4 Ways To Make Hundreds of Dollars or More From Your Creativity
Written by
Daria Uhlig
Edited by
Jasmine Browley
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
Rideshare and delivery gigs seem to attract a lot of press attention, and for good reason. They’re cheap and easy gigs to start, and you can do them whenever you want. But creative individuals accustomed to thinking outside the box can turn their talents and passions into lucrative sources of income.
Here are four ways to make hundreds of dollars a pop off of your creativity.
Photography Tours
Photography enthusiasts don’t need expert skills and the latest equipment to help budding photographers enjoy their hobby. If you know your way around a camera and live in an area that’s popular with tourists, you can make good money showing visitors where to get the best shots. Photographers with pro-level skills can market the tours as workshops and throw in instruction as you shoot alongside your customers.
Photographer tour guides who list their services on ToursByLocals.com charge $250 to over $600 for a 2.5-hour tour for up to eight people.
Teach Classes
Whatever your creative endeavor, chances are, other people would like to learn how to do it. Musicians might teach private or small-group lessons. Painters and other visual artists can do that as well, or they can partner with local art leagues, recreation departments or university continuing education programs to offer classes.
Musicians who list their services on Thumbtack charge from $25 to $250 per lesson, with most charging $30 to $60. For example, art classes in various media at Maryland’s Art League of Ocean City Center for the Arts range from $24 for a two-hour class for children to $150 for a five-hour class for adults — nice side income for the artist, and extra revenue for the venue.
Publish a Book
Writers and illustrators might try their hands at self-publishing books. The industry has come a long way over the years, with self-publishing authors now out-earning traditionally published ones, according to a 2023 Alliance of Independent Authors survey of over 2,000 of its commissioned authors.
The study looked at 2022 income and found that the median annual income was $12,749 for those who spent more than half their working time writing and publishing. Twenty-eight percent earned $50,000 or more, and nearly 20% earned six figures publishing books.
Open an Etsy Store
Handmade items are in high demand. Just look at the popularity of handmade marketplaces like Etsy. Its brands, which include Reverb and Depop, had attracted 96.5 million buyers by the end of 2023, according to the company filings. But Sale Samurai, an Etsy data aggregator, estimates that the average successful seller – “successful” being the operative word – makes $43,000 to $46,000 per year.
Shop owners’ biggest challenge might be the amount of marketing needed to stand out from a sea of nine million sellers. But Etsy has guides and forums that can get you started, and it keeps seller costs reasonable.
They pay a one-time fee, shown at sign-up. Then they pay $0.20 per listing and 9.5% plus $0.25 fees on each item sold.
More From GOBankingRates
