Beginner’s Guide: Make Money with Cricut

Can you make money with Cricut? HECK YES! And we’re going to share a beginner-friendly guide to help you!

You could argue that the market is a bit oversaturated with custom t-shirts, tumblers, and home decor signs. Even so, there is always room for more Cricut entrepreneurs if you’re creative and industrious. 

The great thing is that you can sell as few or as many of your designs as you want.  It could simply be a hobby that pays for itself or you could even turn it into a full-time business. 

For more side hustle ideas, take a look at Make Money FAST with These 10 Tricks & Quick-Start Guide to Affiliate Marketing for Moms.  And, if you’re a big Disney fan, find out how to turn your Disney obsession into a money-making side business with 7 Genius Side Hustle Ideas for the Disney Lover. 

Let’s answer some FAQs that beginners always want to know when starting out with a Cricut machine.

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Is a Cricut worth the money?

Absolutely!  Most Cricut machines cost between $150 and $400 depending on the one you choose.  Don’t forget, with initial supplies, you may spend an extra $100-$200, depending on what you want to make.  That means you’ll probably invest $500 or so to get started. 

Truthfully, that’s a very low startup cost for any side hustle.  While you can make all sorts of things with a Cricut machine, many beginners like to start with custom t-shirt designs.  So for example, consider a t-shirt with your own unique design on it that nets a $10 profit.  If you invested $500 initially, then you’ll only need to sell approximately 50 shirts to recoup your investment.

Your specific breakeven point will be based on the cost of the machine, supplies, and your merchandise list prices.  Before long, with a little bit of effort, you should be able to make back your money quite quickly!   

What can I create to make money with Cricut?

You can make money with Cricut by customizing merchandise such as hats, bags, and t-shirts.  With the right blades and engraving tips, you can even make signs for home décor, cake toppers, and so much more.  For inspiration, check out Pinterest boards, Etsy Shops, and articles like this one from Doddle Craft for 100 Cricut Projects!  

How do I start to make money with Cricut?

1. Buy a Cricut machine and accessories

The first thing you’ll want to do is to buy a Cricut machine if you don’t already have one.  In addition, you’ll want to figure out what additional materials you’ll need like special blades, heat press, vinyl, wood, leather, cardboard, etc.

As a beginner, you may want to start with a bundle that includes the Cricut Maker and some starter supplies. 

If you’re still not sure about which machine is best for you, check out this comparison article from the official Cricut blog. One popular model that beginners love because of its simplicity yet multipurpose use is the Cricut Joy!

2. Determine what you want to sell

There is a lot to learn!  You’ll need to figure out what you want to sell plus, you’ll probably want to invest some time learning from Cricut professionals.  Consider joining Facebook Groups, signing up for courses like this one from Hey Let’s Make Stuff, and subscribing to YouTube Channels.

3. Start crafting

Once you have your machine, supplies, and product designs in mind, it’s time to start crafting.   As you already know, Cricut is a popular topic in both crafting and side-hustle circles.  It’s also a very saturated market.  But, that does NOT mean that YOU can’t make money with Cricut and perfect your craft!

There are a lot of free SVG Files for Cricut designs.  But, you’ll need to check the copyright on these files.  Most of the time, free designs are intended for personal use, not for resale.  And undoubtedly, you’ll want to avoid any trademarked images, fonts, or phrases.  You can sell a Disney-inspired shirt, for example, but you can’t sell a t-shirt with images of Disney characters on them. 

That means that you’ll want to get used to creating your own designs.  To create SVG files, you’ll need to use programs like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, or Canva Pro.  In addition, if you want to keep costs down, try free programs like GIMP and Inkscape.    

4. Set up your Cricut shop

Where can you sell your Cricut merchandise? There are a ton of different places to sell your stuff!

For local sales, consider these places: friends, family, coworkers, craft shows, boutiques, library vendor spotlights, antique stores, school fundraisers, etc.

For online sales, consider these places: your own website, Etsy, Amazon Handmade Seller, eBay, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

5. Stand out

Since there are so many Cricut products on the market these days, you’ll need to differentiate yourself from other sellers. 

Ask yourself these questions:
– “How will I set MY business apart from the others?”
– “What skills do I have that are above average and how can I combine those with this business venture?”
– “What are some common ways businesses get a “bad name” and what do I need to do to set the standard to avoid those pitfalls?”

6. Find your niche

Rather than trying to become a one-stop shop, focus on a specific niche.  That could mean creating one or two products and doing them really well.  For example, maybe you could be “THE ONE” that people go to for Disney trip t-shirts! Or you could have a special knack for personalizing color-changing cups targeted at teens!

If you don’t focus on a specific merchandise niche, consider a certain topic that you love and let your creativity shine (ie: pets, camping, monograms, etc).

7. Know your cost margins to make money with Cricut

Designing and making crafts is the fun part, but if you want to make money with this, you’ll need a little bit of business knowledge.  You don’t need to have a business degree, but you do need to keep track of how much is going out and how much is coming in from a financial standpoint.

Your costs will determine what you need to sell your products for so you don’t just hope you’re making money, you’ll know you’re making money!

8. Market yourself

You could have the most amazing designs but still not be able to sell a single product if people don’t know that you exist.  That means you’ll need to market yourself in order to make money with Cricut.  You can go old-school and attend local Chamber events and network with people in your local social circle. 

If you want to get recognized online, you’ll need to be active on major social media outlets like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.  If you have a little bit of money set aside, consider running targeted Facebook Ads. 

9. Provide great customer service

Providing great customer service is a guaranteed way to stand out and build a positive reputation for your Cricut business. 

You may make a lot of one-time sales, but if your turnaround time is slow, you don’t communicate well with your customers, or if you’re unprofessional, you won’t get returning customers or good reviews.  Your customer service will make or break your business!

In summary, are you feeling motivated and excited to make money with Cricut?  If you’re just wanting a hobby to only make enough that pays for the fun of having a Cricut, that’s awesome!  

But, if you want to turn your Cricut machine into a money-making business, you’ll need to up your game.  Find a niche you can dominate, use quality materials, know your costs, market yourself, and put your customers first. 

If you follow those simple principles, ultimately you’ll be well on your way to building a lucrative side hustle!

Last of all, feel free to drop any questions below and we’ll be happy to help you find an answer for ways to make money with Cricut.