Welcome back!
And thanks for reading! This week we have a guest blogger, Karen Weeks.
Karen is a Senior Lifestyle blogger. After retirement, she struggled with finding a new sense of purpose which led to taking a computer course for her to learn a new skill. She created Elderwellness.net as a resource for seniors who want to keep their minds, bodies, and spirits well. In this week’s post Karen talks about how to make money from home.
Artists
Almost 2.5 million Americans are artists, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. If you work in arts and entertainment, creative income options let you earn money from home with a flexible schedule.
Teach Art
Turn your artistic talents into income by teaching others. Musicians might teach vocal or musical instrument lessons. Music lessons cost an average of $30 to $60 per hour, according to Musician Authority. Visual artists can hold in-person or online classes to teach various methods. You can also create self-paced online courses for passive income.
Share Online
Blogs and YouTube channels let you share your art online. You might cover projects or explain the processes you use. Ads and affiliate links are two common ways to monetize. In your blog post, you can use affiliate links to link to the art supplies you use.
You can also use blogs and YouTube to promote your artwork. You might link to the website where you sell your art or promote online courses you sell.
Write About Art and Entertainment
Freelance writing opportunities let you share your knowledge about art. The median pay for writers is $67,120 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earnings vary based on the per-piece or per-word rate and how many pieces you write. You can often have your byline or a link to your website included, which can get you more traffic.
Monetize Your Art
Your art can make you money in several ways whether you’re selling your original artwork, illustrating a book, or working as a graphic designer. Choose monetization methods that work for you. Some options include:
- Licensing your work through stock agencies.
- Selling prints of your artwork.
- Selling your artwork on mugs, shirts, and other items.
- Designing greeting cards.
Do Commissioned Work
When you work on commission, you create specific artwork based on clients’ requests for an agreed-upon amount. When setting your rates, consider how long it’ll take and your desired minimum hourly wage. Fine artists make a mean hourly wage of $31.26, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Multiply your desired hourly wage by how long it’ll take and add the cost of materials to calculate your minimum. Your rates can be higher for more complicated designs.
Start Your Own Business
If you create arts and crafts, you can start your own business. Research your target market, name your business, and choose a business structure. Many new business owners choose to form an LLC, or limited liability company. This type of business offers personal asset protection, flexible management structures, and tax benefits. Plus, forming an LLC is relatively simple and straightforward. However, it’s important to understand the process and requirements before getting started. Most formation services can help you with the filing paperwork and can even provide registered agent service to ensure your business remains in good standing. If you’re looking for a good formation service, be sure to look up BestLLCServices.com cheapest LLC formation info online before you make a decision.
SELL!
You’ll also need to determine where and how you’ll sell your products. Many artists choose to sell on Etsy as the platform allows for custom orders. However, you may discover other platforms that are more suited to the art you create, as well as the people who like it.
Freelance
You can also find one-off projects through freelance opportunities. You might do freelance illustrations for books, design e-book covers, write music for a radio ad, or create other visual designs. You can offer your services on sites like Upwork, which lets you create a profile for your artistic services. You can also find freelance jobs listed by companies on various job websites. Create a profile on those same sites, so people who need artists for freelance work can find you.
Make Money at Home
Diversifying how you sell your art helps you increase your income while working from home. The ideas above should give you some creative income options.
And there you have it!
Some outstanding suggestions for how to generate income from home! Thanks Karen for a great read and for bailing me out this week while I am away from home on set.