If you spend lots of your time sitting on a laptop or personal computer, then you’ve probably considered how to monetize that time. Or better yet, how you can have more fun while sitting at your computer. Here are our favorite hobbies you need to do on a laptop for fun and money!
There are many hobbies you can do on a laptop that is both fun and productive. Some involve using a piece of software to create something such as Adobe Photoshop, whereas others may allow you to connect to the web to host or offer your services to prospective clients.
There are no right and wrong ways to spend your time on your computer or in life for that matter. However, if you’re wanting to make the most of your time then some hobbies are better than others for maximizing how productive you are. Doing something you enjoy while at the same time being able to make money is about as productive as you can get and can really help give you some decent money on the side or could replace your full-time income entirely.
1. Blogging
One of the best and most enjoyable hobbies you can do on a laptop is writing about your experiences where you can help someone do or learn something new. This is called blogging.
Many people around the world like to blog about different things such as their life experiences, how to cook delicious recipes, and even how to do practical things like fixing a tap.
You can even find people who blog about their travels where they document what to look out for when visiting specific countries or how you can make the most of your journey abroad.
There’s no end to the amount of information that could be useful to someone which is why blogs and personal blogs are a booming market.
Better yet, although the process of writing about things you like is fun anyway, you can easily monetize your blog to make extra money or to replace your income altogether. Some blogs can easily make five figures per month which are easily achievable with a couple of hard years of work.
It’s also worth mentioning that starting your own blog couldn’t be easier and you don’t need any technical expertise either. Many bloggers use WordPress to publish their articles or guides for people to view; this is basically the management system that allows you to write and post articles directly to your website.
Some companies like DreamHost offer an easy one-click install to get your website up and running with WordPress built-in meaning you can be ready to start writing and making money within ten minutes.
They’re also one of the best companies to use if you can’t afford annual costs as they also offer the ability to pay your costs monthly instead.
2. Coding
Coding is another hobby you can do on your laptop or PC that can give you plenty of fun in your spare time and can potentially make you some decent income as a side hustle or as a full-time career.
You can code websites, games, software, and open-source projects to name a few that can be coded in a wide range of language types.
Some of the most popular coding languages include Python, HTML, JavaScript, and C++ which will allow you to build websites, make intuitive apps, create video games, and optimize systems.
If you’re not sure where to start you can learn to code for free via YouTube which will give you visual feedback too.
It will also help you to find the correct software you need to get started for your chosen language. In some cases, you can just practice in a notepad but eventually, you’ll want something to keep you in check for errors.
Alternatively, if you are wanting something dedicated that you can follow along with then we recommend starting at Codecademy which is free if you have an account to learn a chosen language.
3. Twitch Streamer
If you’re particularly good at a certain video game or have a personality that people would enjoy watching then streaming yourself on Twitch can be a great way to make some extra money from your laptop or PC.
As a Twitch streamer, you’ll usually be streaming a video game but in truth, you can stream many things such as playing cards with your friends all the way up to eating your food very close to the microphone.
It’s important to have the right setup to stream properly which is why we recommend grabbing a decent HD webcam, a studio microphone, and even updating to a gaming PC if it’s feasible.
This will help you stream clearly for your viewers which in turn can increase your audience retention and how many people will subscribe to you.
If you’re an avid gamer then you may as well spend your time streaming as you can potentially monetize what has become a possibly addictive habit for you.
4. YouTube
Becoming a YouTuber from your laptop or PC is another fun way to share your thoughts with the world and a great way to make some passive income from advertisements.
All you need is something to record on such as a webcam or camera, editing software to cut your clips which is usually specific to PC or MAC users, and a dedicated microphone if you don’t have one.
People have many different interests meaning you’ll have a good few opportunities to pick a subject matter or something to talk about during your recordings.
Some people do voiceovers, some people record vlogs of their daily experiences, and some people like to offer how-to guides with visual information.
It’s important not to overthink what you’re doing or even what you are recording as it can come across as forced or disingenuous.
Being yourself is your best bet because if people don’t like you then they wouldn’t have anyway, and at least the people who do like you, like you for who you are.
5. Music Production
Music production has exploded over the past ten years as it’s far easier to access information to learn your craft without having to pay for expensive courses.
