Using Time To Make Money
A few years ago, I took a business flight to Los Angeles. I usually read or listen to music when I travel, but I didn’t want to do either. So, I took out some yarn and a crochet hook and started crocheting a blanket for a coworker’s baby shower. The passenger next to me looked at me and said, “Isn’t that something old ladies do?” I wasn’t offended by his comment because one, I wasn’t an old lady; and two, people of different ages and genders crochet. I smiled and showed him my ball of yarn and hook. I said, “This crochet hook costs less than a dollar. This ball of yarn costs $2.00. When I finish making this blanket in 3 hours, I would have spent $13.00 on materials but I could sell it for $150.00.” The passenger was silent for a moment, but I could see he was calculating the possible return on my investment. He was trying to understand how I was using time to make money.
I’ve sold and donated crocheted blankets, hats, scarves, purses to organizations and individuals. I enjoy learning new techniques and meeting people who also enjoy the craft. Never did I imagine that a hobby I learned in elementary school has become another source of income.
Time Makes Money - The Gig Economy
People are discovering (or re-discovering) gifts and talents they didn’t know they had or haven’t used in a while. Some people consider their writings insignificant or something they enjoy doing. However, these skills are in high demand today. Canadian businessman Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary of the television show “Shark Tank,” said the college degrees that brought in the most income before the Coronavirus pandemic were in engineering. He said engineers could take their ideas, turn them into patents, and turn them into businesses. However, he has changed his mind. He now says what he is looking for are “people who can take a concept of a business and tell a story about it – produce a video, do really rich photography, build out 14, 39, or 59-second videos to plaster all over social media to sell products directly to customers.” Mr. O’Leary said if you’re a writer, photographer, editor, videographer, or a graduate of the arts, he’s paying more for those skills and services now. He confessed that he didn’t pay much for these services in the past because he considered these folks as “starving artists.” However, time has shown us underpaid jobs and skillsets today may pay more in the future. Proverbs 18:16 (KJV) in the bible states that “a man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
Use Your Gift
I heard an internet influencer say that we should stop asking young people what they want to be when they grow up because what they want to do might not exist yet. Think about that for a moment. The youth of today could hold the key to an invention or discovery. Psalms 37:4 tells us to delight in the Lord, and He will give us the desires of our hearts. It’s never too early to encourage young people to pursue their dreams. But this statement is not just for young people. It’s never too late for anyone to pursue their dreams. Stir up your gift! Do you need to refresh your skills? Take a class or research to get updated on what you need to do. You can use your gift to generate another source of income.
Here are some examples to get you started: