- Offer a tour of your house, and pitch a tent in your backyard, for strangers? Here are some options to make some extra cash...
If you have a property with a bit of extra land, you might be curious to learn various strategies for making money off that land. With a bit of effort, and possibly a bit of an upfront investment, you can start earning income through your extra space – and enjoy some interesting, unique hobbies along the way.
Agricultural Options
One of the most common ways to make money from extra land is through agriculture. There are dozens of options here, but these are some of the most popular:
1. Grow fruits and vegetables. For starters, you could grow fruits and vegetables on your property. Depending on the climate, you should have no trouble growing common foods like tomatoes, peppers, and green beans. You may even be able to nurture an apple tree or another fruit tree. When ready to harvest, you can sell them at a farmer’s market or to local grocery stores and restaurants.
2. Raise chickens. You can also raise chickens. If you have ample space, a coop, and the proper permits for your area, you can buy a few chicks for a few dollars each, and the right feed (along with some snacks for chickens) to help them grow. Depending on your goals, you could raise hens to lay eggs (which you can then sell or enjoy yourself), harvest them for meat, or breed them and start selling chicks of your own.
3. Grow flowers. If you like to grow things, but you aren’t interested in crops, consider growing flowers or other plants instead. If you tend to them regularly, you can trim and package beautiful flowers – and make quite a bit selling them.
4. Raise bees. Bees are an indispensable part of the ecosystem, responsible for pollinating plants. You can help them thrive and make some money on the side by raising them yourself. Under the right conditions, your bees will produce honey – and possibly new queens, which you can sell to other bee owners.
5. Grow mushrooms. Though somewhat harder to grow than their fruit and vegetable counterparts, mushrooms can be a great way to make extra money. Certain varieties thrive on living or decaying wood, allowing you to grow them from a tree, or possibly from wood shavings in a bucket. Others prefer delicately maintained conditions, so you’ll have to grow them indoors. In any case, gourmet mushrooms can fetch a hefty price.
6. Harvest timber. If you live near the woods or have plenty of trees, you can harvest timber and sell it for a price.
7. Offer tours. With enough space and ample farming endeavors, you might even offer tours of your farm to the general public.
Space Rental
You could also rent some of the space you have to other people, for various needs:
8. B&B options. Renting a room (or possibly a full house) to other people is easier than ever, thanks to apps like Airbnb.
9. Boat storage. Storing a boat can be expensive – so you can make money and help people out at the same time by giving them an affordable option for boat storage.
10. Camping areas. Depending on how big your property is, you could conceivably turn it into a full camping area.
11. Board horses. If you love animals, you may have the space and resources to board horses for other horse owners.
12. Host festivals and gatherings. It’s also a possibility to host festivals and gatherings, including concerts, on your property.
Other Options
There are plenty of other options as well:
13. Offer classes. You can teach anything in which you have experience. Use your property to teach people how to farm, how to practice yoga, or even how to swing a golf club.
14. Install alternative energy options. Windmills and solar panels can be a great way to make your property more sustainable – and possibly sell back the excess energy you generate.
15. Set up a shooting range. If you have the space, and if it’s legal, you could set up a shooting range for people to try out their weapons.
16. Sell advertising space. You could also sell advertising space, giving local businesses and individuals to market themselves.
17. Sell the property. Though it’s arguably the least interesting possibility on this list, you could always sell the property – which is an especially attractive option if you don’t want to spend much time or effort on the project.
When it comes to making money off the land you own, the only real limit is your own creativity. Think carefully about your personal preferences, your budget, and the amount of space you have to work with – whether it’s from these ideas or a separate influence, you should be able to come up with multiple ways you can make some extra cash from your property.