Heya, partner!
I gather you’re looking to learn some new skills that you can make money with (and maybe to show them off to your friends and family).
That’s awesome!
I strongly believe that learning new skills is one of the best ways you can spend your time: not only can you teach youself how to do new stuff, but you’ll also learn how to be consistent.
Plus, there are quite a few skills that will pay you well, once you’ve spent enough hours learning them.
‘Well, but how should I pick a skill to learn? And how on earth will I learn it by myself?”
I’m glad you asked.
Honestly, the best way to pick a next skill to learn is to just think about questions like: What do I like doing? What am I good at?
I’m sure that there are some skills on this list that might interest you.
When it comes to the question of how to learn by yourself, I’ve got one word: YouTube!
YouTube really is a goldmine when it comes to educational information – not many people choose to discover that side of YouTube, though. Which is complete madness, because you can find free courses on almost anything there!
Anyways, I decided to put together a list of skills that you can turn into money – most of which I have tried and tested myself.
So, without further yapping, here are 9 skills to learn to make money.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
#1: Graphic Design
#2: Programming
#3: Video editing
#4: Sports
#5: Fixing/building stuff
#6: Social media management
#7: Building websites
#8: Photography
#9: Writing
CONCLUSION
#1: Graphic design
Since I was little, I always wondered how people came up with such awesome ideas for the posters and ads I saw when walking around town or surfing the internet.
Then I started graphic design quite by chance – I wanted to run an Instagram theme page, so I had to create logos and posts for the account.
Soon I realized that graphic design comes very naturally to me, and it became even easier when I discovered Canva.
In all honesty, you don’t have to be a real professional graphic designer who makes all their designs from scratch in order to make money.
There are quite a number of people who earn a good income doing graphic design just by using Canva templates and tweaking them a bit.
Who should opt for graphic design?
- People who come into contact with graphic design daily (when using social media, for example). If that’s the case, you probably already have an intuition for ‘bad’ vs ‘good’ design.
- People who like to get creative.
- People who have a good eye – they know which colors work well together and how a certain design makes people feel.
How can you make money with graphic design?
Freelancing. You can list your graphic design services (logo design, ads, social media posts, business cards, etc.) on sites like Fiverr. The competition can be pretty fierce, though, so it’s crucial that you make yourself stand out in some way! Or, you could also offer your services to your local businesses directly (which is what I do!).
Selling templates. You can make your own Canva templates for stuff like Instagram and Pinterest posts and sell them on sites like Etsy.
Print On Demand. You can make designs for T-shirts, mugs, phone cases, etc. and sell them on websites like Redbubble. This is, again, pretty competitive, so be ready! Alternatively, you could make your own website and sell T-shirts and stuff on there.
#2: Programming
I started watching Python (a popular programming language) tutorials on YouTube 3 years ago, and holy cow, it’s one of the best things I’ve decided to do.
It has taught me problem-solving, coding, logic, math, and so much more.
Plus, call me a nerd, but it’s fun.
It may be irritating as hell to work on a problem for hours without having any idea on how to get the program to do what I want it to do, but it feels so rewarding when I finally get it to work and say: “yep, I did that.“
To be clear, programming is right now for me only just a hobby, and I am definitely nowhere near to writing advanced code or getting employed as a programmer (yet.).
The reason for that is that I’ve kind of been on and off with learning Python. But I’ve decided on taking a full course soon, so be prepared!
Oy, here I am going on and on about Python.
There are actually many different programming languages – HTML and CSS for web design, C++ (mainly) for game development, etc.
Learning to code isn’t only beneficial when you want to become a programmer – for example, you can also use Python to automate some of the tasks you might have to do as an assistant, a bookkeeper, etc.
And it teaches you logical thinking and problem solving, did I already mention that?
Who should opt for programming?
- People who are good at (or want to learn) logic, math, and solving problems.
- People who want to make their lives easier by making their computer do tasks for them.
- People who are fascinated with computers and want to know how they work.
How can you make money with programming?
Job. If you’re already an intermediate/advanced programmer, you can get a job (and boy, do programmers get paid well). Many companies look for programmers who have a degree or a certificate to show, but there are also those who have learnt everything by themselves, and still landed a high-paying job!
Teach others. Yeah, you kind of have to be experienced to do this as well. But once you are, you can make money teaching classes, tutoring, or selling courses.
Make an app/game. You can make your own app or game and try to sell it. As you can probably guess, this ain’t no guaranteed way to make money (unlike landing a programming job), but if you’ve got a good idea then it sure is worth a shot!
#3: Video editing
Alriiight, how about another one I’ve taken up recently: video editing.
