Many of us are looking to pad our income these days. It feels like everyone is brainstorming side hustles and projects off the clock to make a little extra cash. Handcrafted items are popular in particular; they’re more personal—and often sturdier—than their store-bought counterparts. Are you a DIYer looking to line your pockets? Learn how to make extra money as a crafter by checking out these ideas and tips.
Play to Your Strengths
What are you already good at? What’s your area of expertise? Learning a new craft or skill can be time-consuming, and you’ll spend excess time and money practicing! Hit the ground running with a craft you already have confidence in. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn new disciplines, but pick one you’re adept at to get started.
Make What People Want
Identify a need in your community. If you live in an area that’s warm year-round, knitting woolen hats might not turn you a profit. Crocheting bikinis and swim cover-ups might, though! Listen to other people’s wants and ideas; then, cater to those. Your coffee-loving breakfast group might adore hand-thrown ceramic mugs. If you live near a school, a custom t-shirt business could net you whole crowds of customers, including choirs and soccer teams.
Diversify Your Selection
Start out with basic offerings—plain scarves, unfussy jewelry—and develop a customer base that knows and loves your craftsmanship. Then get more creative! Teach yourself new skills and disciplines to widen your selection of items. When you’re confident in your skills and know that your products sell, more intricate pieces will surely open up your customers’ wallets. In addition, the more money you make with your side hustle, the more advanced equipment you can afford and the more customization options you can offer.
Pass On the Craft
If you run an online business selling jewelry or fiber goods, why not sell the pattern too? If you’ve been making the item for a while, it’s quick and easy to write out the pattern and sell it as a PDF in your online shop. A digital file requires no pricey materials or exhaustive crafting time, and it requires no shipping. Customers can purchase your knowledge easily and receive it right away. More and more people are picking up crafty hobbies during this pandemic to keep their hands busy and their minds occupied.
As you build and grow your crafting business, keep thinking of ways to expand. Whether it’s learning new crafting skills or building on your existing ones, that savvy will benefit both your business and your personal growth. Now that you know how to make extra money as a crafter, get to building that business!
