6 Fun Side Hustles for Pop Culture Enthusiasts

If you have a fascination with pop culture, you aren’t alone. And this interest is one you can use to make a little extra money if you know what you’re doing.

Here are a few side hustle ideas for people who live, breathe, and love pop culture.

1. Writing Reviews for TV, Books, and Film

Once you’ve finished a good show, book, or movie, you want to talk to other people about it. If you’re a good writer and have interesting ideas, you can make money doing this, too. Pop-culture websites will often pay contributors for reviews. Some sites like will pay hundreds of dollars per review!

Before you spend time writing a review, you’ll usually need to send in a pitch, or a brief description of the article you plan to write. If the site editor approves your pitch, they’ll ask you for your review and pay you for it.

For those who write several successful reviews and find they enjoy doing it, it may even be worth looking into working full-time at a pop-culture news outlet or similar business.

In addition to TV shows, books, and film, you also have the option of reviewing toys that had a major impact on pop culture. To get started, you would have to know about the popular toys from different eras or decades. If you want to know more about the popular toys in the 80s, you can read our Top Pop Culture Toys of the 1980s.

2. Selling Pop-Culture Memorabilia

If you’re good at finding old Marvel comics, action figures, etc., you might consider buying and reselling them. Serious fans will often pay top dollar for rare pieces of pop-culture memorabilia.

Harry Potter dolls, old movie posters, Beanie Babies, Transformers G1 toys, and printed T-shirts are all highly collectible items that tend to sell easily.

And if you want more ideas for this potentially lucrative side hustle, click over to an online auction site or two and see what types of items tend to make the most money.

If you can find these items for low prices at yard sales and flea markets, reselling them to collectors can make you a good bit of extra money.

3. Starting a Pop-Culture Podcast

Podcasts have somewhat recently become a popular way for devotees of films, TV shows, and more to share their thoughts and connect with other fans. And while you generally don’t sell the podcast itself, plenty of listeners are willing and able to support podcasts they like with monthly Patreon subscriptions. Sponsorships are another way to monetize your pop-culture podcast.

Starting a podcast isn’t a huge investment, either. A computer and a decent microphone (or even a pair of headphones with a built-in mic) will be enough to get you started. You can use free audio editing software to put together the final product and then post it to a podcast hosting site or two.

If you want an idea on topics for your podcast, you can talk about some of the most popular TV shows that have their own toy lines. To get started, read our guide on The Best TV Shows Based on 80s Toys.

4. Starting a Pop-Culture Blog

Besides having a podcast, you could have a pop-culture blog website. If you like to write, blogs are a great way to express your love for all things pop culture.

The great thing about having your own website is the opportunity for creative freedom in regard to topics. Fun blog ideas include listicles about the top ten reality TV shows of all time, the best superhero films of the last decade, and the worst plot twists in cinema. The possibilities are truly endless!

You can even create blog posts about the companies that manufacture some of the most popular toys on the market. One of the companies that you can check out is Playskool, who is known for manufacturing Mr. Potato Head and Glo Worm toys. To know more about this company, read our article titled “Learn About Playskool the Pop Culture Toy Icon.

However, if you are more of an analytical person, think pieces and analyses of popular films, TV shows, music, and current events are potential blog ideas.

Once your blog gains an audience, you can monetize your blog articles by joining affiliate programs and using affiliate links.

5. Starting a YouTube Review Channel

Making videos is a little more involved than making a podcast. But if you’re charismatic, have a knack for video editing, and have a lot of opinions to share, YouTube reviews can be a great way to make a little extra money.

YouTube viewers tend to like personable, engaging content creators. And just like with podcasts, viewers may be willing to support your efforts using Patreon.

YouTube channels that really low up can end up being monetized, but even if that doesn’t happen, you can still pull in some extra cash each month through Patreon.

6. Making Pop-Culture-Inspired Jewelry or Clothing

If you want to make jewelry or clothing inspired by branded materials (like movie characters), you’ll need to do some legal research first. In many cases, using an exact likeness or logo without permission can land you in copyright-infringement territory.

If you like the meme-filled, Internet-based side of pop culture, this can be an easier and less legally complex way to make some extra money.

Printing T-shirts or creating jewelry with funny meme slogans can be a way to add some brightness to someone’s day. And thanks to sites like Etsy, selling handmade items doesn’t have to become a highly complex process.

Of course, if there’s any doubt at all, make sure you verify that the items you make don’t run afoul of any intellectual property laws.

In Summary

Depending on the types of pop culture that interest you most, you might find that some of these ideas work better than others. But if you’re interested in using your interests to make a little extra money, they are worth a shot!