When I started looking for work at home opportunities back in 2007, I just wanted to make an extra $500 to $700 a month so that my daughter and I could freely attend and participate in all of the activities that were available to us.
Luckily, I stumbled upon blogging and social media marketing, and I’ve been doing it ever since. While I love what I do, and I think it’s fun, many people don’t feel this way.
Let’s face it: fun is subjective!
If you’re looking for unique and fun ways to make money–there are lots of creative opportunities available. So whether you’re looking for ways to add extra cash to your wallet or earn a full-time income, there is something for everyone.
Here are 17 fun ways to make money from home!
1. Bake Dog Treats
If you enjoy baking and you love dogs, making and selling dog treats is a fun way to make money from home! Just bake up some dog-friendly recipes and sell your treats online or at farmer’s markets. This business can easily be a part-time side hustle that brings in $500 a month or a full-fledged money-making empire.
My friend Kristin did this as a side hustle for a long time, and now she teaches others how to launch a successful dog treat-selling business from home. Her course includes recipes, presentations, setting up your business, pricing, shipping, and lots more. If I’ve piqued your curiosity, be sure to sign up for her free online workshop to see if this is the right money-making idea for you.
2. Become a Content Creator
Obviously, I’m a huge fan of blogging and creating content online, and here’s why. First, you can create content on any topic under the sun — so you’ll always be working in a niche that you’re passionate about and that you have experience in. Second, it only takes a little money to get started, and in some cases, you can begin for free. Third, you can monetize in many different ways — which makes it easier to start generating money quickly.
If content creation sounds like a fun way to make money online, decide which platforms you want to use and what type of content you’d like to create: written, images, videos, or audio.
Here are some platforms to consider:
Once you’ve picked the platforms, you’ll make content for your niche, and you can start creating content. You’ll want to build up your audience, but while you’re doing that, think about how you would like to monetize your content.
Some platforms have creator funds and monetary incentives for content that performs well. Each platform has its own rules and milestones you’ll need to meet for acceptance into these programs. But these programs aren’t the only way to earn extra money; you can also make money through affiliate marketing, brand sponsorships, merchandise sales, advertising, digital product sales, offering freelance services, coaching, and so much more!
3. Craft Seller
If you’re more of an artsy and crafty type—consider opening up an online shop on Etsy. With Etsy, it’s easy to get started, and it only costs $0.20 to add a listing. Once you’ve made your handcrafted items or artwork, take high-quality photos, add an SEO-friendly description, determine your price, and hit publish. When a sale is made, you’ll print off a free shipping label, pack up the item, and send it to your customer. Etsy takes a small transaction fee from the final sale price.
Not sure what to create and sell? Here are some fun and profitable craft ideas to sell:
4. Cook Your Way to Profits
Another fun side gig to consider is cooking or baking for others. I have a friend who loves to cook and bake, and around the holidays, she makes homemade candy, hot cocoa bombs, and cookies and sells them to family and friends right from her Facebook profile. With this business idea, you have many different ways to make money; you can do it very part-time or build it up into a full-time business!
Monetization methods might include:
5. Design and Sell Merchandise
Do you have a great saying or design that would be great for a T-shirt, coffee mug, sweatshirt, tote bag, or phone case? Then look into print-on-demand (POD)! With POD companies, you design your products (either using their design tools or your own), pick the item you want your design to be on, choose your price, write your product description, and publish your product listing. Some POD companies allow you to connect your shop to other platforms like Etsy, Shopify, eBay, TikTok Shop, and more.
How much can you earn with a POD business? Your profits will vary depending on your price, what items you’re selling, and how much you sell. In one example, I created a coffee mug for $14.99, and my profit would be $6.99 per mug sold. Oh, and did I mention? Many of these POD platforms are entirely free to try out and use.
To get started with this fun business ideas, check out:
6. Flip Furniture for Cash
Do you have a knack for turning trash into treasure? If so, consider starting a furniture reflipping business. You can source old and unwanted furniture from garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores and use some elbow grease to take the item from blah to wow! I watch numerous furniture flippers on TikTok, and they do amazing work! With this side hustle, you can film and share your process on your social media accounts, from stripping and sanding to new paint and hardware, and then sell your items on an online selling platform.
Here are some online platforms for selling your wares:
7. Graphic Designer
You don’t need a formal degree to be a graphic designer! If you can use platforms like Photoshop and Canva and you have a passion for creating online designs, there are many ways for you to cash in on this talent. You can sell freelance graphic design services on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. You can create patterns, fonts, SVGs, templates, or printables and earn passive income by selling these digital files on sites like Etsy, Creative Market, or Design Bundles. Or open a POD shop and sell your designs on T-shirts, coffee mugs, and more!
8. Focus Group or Survey Participant
Do you enjoy sharing your opinions and insights with people? Then, look into participating in focus groups and online surveys. With market research, you usually need to complete an initial survey to see if you’re the right target audience; once it’s determined that you are, you’ll be invited to participate. Some studies occur online, others over the phone, and some are conducted in person.
Generally, focus group studies pay around $50-$150 per hour of your time. To sign up as a focus group participant, check out Respondent, User Interviews, and Survey Junkie.
Surveys are shorter studies and usually pay $0.50 to $5.00; however, some companies have higher-paying opportunities, like GAUGE Research, Mindswarms, and Prolific.
