Hobbies that pay the "big bucks"

live a little

Intro

Welcome to another post by yours truly.

The year was 2022 and I had taken a career break to transition into another industry. I had cut down on everything that I spend money on and wanted to be as efficient as possible. Doing nothing unless it was productive. I realised this was not a sustainable way to live unless I was having fun, so I started brainstorming on what I actually enjoyed doing and figuring out how I can actually make some “side” income from my hobbies.

Lights, Camera, Action: Becoming a Movie Extra

For those with a deep passion for the big screen, consider stepping into the world of Cinema/TV by becoming a movie extra. Turns out there are loads of productions that need people to be furniture (just stand in the background or sit in a coffee shop). I signed up to a few agencies and my very first experience was 5 days shoot in the Cotswold for a movie named “Death on the Nile”.

After a week of filming, I ended up actually appearing in the film for 5 seconds. Not that I can complain, they gave me breakfast, lunch, dinner and unlimited coffee/tea.

I had been on countless sets and the only way to describe how they completely transport you to another world is just. . . magic.

Signing up takes 5mins to sign up, simply go to extra-people, universal extra and casing collective (the three that I use) and fill out the form. They charge you a yearly fee (approx. £40) but you’re only charged this after you get paid from your first job.

TIP: some people sign up to like 20 agencies and do this full time!!

If you like this post it would help me greatly if you click the like button for the algorithm

Blogging: Transforming Words into Wealth

If you find joy in writing and have a passion for sharing useful information, starting a blog can be a fulfilling way to turn your words into wealth. Most of the biggest authors in the world started writing short stories. Everyone starts somewhere and if not then speak about your journey (through life).

Platforms such as Substack and Wordpress are really easy to use and have a lot of software pre-built including integrating stripe!! This makes setting up a professional production that much simpler.

My first post, people had called me and told me that I am giving away too much and that I can charge a lot for the information I am providing.

I started writing blog posts was because I had already successfully helped people in the past and wanted to share my experience in a hope it helps many people. I didn’t know that people would be so supportive and interested in my content that they would subscribe for a fee. I decided that the only amount I was happy with people giving me was a cup of coffee. Turns out a lot of people want to buy me a cup of coffee (grateful).

Making travelling locally into an asset: Deliveries

Finally, look at what skills you already have and what you enjoy doing. Amazon, Uber, Uber eats and Just eat all hire you to transport items. If you have a bicycle then it is a lot easier to sign up to deliver however they only offer you jobs that are local. If you have a personal car then they have designed their system in such a way that it is so simple to sign up and take jobs whenever you want (which is great if you are in a new city and want to get to know the area).

If you travel anywhere by car (inc cross country) you can actually carpool with strangers and charge them money. Not in a hitch hiker kind of way because well that seems dangerous, but more of a long distance Uber with registered individuals. Websites like blah blah car makes it simple to look at reviews and accept rides.

Summary

The world is large and there is opportunities everywhere to get paid for stuff you would do or are doing for free. I met someone recently as I went out to play basket ball in my local park, he was cycling by and asked if he could join me. We started chatting and I found out he was made redundant a few months back and picking up odd jobs. I shared some of these tips with him, no surprises that being an Extra really piqued his interest. Whether he acts on it or not made me think that other people may find some benefit from these tips.

Disclaimer:

This is not financial advice or advice on how to live your life. Make your own decisions on your own circumstances but I hope this information serves you well.