hobbies that make or save you money

**Sara Noel** · 06-23-2009, 02:34 PM

I know this has been discussed before. But can I find it? No.

Anyway...

What hobbies do you think make or save you money? I know a lot of times people are looking for low cost hobbies to do. Some might seem to have a high initial investment, but over the long run pay for themselves and then some.

So tell me about the hobbies you enjoy or hobbies you know save or make money.

I'll start. Well for me, I did floral and interior design, wedding, party and special event planning and bought and sold antiques and collectibles. They all started out as hobbies and then I became a paid professional. I worked from my home, freelanced and worked for companies, too. All of them cost a bit to start out, but they all were profitable in very little time.

How about you?

**rowdy35** · 06-23-2009, 04:17 PM

i do catering as a part time job because I like to do it, and because I make money at it.

i shop at my lunch time at work for mark down food (meat, canned food) rather than going out for fast food lunch like my other co workers do

i bake bread and cook from scratch which saves money & I enjoy it !

**Brighid** · 06-23-2009, 04:25 PM

I don't yet have anything to add, but I look forward to seeing the responses here!

**Persimmon Lace** · 06-23-2009, 04:30 PM

I paint terra cotta pots for a couple of places here and I also have them in an antiques booth. All of the places collect the sales tax and such so I don't have to fool with that, I just pick up a check when I make a sale. I'm a bit behind but I am going to remedy this soon!

**Brat** · 06-23-2009, 07:12 PM

I like to sew. I have made curtians for my home many times over. I have even done a few for other people. I also hem pants, put patches on, and small mending jobs for close friends. I have in the past remodled a few places to get a few bucks ahead.(It was husband and I). For several years I mowed lawns..I like to mow and people would pay me to do theres.

**Momto2Boyz** · 06-24-2009, 07:27 AM

I normally do craft booths at local fairs, and the economic downturn was slow to hit this market, but it finally has. So things are slow. I make purses, soap and other things, but I have had trouble unloading it. Plan to try to sell of the pile of stuff I have sitting in the garage at my garage sale.

I do mending for DH's co-workers and make a little bit of money that way. His company requires a uniform, but they only order pants. And since these guys have to work outside in the summer, they melt away in the heat. Well, last summer, DH asked his boss if I could turn some of the pants into shorts, and he said as long as they were hemmed, he didn't see a problem with it. So I did 5 pairs for DH. Well, when he went to work wearing uniform "shorts", all the other guys got excited. I ended up doing about 30 pairs for guys last year!

We also have a new art gallery in town looking for local artists to do shows. I have no paintings right now except for what is up in my house...but I was thinking about checking it out and seeing how many pieces they want in a show. I could probably get some pieces together by fall, then it would just be a bonus if any of them sold!

**2ndGenGranola** · 06-24-2009, 07:55 AM

I make my own cards. I have started experimenting with making my own paper and embellishments for the cards. My kids homeschool. Instead of throwing away papers that we no longer need, I shred them, wet it and rework the paper on an old screen door we have.

**Linus** · 06-24-2009, 08:01 AM

For those of you that sell crafts and are looking for a new market to find buyers in have you considered etsy.com? I've gotten a lot of unique gifts there and it comes to mind as a way to make a few bucks (I've never sold on there but know of a few people who have little shops there).

**lmbaker520** · 06-24-2009, 08:50 AM

I have a few:
- Couponing - I have a blast doing coupons and seeing how much that I can save. Even though it is a neccessity in my life, I have fun doing it and it has become a hobby. And it definitely saves money!
- Card Making - I make all of my birthday, thank you, wedding, etc cards instead of buying them at the store. I will spend a afternoon every once in awhile and make everything that I need for a few months and it saves me money. I have had people ask me if I will sell them I just haven't had the time to do it yet.
- Catering - My Mom and I have a catering business that we run on the side. This is fun for me and we make money at it too!