Many people start with producing electronic music because the basics can be learned overnight — that’s not to say it’s easy by any stretch of the imagination. It’s one of those cases of being easy to learn but hard to master which is also what makes it so fun.
At first, you’ll learn to construct a simple beat which is what drives the music; then after that, you’ll learn to form a bassline and a melody which can be enhanced with added sound effects or plugins which are usually part of the production software.
One of the easiest DAW (digital audio workstations) to use is FL studio, more commonly known as fruity loops, which has a simple drag-and-drop timeline layout that can be really intuitive for most people to pick up.
In truth though, there are various DAW you can use that can help you achieve your music production goals — some are often cited as being better than others for different reasons.
The majority of the work can be done within the DAW, however, you can really improve your music production skills with an external soundcard, studio headphones (to identify nuisance frequencies), and a MIDI keyboard to help you interface with the music software in a more organic fashion.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that sound and music production/manipulation can be CPU intensive which is why you may need an upgrade eventually.
Overall though, this is a great hobby to do through your laptop that can be done just about anywhere in the world.
6. DJing
DJing is another hobby that is primarily done through a laptop these days which can be further enhanced by external decks, controllers, and MIDI interfaces.
To make the point, DJ’ing is a completely different kettle of fish compared to actually producing your own music. DJing is more about blending your music and creating a powerful set that will drive a crowd or create a certain atmosphere.
This requires skills that are mainly intuitive in nature rather than being something you can learn from a practical point of view. This means you’ll need to dedicate plenty of time to the craft to become familiar with what works and what doesn’t.
7. Gaming
Gaming is one of the top hobbies all across the world and continues to increase in popularity. The reasons for this are multi-faceted, however, the development and success of internet technology have played a crucial role in making it a mainstay for many households.
Some of the most popular gaming platforms include Origin, Battle.net, and Steam which allow you to download games straight to your laptop or PC to start playing straight away.
There’s almost no end to the types of games on offer and you’ll be spoilt for choice. In fact, sometimes having so many choices can be overwhelming.
It’s worth remembering that having a dedicated gaming laptop or PC can go a long way in making sure your experience is a pleasant and memorable one. We also recommend keeping an eye on Steam sales as you can sometimes save up to 90% off the original price making it a great way to cut costs.
8. Digital Art
There are many digital art programs out there that you can use to manipulate imagery or that allow you to create stunning pictures.
Perhaps one of the most popular programs out there is Adobe Photoshop which has been around in many different iterations since 1990.
This, of course, isn’t the only software available and you’ll be able to use some niche programs that might be more tailored toward what you’re trying to achieve.
Photoshop is the industry standard by a large margin though which is why we suggest getting to grips with it if this area of study interests you.
As a hobby, you’ll be able to create cool pictures for friends or as something to use on your social media platforms.
Likewise, you can also sell your images for this purpose or for more commercial interests such as company signs and banners.
Whatever you decide to do, digital art is one of the easiest hobbies to do from a laptop or PC as you need very little else to get started.
9. Data Processing
Data processing is mainly done for commercial purposes such as for statistics, cost reports, and visual feedback. However, it can also be done as a hobby to generate a household expenditure record that will allow you to visualize what comes in and what goes out far easier.
It can also be used to help optimize your day and to show what kind of time is allocated to different activities.
Data processing is about streamlining whatever it is you’re wanting to do or giving you the ability to analyze how something is performing. In fact, data is the backbone of many things across the world, and without it, we wouldn’t be able to make the necessary steps to improve our processes.
Many people use Microsoft Excel to generate spreadsheet reports mainly because it’s very intuitive and easy to understand, but it can also automate much of the background math that may be involved in what you’re trying to do or the problem you’re wanting to solve. Another excellent free option is Google Sheets which has much of the same functionality as Microsoft Excel.
If you’re wanting to get your life in order or to account for what you’re doing then data processing can be a fantastic hobby to do in your spare time on a laptop or desktop computer.
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Conclusion
Finding a hobby to do from your laptop or desktop computer shouldn’t be hard and hopefully, this list has given you some inspiration toward that goal.
Some of the hobbies listed may cost you more money than others but this shouldn’t be a deciding factor if it’s something you’re wanting to pursue in your life.
As always, if you enjoyed the article, please share it on social media with friends and bookmark our page for regular hobby updates. You can also browse our ultimate list of hobbies for hobbies similar to the ones mentioned and more.
