Almost every student needs to earn a little extra money whilst at university to prop up their “beer” fund. In the past, some have busked, many have gambled, and a brave few have endured medical trials (er… thanks, but looking like the elephant man is so last century!). Not ideal options. However, if you’ve got a hobby, or a talent, then there are ways of making extra cash online.

Making money from a hobby online has become an increasingly attractive option for many students, as you can work from home, you can pursue your interest in your own time, and there’s little or no investment. In fact, all that is needed is access to the internet. And, if you’re seriously skilled, then you could make a regular income.

Here are our six suggestions for making money from your hobby.

Arts

deviantART
www.deviantart.com

Established in 2000, deviantART (dA) allows users to showcase their work online and to the rest of the dA community. It is a free, community-driven, website and provides a print service to artists, which allows members to sell prints directly from the site. dA is great place for emerging artists, as fellow members often provide encouragement by commenting on each others artwork.

Crafts

Etsy.com
www.etsy.com

If you’re the creative, crafty type, then Etsy’s for you! Etsy is a community of crafters that sell everything from purses, pottery, dolls, jewellery, and much more. It works by connecting buyers and sellers who love to buy or sell handmade crafted goods. To sell your items on Etsy you simply register to setup your own shop. There are listing fees and transaction fees for adding items, but these seem to be fairly reasonable.

Design

CafePress
www.cafrepress.com

If design is your forte, then head over to CafePress. CafePress is best known for selling customised t-shirts, but you can also apply your creative genius to hoodies, bumper stickers, bags, and more. Opening a basic shop is free. Upload your designs and create products to sell. However, each item you sell has a base price, which is the portion kept by CafePress. The price you set above the base price is your profit.

Photography

iStockphoto
www.istockphoto.com

There are various websites for selling your slick photos, so we suggest you search around. However, iStockphoto is the best known. There’s a stringent process for new applicants including a quiz and submitting three of your best photos for review, with the whole process typically taking three weeks or more. Once accepted, iStockphoto pays a royalty for each photo of yours that is downloaded.

Music

TuneCore
www.tunecore.com

Are you are an aspiring artist? Have you been overlooked by the record labels? Well, here’s a chance to throw up two fingers and go it alone. TuneCore is a start-up that lets musicians break out of the vice-like grip of the label world and publish their music directly to online distribution channels like iTunes and Amazon. All royalties—and all rights—remain with the artists, for just $30 a year. Worth a shot, no?

Writing

Lulu.com
www.lulu.com

Have you ever dreamed of publishing a book? Have you got a finished manuscript that’s collecting dust? Lulu provides authors a way to self-publish and sell their books online in the Lulu marketplace. There’s zero up-front cost, you can set your own price, and when a sale is made you keep 80% of the revenue.

Have you used any of the above services before? We would like to hear about your experiences and other alternatives you’ve tried. So, please leave a comment below.