9. Freelance Writer
If you have a way with words, there are lots of opportunities for freelance writers! You can write blog posts, white papers, product descriptions, resumes, newsletters, magazine articles, grant letters, technical writing, and travel writing; really, the opportunities are endless. If you’re new to freelance writing, start by creating some high-quality samples and an online writing portfolio. Once you have those things, you can start pitching clients or applying for paid jobs on freelance marketplaces.
10. Mystery Shopping
If you have good memory recall and written skills, becoming a mystery shopper is a fun way to make money on the side. While mystery shopping won’t earn you a full-time income, you can work on shops on your own schedule as long as you can meet your deadlines. To start, sign up with a few companies and wait for opportunities to become available. Once you receive an invite, complete the assignment promptly and put your best foot forward. Often, mystery shopping companies offer the best gigs to shoppers known for their high-quality work.
Here are some companies you can sign up with:
11. Pet-sitting and Dog Walking
Another fun way to make money is playing and caring for other people’s furry friends! In my 20s, I offered housesitting and pet-sitting services to friends, family, and coworkers. I’ve watched everything from dogs and cats to hamsters, chickens, fish, and sugar gliders! Depending on how often you need to visit, the type of pet, and the number of pets, you can make excellent money offering pet-sitting services.
If you don’t want to start from scratch, you can use the Rover app or the Care.com online marketplace to connect with potential clients. Pet sitting can be done in your spare time for extra cash, or you can turn it into your full-time job like Patti Moran.
12. Sell Photos Online
While taking photos of people can be a fun career, if you’re looking for a more flexible way to make money with your images, you may want to consider snapping stock photos and selling them online. Companies like Shutterstock, iStock, and Getty Images allow photographers to upload their photos and videos to their platforms and earn money every time a customer downloads one of their images. Not only is this a fun side hustle, but you can also earn passive income!
Most stock photography sites take a 30% to 70% cut of the sale price. Of course, the more images you upload, the more money you can earn. Some platforms require photos to be exclusive, while others don’t have exclusivity clauses. Be sure to read and fully understand all the terms before signing up.
13. Self Publish eBooks or Online Courses
Another fun way to make money from the comfort of your own home is by writing and selling ebooks or online courses. With platforms like Amazon, Domestika, and Udemy, it’s never been easier to self-publish content. Start by brainstorming ideas, conducting online research, writing an outline, and writing and editing your content. After your content has been edited with a fine toothcomb, you’ll need to format it and add a cover. According to Publishing.com, ebook sellers can earn an average of $2 to $5 per sale!
With a course, you’ll go into more detail, so you’ll likely film portions of your content. There are many platforms to choose from when deciding where to host your course, such as Udemy, Teachable, and Uscreen. Each has its pros and cons, so read reviews and make the appropriate choice for your topic. According to Luisa Zhou, most people who sell online courses full-time earn five or six figures a year; some even earn seven!
14. Social Media Influencer
If you enjoy creating content and entertaining others, being a social media influencer is a fun way to make money from home. To be successful, you should decide on a niche, for instance, beauty, fashion, food, travel, parenting, or comedy; this will help guide you with choosing a brand name, creating content, and monetization. Next, start creating your content and cross-promote it on other platforms. As you build your following, you can make money with affiliate marketing, brand deals, creator funds, selling merch, ads, and more! According to Demandsage, influencers can make anywhere between $25 and $25,000 per post based on how many followers they have and which platform they’re using.
15. Teach Online Classes
Some people love helping others learn new things; if that’s you, you can make good money as an online tutor! While you can offer online instruction in traditional areas like reading, math, science, or a foreign language, you can also share your expertise in writing, business, film, website design, cooking, yoga, art, and more! According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly rate for a tutor is $19 per hour, and many companies allow you to create your own schedule!
To start making money as an online tutor, check out:
16. Voice Acting
If you have a flair for dramatics, being a voice actor or audiobook narrator is a fun way to earn money from home! Of course, there are skills, technical knowledge, and equipment you’ll need, but you can easily learn the basics by taking an online course like Work From Home Doing Voice Overs! Julie Eickhoff, the creator of the course, has been doing voice-overs since 2011 and has narrated and produced over 100+ audiobooks, all from the comfort of home. The pay for voice actors varies greatly depending on the type of gig, your experience, and your role. According to Backstage, you can earn anywhere from $100 to $10,000 per project.
Once you have the right training and skills, you can find voice-over jobs on sites like:
17. Wedding Officiant
This is more of a part-time business, but if you enjoy writing and love weddings, becoming a wedding officiant is a fun and beautiful way to earn extra money. To become an officiant, you’ll need to get ordained (which can easily be done online), fill out your state’s legal paperwork, and then start promoting your business. As a wedding officiant, you’ll meet with the couple to discuss their vision for the ceremony, and you’ll then script the ceremony and officiate the wedding. According to WeddingWire, the average cost for an officiant is $200 to $450 per ceremony, plus you’ll often receive an extra tip for your service, usually an extra $50 to $100.
Fun Ways to Make Money From Home
As you can see, there are lots of fun ways to make money from home! Whether you’re looking for a part-time position to supplement your family’s income or a full-time career, there is something for everyone! And with advances in technology and a widespread shift from negative attitudes towards telecommuting towards acceptance, more and more positions are available remotely.
What fun ideas do you have for making money from home? How would you like to make money from home? Drop us a note; we’d love to hear from you!
Originally published July 27, 2012. Content updated December 2024.
