Being a Crafty Income Earner

 

Creative Supplemental Income Sources

 

A lot of my friends are crafty at earning money.  Yes, they may also be clever at creating income sources, but what I really mean is that they are full or part time artists/crafters.

Now perhaps more than ever, a side-gig source of income is something many people may need or want to set up.

They call fall/winter “crafty season” – so many holiday arts & crafts show start in October & go strong through Christmas (picking up again for some at Valentine’s Day, too!)

Etsy and one’s own network and social media accounts are a few places to find customers & sell online. Some of the traditional seasonal arts & crafts fairs may still happen, too. If you haven’t yet, NOW is the time to get ready!

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(I used to hand paint & sell these ornaments, I’ve always liked having a few side gigs myself! PS  No live sand dollars are harvested for these ornaments – they were all gathered already passed on during delightful beachside sunset strolls when I lived in FL for many years)

Many job seekers are also looking for ANY part-time/temporary/alternative ways to bring in a few extra bucks.  SO — do you make any gift items, whether they are holiday themed, or just everyday use items.

Knit Necklace/Hard Drive piece by Tiny Ant
Knit Necklace with Hard Drive piece by Tiny Ant

Also, start thinking of fall/winter and any local events or seasons you can tie into creatively.  Maybe your neck of the woods has an annual Hayride/Pumpkin Patch, Snowman Building Contest or some similar local festivity that you can capitalize on in some way – put your creativity cap on & brainstorm some ideas!

A bonus to getting out there, earning some money “creatively” is that you will meet TONS of people – the perfect NETWORKING opportunity while doing a hobby – so have your 30 second commercial/Elevator Speech about the other work you do ready to mention, as opportunity arises, oh so casually over the handcrafted picture frames you made . . .

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In addition, take note of last week’s post Multiple Profit Centers for Job (and Life) Security and Satisfaction. Crafting and/or seasonal employment could be a part of your “portfolio career” variety of income streams. And, as mentioned there, so could teaching a class about your craft!  Links to tips & ideas about offering a workshop to groups to increase your reach and your income in that article, too!

You may also want to check out an older blog post “‘Tis the Season – For Seasonal Jobs” talks about temporary holiday jobs as well!   They start hiring earlier than you’d think!

Finally, when considering taking on short term work of any kind, if you are receiving unemployment compensation, you will want to understand exactly how, if at all, your working will affect your benefits BEFORE you start working.

May you have a creative, crafty and lucrative holiday season!