**savvy_sniper** · 06-24-2009, 09:44 AM

My mom gave me a luncheon set of dishes that had been her mom's. A cup had been broken and I looked on eBay to replace it. THAT started me learning, researching, and hitting eBay, garage sales, estate sales, resale shops, etc. I bought a lot because it was what I liked. I bought some with the idea in the back of my head to sell some day on eBay.

Well, the day came when I started selling my glassware on eBay and I did okay. I also found and won EIGHT rare bowls for a VERY low price. Then the seller offered to sell me 36 more at an even lower price. My cost on the bowls was $27 EACH. Because they were rare I listed them on eBay one or two a month and sold them all over several years for $150-$250 EACH!!

We bought our house two years ago and I was finally able to get all my glassware out of storage (put there because we moved in with my mom so I could care for her for 5+ years). Now I am opening a box or two every week or so and sorting them to use, display, or sell.

After my mom died and I was cleaning out her house, I sold all sorts of stuff on eBay - colostomy supplies, cases of Ensure, clothing, etc. If it had a value, I sold it.

I have been selling a discontinued line of plasticware on eBay since 2004, Amazon since January 2008, and my own website since March 2008. So my hobby of collecting glassware eventually led me to starting my own business!

**Missy** · 06-24-2009, 10:09 AM

my homesteading hobby has paid for itself. just yesterday i sold five chicks and made fifteen dollars. It's a hobby to me, because at the scale that I am at right now I couldn't possibly sustain us. It keeps me occupied, and now and then pays for fun little things for the family. And feeds us too!

**shortstack** · 06-24-2009, 10:15 AM

I like to sew. A few years ago I made myself a purse and was at a resturant for a Birthday Party and the waitress kept going on and on about how much she loved it. Finally I asked her if she would like to buy it ,as I had made it. She was thrilled to pay me $25 for it and I dumped my stuff in a platic doggie to go bag and left there $25 richer lol She showed it to her friends and as I was leaving they came up to me to ask if I had more. I told them I would make more and bring them back. It took me a couple of weeks to sew them but when I went back they bought everyone I had.

**Sara Noel** · 06-24-2009, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

My mom gave me a luncheon set of dishes that had been her mom's. A cup had been broken and I looked on eBay to replace it. THAT started me learning, researching, and hitting eBay, garage sales, estate sales, resale shops, etc. I bought a lot because it was what I liked. I bought some with the idea in the back of my head to sell some day on eBay.

Well, the day came when I started selling my glassware on eBay and I did okay. I also found and won EIGHT rare bowls for a VERY low price. Then the seller offered to sell me 36 more at an even lower price. My cost on the bowls was $27 EACH. Because they were rare I listed them on eBay one or two a month and sold them all over several years for $150-$250 EACH!!

We bought our house two years ago and I was finally able to get all my glassware out of storage (put there because we moved in with my mom so I could care for her for 5+ years). Now I am opening a box or two every week or so and sorting them to use, display, or sell.

After my mom died and I was cleaning out her house, I sold all sorts of stuff on eBay - colostomy supplies, cases of Ensure, clothing, etc. If it had a value, I sold it.

I have been selling a discontinued line of plasticware on eBay since 2004, Amazon since January 2008, and my own website since March 2008. So my hobby of collecting glassware eventually led me to starting my own business!

I sold a lot of glassware, too. When I sold collectibles, I focused primarily on glassware.

**frugalfranny** · 06-24-2009, 12:19 PM

Years ago I did the 'sweatshirt' decorating thing.

Living in Calif. at the time and the people wanted the 'latest trend' but didn't want to do it themselves. Don't know that I made so much money but it ended up paying for itself. Did craft shows and was even lucky enough to be able to take some to work. So, while I was working and making money, the people would shop, while on their breaks, and I made even more money! Also gave some classes in it and made more doing that.

It was fun, enjoyed it, and always said that I would do something again....just haven't.

**Brighid** · 06-24-2009, 01:13 PM

Great ideas, so far. I love the idea of selling arts and crafts. I was talking with some of the moms at the kids' school and we were saying it would be great to rent a venue and have a 'Mom's Arts' Show because we have some very talented moms at our school. I think we should run with that idea.