In the mid-to-late nineties, and even beyond the turn of the century, web design was the domain of experts. Being able to build a professional website, register a domain name and arrange the necessary hosting was beyond the skillset and experience of the majority. But fast forward a couple of decades and skills like web design are infinitely more accessible to the general public. It’s not quite a case of just diving in, but with a little research and some time spent watching the odd tutorial video, you’ll quickly find yourself able to pull together a simple website.
Could you try web design?
For many, a website makes a great outlet for your hobby, a blog or even just a hub to store and share family photos. But for others – especially those with enough time to dedicate to it – web design can provide a decent income if you’re able to market your services properly. Many small businesses don’t have time to think of their web presence and are often deterred by the prospect of working with large web design agencies, so there is often a niche for smaller web designers who operate on an individual basis, especially if they can show that they’re up to date with the latest industry trends.
Prospective customers will know that, on account of you having fewer overheads, they can pay far less, although it’s important that you’re honest about your experience and capabilities from the start, as the last thing you want is to over-promise and under-deliver.
Are you handy with gadgets?
Web design is just one of the many ways you can make money out of your geekiness. There’s also money to be made on the side from repairing and maintaining tech equipment. This is another hobby that you can ‘super-power’ by learning new skills from online video tutorials and, with a little work, you can build a lucrative side-hustle providing a little TLC to gadgets. Of course, when working with tech equipment, it’s important that you’re covered financially in case anything goes wrong. So, if you’re thinking about going down this route, make sure you have the right general liability insurance in place. There are plenty of packages out there that you can tailor to comprehensively cover your exact business needs. By taking out a policy, you can continue your daily work with the weight of worry lifted from your shoulders.
How often do you game?
For many, video games are just a hobby or a way to kill time, but the global e-sports industry, which offers expert gamers the chance to make money from their hobby, is worth in excess of $138bn. If you’re not a pro, another route towards making a small fortune is in streaming. It’s true that many gamers have earned a small fortune by simply live-streaming their gaming sessions. Ability counts for something, but it’s most important to just be entertaining!
If you’re ready to make some money from your geekiness then we recommend dedicating a couple of hours a week initially and not trying to do too much too quickly. Start by finding opportunities with friends or family, who won’t mind too much if your service is a little slower while you learn your trade, then, as you get more confident, consider advertising your skills on local social media communities.
Whether it’s an existing skillset or something new you’re interested in learning, your favorite tech hobby could soon help you rustle up a small second income.
I personally think it has always paid to be a geek. It’s a free get out of trouble card because people believe geeks are in capable of behaving like regular teenagers.