Earning passive income is a way to achieve more financial stability, build wealth, and have more financial freedom.
Whatever age you are, it is vital that you start earning passive income as it will help prepare you for life’s surprises while also setting you up for early retirement.
Find below 42 smart passive income ideas to earn income and keep cash flowing your way.
Key Takeaways
- Passive income is the money you earn without direct involvement or action and is one of the most effective ways to achieve financial stability.
- Create passive income by converting your money into assets like rental properties and accumulating wealth over time that is not limited by time and effort.
- Some of the best ways to earn passive income include publishing digital products like ebooks and online courses.
How To Generate Passive Income With No Initial Funds
Here are some passive income ideas with little money (or none) involved.
1. Write an eBook
If you have expert knowledge of your niche, consider writing an ebook. You can hire writers and editors on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to write your ebook.
Promote the finished product on your blog, website and social media sites. Sell it multiple times without exerting added effort on your part.
2. Start a Blog
A blog is an excellent beginner passive income idea. Choose a niche to write about, particularly one not too saturated to avoid a lot of competition.
Create original content for your blog. Your blog posts should have at least 300 words to rank in search engines. Within the first year of blogging, you can earn $500 to $2,000 monthly.
3. Start Affiliate Marketing
Once you have a blog, find affiliate programs that fit your niche. Add affiliate links to your blog posts. Write product reviews or recommendations and place affiliate ads.
Promote these links on your blog, social media page, or website. Amazon affiliates can earn commissions ranging from 1% to 20%.
4. Create an Online Course
Aside from writing an ebook, consider creating and selling an online course related to your niche. Write about subjects your potential audience is looking for and will find interesting.
Focus on relevant, pressing issues, frequently asked questions, areas of interest and relevant things they want to learn.
5. Create an App
Identify a gap in your niche and develop an app that provides value and solves a problem. Monetize the app through download fees, in-app purchases, subscriptions, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.
How much you earn depends on your niche. Experts predict that the global app revenue will reach over $540 billion by the end of 2023.
6. Rent Your Car
If you have a car you do not use, consider offering it for short-term rentals on peer-to-peer car-sharing platforms. One such platform is Turo, sometimes referred to as Airbnb for cars.
Turo connects local car owners with individuals looking to rent a car in their area. Earnings vary based on factors like location and vehicle type.
7. Sell Your Photos Online
Whether you are an amateur or a professional photographer, there are several online places you can sell your photos. These include Alamy, 500px, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Etsy.
Showcase your portfolio on your website and integrate e-commerce into it to open more monetization opportunities.
8. Start a YouTube Channel
Set up a YouTube channel and get paid. Create and upload content to start building your audience. When you reach 1,000 subscribers and at least 4,000 watch hours, you can apply to get accepted to the YouTube Partner Program.
Earn income through the program and Google AdSense. On average, YouTube pays $.01 to $.03 per view or around $18 per 1,000 views.
9. Advertise On Your Car
Register with sites like Wrapify to get paid for using your car as a mobile billboard. This approach can earn you around $264 to $452 monthly without sacrificing time, effort or investment.
Download the app, create your profile, complete your onboarding process and get offers when campaigns are available in your area.
10. Create Print-On-Demand Items
If you have art skills and want to sell items like mugs or caps with amusing slogans, sign up with print-on-demand websites like Redbubble and Zazzle.
You only need to upload your original designs to the website, which will handle everything from production to shipping.
11. Start a Dropshipping Store
Set up a dropshipping store at sites like Shopify or Wix and sell products without worrying about inventory and storage. Pick a profitable niche product at platforms such as Amazon.
Find a reliable and quality supplier. Market your chosen product by generating content and promoting it on your website and social media accounts.
12. Become an Influencer
When your blog, website or social media account has accumulated enough followers, start working toward becoming an influencer. Make sure to provide relevant content consistently.
Once you establish a solid following, you can earn money as an influencer through advertising, sponsored content, premium subscriptions and brand partnerships.
13. Record Audiobooks
If you have created an online course, you can use it as material for making an audiobook. You can also narrate other people’s books.
Use programs like Garageband, Audacity, or Studio One to record audiobooks. Beginners can earn between $10 to $100, while experienced narrators receive between $100 and $350 per finished hour.
14. Write Digital Guides
Earn passive income by writing digital guides like user manuals, travel guides or brand guides. Use platforms like Flipsnack that provide professional and ready-to-use guide templates.
If you are in the real estate industry, create digital guidebooks showcasing vacation spots, tourist getaways, and dining establishments.
15. License Your Music
Turn your passion for music into passive income by licensing it to stock music sites like AudioJungle.net and Pond5.
Licensing rights can go up to $400 or more, depending on how the music will be used. Each time someone purchases a license for your song, you get payment.
16. Invest In Vending Machines
Vending machines are a popular way to earn passive income because they require minimal investments and are low-maintenance.
Place vending machines in locations with high foot traffic. Consider buying one with a card reader, which can increase total sales by 25% to 27%.
17. Rent Out Your Storage Space
Do you have a basement or garage you are not using? Rent it out as a storage space through platforms like Neighbor.
As the owner, you set the monthly rental charge. The types of spaces you can rent include your attic, bedroom, shed or closet.
18. Start a Podcast
Create podcasts that target a niche audience. Podcasters earn around $500 to $900 for 10,000 downloads per episode from sponsorships and paid ads.
Use free recording software like Audacity to create a podcast. Publish it on directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
19. Teach Online Courses
When you have created your own online course, you can begin teaching them. Upload and organize video classes on your website.
Provide free learning content and add paid educational content in a members-only section. Promote your free and paid content on your social media channels.
20. Sell Designs Online
If you are a skillful designer, create designs and sell them through sites like CafePress or print-on-demand platforms that let designers customize and sell products online.
Create and upload your designs, set up an online shop, and get a link to share on your website and social media.
21. Get Paid to Shop
Sign up with apps like Instacart and get paid to shop. Average Instacart shoppers can earn approximately $8 as an independent contractor and $24.37 as a delivery driver.
The amount you earn as a shopper or a delivery driver for Instacart depends on how much time you can invest in it.
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Smart Passive Income Ideas
Below are 21 smart passive income ideas that can generate earnings automatically with less effort and time.
22. Buy Crowdfunded Real Estate
Earn passive income with real estate but without the cost through real estate crowdfunding platforms like addy Invest, RealtyMogul or Fundrise.
Real estate crowdfunding was estimated to be around $10.78 billion in 2021. Experts expect it to grow by approximately 45.6% by 2030.
23. Invest in Stocks, Bonds, and ETFs
Build an income stream by investing in dividend stocks, bonds, and ETFs. They can help diversify and stabilize your investment portfolio.
Stocks help diversify a portfolio and reduce risk. Bonds have lower returns on investment but are often safer than stocks. ETFs hold assets like stocks and bonds but trade like stocks. They are inexpensive but have better potential returns.
24. Rent Out a Room On Airbnb
Partner with a rental company like Airbnb and rent out your room. List your space and set the rental terms. Airbnb hosts can earn up to $1,000 monthly on average, depending on property, location and hosting skills.
If you want higher earnings, automate as much as possible, from guest check-ins and outs to payments, cleaning and maintenance.
25. Rent Out Your Parking Space
Trade your unused parking space for cash and promote it on sites like Craigslist and WhereIPark. If your space is in a high-demand area, it can be a money-maker.
Earn $100 to $300 monthly for indoor parking and $200 to $500 monthly for outdoor parking.
26. Buy a Local Business
Generate a cash flow stream by buying a local business with an attractive and profitable niche that competitors cannot easily copy.
While it may entail a high cost, it is often less expensive than starting from scratch. You also benefit from an established brand and its existing customers.
27. Buy Websites
Buying websites is one of the simplest passive income jobs from home. Websites are often put up for sale. Many make good income from ads, affiliates, products and memberships.
Buying them is a way to own a business with established traffic and sales. Use sites like Flippa or BizBuySell to purchase websites.
28. Set Up An Annuity
An annuity is a contract you buy from an insurance company wherein you make a lump-sum payment in exchange for a guaranteed income stream for the rest of your life.
Annuities pay out monthly and can be set up to start paying immediately or at a later time, such as when you retire.
29. Purchase REITs
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are an excellent source of funds for retirement as they can build a dependable passive income stream.
Purchase REITs on the stock market like you would any other stock. These instruments generate cash flow through sales, rent or profits from real estate investments.
30. Open a High-Interest Savings Account
Open a high-interest savings account at an online bank to earn better rates than traditional banks. Some high-yield savings accounts offer rates as high as 4% (see this promotional 5.90% rate for 5 months).
The APY is often higher than a traditional bank’s savings account rate.
31. Crypto Staking
If you are a cryptocurrency holder, consider crypto staking. It entails volunteering to lock up your crypto assets for a period of time to help maintain the security of a network’s blockchain. In exchange, you earn rewards.
