a comment here the other day but it slipped my mind. That’s what happens when I said “I’ll do it later!”
I do indeed make money from my hobby. Web design and development is a hobby. Even though I make money from it, and it is somewhat of a job, I feel it’s changing enough that it’s never stale and boring, so it can stay a hobby for the most part.
Another hobby of mine is photography and I don’t think I do anything as a career in photography. It would actually ruin it for me. On the other hand, I have made a small (really small, like $4.50 small) amount of money with some stock photography on Dreamstime and some small amounts on various sites. In the near future, I’ll have a new camera and will build up a stock gallery of my own to make further money from photography.
By Armen
on 26.11.07
Nyssa - Yeah. I checked out some of your photo’s. Some of the shots you took while in England are pretty cool!
What camera are you planning to go for?
By Nyssa
on 26.11.07
At the moment, it looks like I’ll be going for the Canon 450D, assuming the rumours are true (apparently coming in February/March). I’d like the Canon 40D, but I also want a lens, so I’m sacrificing the camera to have extra money for a lens.
By Armen
on 26.11.07
Nyssa - Nice move. It’s definitely better to have a ‘lesser’ body, and better glass. My advice is, just be very careful if you decide to get a Sigma, Tamron, or some other 3rd party lens.
I have the 350D, and I think it’s a great camera. My only slight nag, is that my large hands can begin to cramp a little with continuous use.
By Nyssa
on 26.11.07
Yeah, the lenses are costly and it’s generally better to have better glass than a good camera than some not so good glass. I won’t be going for a Canon lens though, as they’re a bit too expensive. The only other lenses I’ll go for are Sigma and have already picked out one after some extensive research!
Oh I can imagine. You can pick up a grip for the 350D though, right? Luckily I won’t have such a problem since I’m of course female and quite small (I’m only 5′3″ so you can imagine I have fairly small hands).
By Armen
on 26.11.07
Nyssa - I don’t know what you’ve chosen, or if you’re after a zoom or prime, but, for the price, you’ll find it hard to beat the Sigma 17-70mm if you need a wide angle zoom. It does a decent job with macro shots too, although it’s not 1:1.
By wei yi shen
on 26.11.07
I make some money from photography, not a lot, but my original intent was for the hobby to support itself.
Speaking of 3rd party lenses, I bought a Sigma 70-200/2.8 from a friend, to use on a D70, and later found a focus defect.. since then, for the last 5-6 months, I have sent the lens thrice across the country to have it repaired to no avail. I fear it is an incompatibility issue: one lens with various mounts.
However, if buying new, I’m sure it is no hassle to simply return the copy for a different one, if there are problems.
By Nyssa
on 26.11.07
Armen: I’m not going for a wide angle just yet but a telephoto (50-500mm f/4.3-6.3) since my main interest is bird photography. But I’ll definitely have a look at that lens as well since I will be looking into a wide angle later down the track. Thanks.
Wei yi shen: I find it’s generally best to buy new with anything electronic or technology related for that reason.
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