Tiny spoiler, but with video editing you can start earning money pretty much as soon as you learn the basics!
And you also don’t need the newest MacBook or Adobe Premiere Pro in order to edit videos.
You can probably edit on the laptop/PC you have right now.
I started off by watching a tutorial on YouTube that introduced me to a free editing software called CapCut.
First, I learned the basics of using the software, and then started downloading raw footage so that I could practice editing.
I would say I got the hang of it pretty quickly – it’s easy to edit YT shorts, for example. (Y’know, the ones that have the huge subscriptions running with some nice engaging background music and sound effects.)
Who should opt for video editing?
- People who love watching movies and videos, and find themselves going: “Woah. that’s some nice video editing.“
- People who are good at learning to use new software and can easily adopt new techniques
How can you make money doing video editing?
Freelancing. You can list your video editing services on websites like Fiverr, or offer your video editing services to YouTubers, influencers, businesses in your area, etc.
YouTube channel. Wouldn’t it be cool to create a YT channel and have it gain likes and subscribers – making you more and more money as your channel grows? Oh and, actually you don’t even have to show your face or talk: you could also make a YT channel that uploads those “8 hour relaxing music for sleep” videos, short edits of celebrities giving interviews, or something of the sort.
TikTok account. You could also start a TikTok theme page, make and edit videos, grow your page, and monetize it by doing promos or adding affiliate links.
#4: Sports
Perhaps you like moving, and you happen to be great at a certain sport.
Well, partner, I’m pleased to tell you that you can turn your passion into profit!
I know multiple people who have gone from a gym rat to a personal trainer. From a boxer to a boxing coach. From being a good runner in high school to teaching PE to kids.
I think this is one of the most awesome ways to earn money – by doing something you love.
“But what if I don’t do any sports?”
Who said you can’t learn?
Just because you’ve never taken a bachata class before doesn’t mean you can’t be a bachata teacher in a few years – if you really want to learn, then go ahead and get started!
Who should opt for learning a sport?
- People who already train a sport that they love.
- People who want to exercise more, and have a sport they’d like to try out.
How can you make money with sports?
Personal trainer/coach. If you’re good at a sport, why not share your skills and wisdom with others? I’ve heard personal trainers make quite a lot!
Course. Create a video course that people can view in exchange for money. Of course, you’ll need to also learn to market it, so that people will actually buy your course!
Blog. You can create a blog around the sport that you practice. Cool thing about creating your own blog is, you can write about anything you want: you can do gear reviews, how-to guides, comparisons, etc.
Influencer. Unless you’re camera-shy, why not try posting videos and pictures of yourself doing your favorite sport? Perhaps you want to share some tips with the world and inspire others to take up your sport.
#5: Fixing/building stuff
There are many ways to make money by fixing and building stuff: you could do woodwork, pottery, fix up old bicycles (or cars!), restore furniture, make clothes, etc.
Now, I’ve had the luck that my grandfather’s a DIY-hobbyist, meaning that he has tons of tools laying around, some of which he’s taught me to use as well.
That’s the reason why I was able to learn a bit more about woodworking a few summers ago, and open up a store on a local website where I sold a few of the cutting boards and shelves I had made.
That got me thinking: “Huh. I could probably scale this up somehow. If I market my store correctly and start making more expensive stuff like small coffee tables, I could actually make decent money from this.“
So yeah, planning to try that soon.
Who should opt for fixing/building stuff?
- People who have already have the necessary tools at home.
- People who want to learn how to build something with their own hands. It’s cool.
How can you make money fixing/building stuff?
Selling your work. Once you’ve made/fixed some items, you can sell them on sites like Etsy.
Offer your services. Already good at doing what you do? You can search for people in need of your services. For example, maybe someone wants to get a custom dress, but doesn’t know how to sew (and you do!). Or, you’re a woodworker and someone wants a custom dining table.
#6: Social media management
Chances are, if you’re reading this article then you also use social media, whether it’s to look at memes or keep up with what your favorite celebs (and maybe your friends and family) are doing.
If you have ever wondered: “man, it would be so cool to have a lot of followers on my social media account“, this is the right skill for you to learn!
I started my social media journey a few years ago when I made some Instagram theme pages and tried to grow them.
One of the accounts reached about 5k followers which, yeah, isn’t that high, but still enough to do some shoutouts and stuff and earn some money like that.
Buuut I grew tired of my theme page, because it was in a niche I didn’t really care about: fashion.
((Real footage of me having to post on my Instagram fashion account))
So I stopped posting and eventually sold my account for about $150.
I still wouldn’t count that as a waste of time, because I learned quite a few things in the process of growing my theme page. I learnt when to post, what to post, how to use hashtags, how to gain followers and get more engagement on my posts.
All this eventually led to me being able to offer social media management services to local businesses.
Who should opt for social media management?
- People who are good at (or want to learn) growing social media accounts.
- People who like getting creative, but are also good at being consistent and sticking to strategies.
How can you make money with social media management?
Grow your own account. TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube. You can try growing your own account on any social media platform. And, you can choose whether you want to be an influencer and build a brand around yourself, or grow theme pages instead.
Offer your services. Once you already know how things work, you can offer your social media management services to your local businesses, or influencers who might need someone else to manage their accounts.
Sell courses. Already got a few tips and tricks up your sleeve that you want to share with others? You can create an online course that teaches others how to grow their social media account.
#7: Building websites
No, I’m not biased.
Okay, maybe just a little.
I built my first website right around the same time that I started doing graphic design. Which worked out well, because they kind of go hand in hand.
My first attempts were creating a Shopify dropshipping store (two of them actually) and a blog focused on fitness, but none of those worked out.
I don’t regret those attempts one bit, because each time I learnt something new, and was able to be a bit smarter next time.
It’s actually pretty easy and cheap to build a website – you just gotta follow some YouTube tutorials and buy a domain name and hosting (if you’re on WordPress, which I recommend).
Who should opt for building websites?
- People who are creative and can learn quickly.
- People who have a good eye, and can easily distinguish between a nice website and a not so nice website
How can you make money building websites?
Creating your own website. Creating your own websites can be a great first step. There’s no risk involved (apart from paying for the hosting and domain name) and you can go at your own pace. You could build a blog, a portfolio website to list your services, an online store, etc.
Freelancing. Once you’re comfortable creating websites, you can sell your services on Fiverr, or offer them to local businesses directly. Also, you don’t have to go for selling the “full package” of designing and actually developing a WordPress website – you could also just sell website designs that you create on Figma, for example.
#8: Photography
Well, maybe you don’t like all that stuff related to websites and social media. What do you do then?
How about photography?
There’s a wide range of niches for photographers: you can focus on taking pictures of products, people and events, sports, wildlife, real estate, etc.
Some of these niches are, of course, better paid than others. (For example, a real estate photographer probably makes more than a wildlife photographer.)
Yeah, wildlife photographers get paid in something else.
But anyways, if you like taking pictures, why not invest in a camera?
Who should opt for photography?
- People who already have a camera, or a phone with a good camera.
- People who have a good aesthetic sense and like capturing beauty.
How do you make money with photography?
Sell your photos. There are websites on which you can upload the photos you’ve taken, and once someone downloads them, you get a small commission. These websites include Shutterstock, Alamy, Adobe Stock, etc. I’d recommend doing some research on Reddit to see which websites pay you most per photo.
Freelancing. If you’re comfortable working with people face-to-face, try taking photos for money! You can list your services online, build a portfolio for yourself, or reach out to people in Facebook groups in order to get clients.
#9: Writing
Last but not least, we have writing.
And no, this doesn’t only mean writing books (although you could totally do that, too).
Every business needs people who can write sales texts and product descriptions. Every large blog or news site needs people to write blog posts and articles. YouTubers need someone to write their video scripts.
The list goes on and on.
So, even if you weren’t the best student in your English class, and even if you don’t want to write the next “Lord of The Rings”, you can still make money by writing.
Who should opt for writing?
- People who like reading and writing. (Duh.)
- People who are good at persuading others using words. And no, I don’t mean this in a bad way. Salesmen are much needed and well-paid.
How can you make money writing?
Freelancing. You can offer copy writing services such as writing blog posts, ads, emails, website content, text for social media posts, etc. on Fiverr. If you don’t feel comfortable enough doing that yet, you can also offer proofreading or translation services.
Publishing books. Did you know you can publish your own books on Amazon Kindle, and that by marketing them correctly, you can make start making passive income? It definitely won’t be easy to stand out in the sea of Kindle publishers, but if writing is something you want to do, give it a try!
Blogging. Blogging is the ultimate way to make money writing: you can write about what you love, have your very own website, and provide real value to your readers while also earning money with ads, affiliate links, or selling your own products.
CONCLUSION
That’s it, partner.
9 skills you can learn to make money.
Even if you feel like “eh, I don’t know, why should I learn a skill if it’s not guaranteed I get money?“, trust me, it’s always worth it!
Cause one of the best skills you get by learning a skill is the ability to teach yourself new skills.
And that’s the best skill you can have.
Anyways, if you have any high-income skills you’ve learnt and would like to share them with other hustlers, write in the comments!
Cya in the next post!