I am currently down to the one pictured MacBook in inventory which feels great because at some points it seemed like it would take quite some time to get rid of my stash. This article will be about finding something you enjoy to become your income hobby. Most personal finance blogs refer to this as a side gig but that doesn’t sound as appealing as hobby income.
Choosing an income hobby
Although flipping MacBooks works for me, it may not appeal to you and that is totally fine. You should choose something of interest. If you like cars, you could considering repairing them. If you are into pets, you could pet sit, pick up poop, or walk them. Maybe it is a bit of a stretch to think pet lovers would like picking up poop, but the more creative you are the more opportunities for an income hobby.
Why MacBooks
I used to hate Apple and avoid them to the point of getting a Zune over an iPod. That choice didn’t work out so well, but avoiding an iPhone has. However my wife is an Apple fan and holds one of each of their flagship products. Several years ago she replaced her MacBook with a MacBook Pro because the older one had “died.” Well, being someone who liked to tinker with computers I decided to investigate. I looked up the symptoms, decided my best shot was to replace the RAM, and did so after buying some specialized tools. It was resurrected so I erased everything and sold it for around $300. A few years later I was looking at computers and found a good price for a MacBook and decided it would be a good replacement for hers since it would be around a hundred dollar upgrade for a model three years newer. Then about 6 months ago I started coding and enjoyed using the Terminal, so was sharing her computer.
After I sold my desktop and her iPad we decided I could get my own MacBook. The research for the purchase gave me a solid understanding of the pricing for current and used models. When I saw sales of a few hundred bucks off the normal price I would pounce and buy a couple and then resell. I stick to MacBooks around $1000 and under because the higher end ones result in a higher inventory cost and I believe there is a smaller demand for those since people would prefer to play it safe and purchase from a retailer over me. Since repairs, buying, and selling take time I try to limit my purchases to items which result in at least $75 profit. In case you are in the market for a MacBook I would recommend one that is a year old and if you are risk adverse with Applecare. My current machine I got for $700 off the retail price because it has a dent on the top cover.
Risks
There certainly are risks to income hobbies. I could buy a MacBook that is beyond my repair skill level or could hang onto it for so long that the price drops to below my purchase price. Before MacBooks I tried to get good deals on cameras, but I ended up losing money on some because I didn’t understand the market.
Conclusion
If you are going to make some hobby income come up with your desire to do something and you needed profit. For instance, if you would be thrilled to get a Lincoln an hour to build miniatures make sure your 100 hour project is going to sell for at least $500. I know $5 an hour is less than minimum wage, but you are enjoying yourself and getting paid. Kudos to anyone who got the pun of MacBook Pro in the title.