The latest crypto staking rewards are as follows: Bitcoin – up to 1.25%; Ethereum – up to 7.55%; and BNB – up to 11%.
32. Invest Your Spare Change Automatically
Grow your investment portfolio while earning passive income using spare change investment apps like Acorns and Stash. Micro investment apps let you make investments for low fees.
With Acorns, you can start investing $5 and pay $1 for its basic investment plan. With Stash, you only need one cent to invest.
33. Refinance Your Mortgage
Refinancing your mortgage is one way to earn passive income and grow your portfolio. With refinancing, you take out a new loan to pay off your existing one.
You can purchase another property, rent it out, and obtain another loan to buy a third property. When you rent the properties, you also get the income needed to repay the loans.
This strategy only works if you are earning more than enough money to cover your mortgage interest and other fees.
34. Buy and Sell Domain Names
Called domain flipping, buying and selling domain names can be a lucrative passive income. You can buy relatively cheap domains and sell them for at least thousands of dollars.
Beginner domain flippers can earn between $100 to $10,000, while seasoned ones can make millions from flipping domains.
35. Peer-to-Peer Lending
If you have extra cash that you want to earn income from, try peer-to-peer lending and get a return of around 5% to 6%.
Sign up on websites like LendingClub or Prosper to find borrowers vetted for creditworthiness. Reduce risk by investing in higher quality loans and diversify by owning several loans.
36. Invest in Money Market Funds
Money market funds are mutual funds that invest in highly liquid, low-risk short-term debt securities. These funds are designed to give investors high liquidity with a low level of risk.
While money market funds generate little capital appreciation, they can be stable and secure investments.
37. Start Your Own Online Store
Set up an online store and start selling items and digital products. Get your store out to more customers by marketing it in various places, including your website and social media networks.
Dropshipping, affiliate marketing and print-on-demand are among the best ways to earn passive income from your online store. Use Amazon, Etsy or Shopify to set up your online store.
38. Become a Video Content Creator
If you are a video content creator, earning money is possible through sponsorships, merchandise sales, ad revenue, paid subscriptions or fan funding.
Start with creating videos about your niche using platforms like YouTube. Market your videos to make sure that your target audience is watching them.
39. Become an Angel Investor
Angel investors provide financial support for startups and small businesses. In exchange, they get a percentage of the company’s equity. It is common for angel investors to earn significant returns on their money.
Angel investing is also an excellent way to create passive income since it lets you diversify your investment portfolio.
40. Use Cash-Back Credit Cards
Get cash back from a credit card by spending money on eligible purchases. This lets you earn back a percentage. For flat-rate credit cards, you can earn 1% to 2% cash back on every purchase.
Credit cards with a rotating cash-back structure let you earn more rewards for specific types of purchases, with some banks offering up to 5% for certain categories.
41. Become a Silent Business Partner
A silent business partner is an investor in a company not involved in daily operations or decision-making. The partnership is focused on providing business capital only.
Being a silent business partner allows you to earn investment returns with limited liability for any financial obligations of the business. You get paid depending on your contribution and your equity in the business.
42. Fixing and Renting Property
Fixing and renting a property can make your rental more profitable for years. Performing extensive rehab upfront helps avoid fewer maintenance calls and minimizes the need for repairs.
Managing your property will eventually become easier, and you will have lower costs.
What is Passive Income?
Passive income is the money you earn with no direct involvement or action. It is sometimes referred to as having money work for you and involves little effort on your part.
You create passive income by converting your money into assets like rental properties, which grow your money whether you are employed or not.
There are countless passive income ideas for young adults and older people so everyone has a chance to achieve financial stability.
Why You Should Earn Passive Income
Earning passive income helps you rely less on your paycheck. It is self-generating, giving you time to focus on other areas of your life or business.
It is essential because it provides financial stability, particularly if your capacity to earn income has been lessened.
Passive income can also help you accumulate wealth because it is not limited by time and effort.
How To Make Passive Income From Amazon
There are several ways to make passive income on Amazon, including:
- Buying an existing Amazon FBA business
- Finding cheap products and reselling them on Amazon
- Selling your designs through Merch by Amazon
- Inserting affiliate links on your website or social media accounts
- Buying an affiliate website that already has a passive income stream
- Selling ebooks through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Once your business gains traction, optimize and monitor your store using tools or software that help your business remain relevant and sustain its profitability.
Pros and Cons of Earning Passive Income
Earning passive income is an attractive endeavour, but as it has advantages and disadvantages, it is best to learn what they are before embarking on it.
Pros:
- Unlimited earning potential
- Requires little work, especially when it is already established
- