10 Creative Hobbies That Can Make Money in Retirement
Retirement can finally give you something that was often difficult to find during your working years: time to try things simply because you enjoy them.
But sometimes a hobby can become more than that.
You might start growing plants and discover neighbours are happy to buy your seedlings. You might pick up woodworking and begin making pieces for friends. Or perhaps a skill you have had for decades could become something you teach to others.
A retirement hobby does not need to become a business. In fact, earning money probably should not be the main reason you choose one.
But if something you already enjoy can pay for itself, provide a little extra spending money or even develop into a small retirement side business, that can be a nice bonus.
Here are 10 creative hobbies that have the potential to do exactly that.
1. Photography
Photography is a great retirement hobby because it gives you another reason to get out and explore.
You could photograph Australian wildlife, landscapes, gardens, local sporting events, families or even your travels around the country.
You also do not necessarily need an expensive camera to begin. Modern smartphones are capable of taking remarkably good photos, making photography one of the easier creative hobbies to experiment with before investing heavily in equipment.
How could photography make money?
Once your skills improve, possibilities include:
- Selling prints of your best photographs
- Photographing local events
- Family or pet photography
- Creating calendars or greeting cards
- Licensing photographs through stock photography websites
- Taking photographs for local businesses or community organisations
If you are completely new, concentrate on enjoying photography and improving your skills first. There is plenty of time to think about selling your work later.
2. Woodworking
There is something satisfying about taking a piece of timber and turning it into something useful.
Woodworking can range from simple projects such as planter boxes and birdhouses to furniture, cutting boards, shelves and decorative pieces.
It can also be a wonderful hobby for someone who enjoys working with their hands and seeing a tangible result at the end of a project.
How could woodworking make money?
Small handmade pieces can potentially be sold through local markets, community groups or online marketplaces.
Ideas include:
- Planter boxes
- Birdhouses
- Cutting and serving boards
- Small stools
- Shelves
- Garden furniture
- Wooden toys
- Personalised signs
Start small rather than buying an entire workshop of equipment immediately. See whether you actually enjoy woodworking before investing in more expensive tools.
3. Knitting and Crochet
Knitting and crochet are hobbies you can enjoy almost anywhere, whether you are at home watching television, travelling in a caravan or sitting outside with a cup of tea.
There is also an enormous range of things you can make.
Scarves and beanies are only the beginning. Blankets, baby clothes, toys, bags and homewares can all become enjoyable projects.
How could knitting or crochet make money?
Handmade pieces can be sold at markets, through local community groups or online.
You could make:
- Baby blankets
- Beanies and scarves
- Toys
- Bags
- Home decorations
- Custom gifts
Patterns can potentially become another source of income if you eventually start designing your own.
Just remember to account for the time involved. A handmade item that takes 15 hours to create may not make sense to sell cheaply simply because mass-produced alternatives cost less.
4. Gardening and Plant Propagation
If you already spend hours in the garden, you may have a hobby with some income potential growing right outside your door.
One of the simplest options is plant propagation: taking cuttings, dividing established plants or growing plants from seed.
Over time, an enthusiastic gardener can end up with far more plants than they have room for.
How could gardening make money?
Depending on what you grow, you might sell:
- Seedlings
- Succulents
- Herbs
- Indoor plants
- Vegetable seedlings
- Established plants
- Seeds
- Cut flowers
Local gardening groups and community markets can be useful places to learn what people in your area are actually interested in.
Gardening can also simply reduce household costs if you grow some of your own herbs, fruit and vegetables. Saving money counts too.
5. Baking, Jams and Preserves
Perhaps you are the person everyone asks to bring a cake to a family gathering.
Or maybe retirement has finally given you enough time to turn the fruit from your garden into jams, chutneys, pickles and preserves.
Cooking and baking can be extremely rewarding hobbies, particularly when what you make can be shared with other people.
How could it make money?
Possibilities include:
- Cakes and slices
- Biscuits
- Jams
- Chutneys
- Pickles and preserves
- Baked goods for markets or events
- Gift hampers
There is an important difference between making food for family and selling it commercially, however.
Australian food businesses can be subject to food-safety, labelling, registration and local council requirements. Check the rules that apply where you live before selling homemade food.
6. Painting and Art
You do not need to have painted since childhood to become an artist in retirement.
Plenty of people first experiment with watercolours, acrylics, sketching or other forms of art later in life.
The first goal should simply be creating something you enjoy.
Over time, however, you might find other people enjoy your work too.
How could art make money?
You could potentially sell:
- Original paintings
- Prints
- Greeting cards
- Commissioned pieces
- Pet portraits
- Local landscape artwork
- Small pieces at markets
Local art groups and community classes can be particularly helpful when you are starting because they provide both instruction and a social element.
7. Writing
Writing has one major advantage over many hobbies on this list: you need very little equipment to begin.
You might write about your travels, family history, gardening knowledge, professional experience or simply something you have always been fascinated by.
Retirement can also be a wonderful opportunity to record stories from your own life that might otherwise disappear.
How could writing make money?
Options can include:
- Freelance writing
- Magazine contributions
- Blogging
- Self-publishing
- Writing local or family histories
- Editing or proofreading
- Creating useful guides based on your experience
Making money from writing can take time, so be wary of anyone promising quick or easy income.
Start because you have something you want to write about.
8. Jewellery Making
Jewellery making can be as simple or as technical as you want it to be.
Beading and simple earrings can have relatively low barriers to entry, while more advanced jewellery making can involve metalwork, resin, clay and specialised equipment.
It is another hobby where you can start small before deciding whether you want to invest more.
How could jewellery making make money?
You might create:
- Earrings
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Brooches
- Personalised pieces
- Gifts
Small items can be particularly suitable for local markets because they are relatively easy to display and transport.
Developing your own style can also help your work stand out rather than trying to compete purely on price with mass-produced jewellery.
9. Music and Teaching
If you have spent years playing piano, guitar or another instrument, retirement could be an opportunity to spend more time with music.
And unlike some hobbies on this list, you may already possess decades of knowledge.
You do not necessarily need to perform professionally to make use of that experience.
How could music make money?
Depending on your ability and experience, you could consider:
- Beginner music lessons
- Small group lessons
- Playing at community events
- Performing at local venues
- Helping beginners learn an instrument
- Online lessons
The same principle extends beyond music.
Skills developed during your working life or through decades of hobbies may be things other people would happily pay to learn.
10. Pottery and Ceramics
Pottery is messy, creative and enormously satisfying.
There is something special about using a mug, bowl or planter that you actually made yourself.
The easiest way to begin is usually through a local pottery studio or community class rather than immediately buying your own wheel and kiln.
How could pottery make money?
Once your skills develop, you might sell:
- Mugs
- Bowls
- Planters
- Vases
- Decorative pieces
- Handmade gifts
Pottery equipment can become expensive, so using a shared studio while you are learning can make much more sense than buying everything yourself.
How Much Can You Really Make From a Retirement Hobby?
This is where it is important to be realistic.
Starting a creative hobby is unlikely to suddenly produce a large second income.
For many people, success might simply mean making enough money to cover the cost of materials.
Someone else might earn a few hundred dollars here and there from local markets. And a smaller number of people may eventually develop their hobby into a genuine small business.
All three outcomes are perfectly worthwhile.
You also need to consider expenses.
If you sell something for $50 but spent $20 on materials, paid a market fee and spent several hours making it, the $50 is not all profit.
Do not let the pressure to make money destroy something you originally started because you loved doing it.
Before You Start Selling
Once occasional hobby sales begin turning into regular income, there can be practical things to consider.
Depending on what you are doing, these may include:
- Keeping records of income and expenses
- Understanding whether your activity is considered a hobby or business for tax purposes
- Checking whether you need an ABN
- Insurance
- Local council requirements
- Food-safety rules if selling food
- Rules around markets or selling particular products
The Australian Taxation Office distinguishes between a hobby and operating a business, and the distinction can affect your tax obligations.
ATO guidance on business or hobby income
You can also find information about starting and running a small business through the Australian Government’s business information service.
You do not need to worry about all of this when you are simply learning to knit or growing your first tray of seedlings. It becomes relevant if you decide to start selling regularly.
Which Hobby Should You Choose?
Start with the hobby you would still enjoy even if nobody ever paid you for it.
That is probably the best test.
If you love gardening, start growing. If you have always wanted to paint, buy some basic supplies and experiment. If there is a woodworking class nearby that you have considered joining for years, give it a try.
You do not need to be good at something before you begin.
Retirement gives you something extremely valuable: the opportunity to be a beginner again.
And if, somewhere along the way, another person decides that something you have created is worth paying for, consider that a bonus.
What Have You Started Since Retiring?
Have you discovered a creative hobby since retiring?
Perhaps you make something you now sell, or maybe your hobby saves you money rather than earning it.
We would love to hear what you have tried and what you learned along the way.
And if making money is not important to you, have a look at our guide to 20 hobbies to start after retirement that cost almost nothing for more ideas.
Your best years are still happening.
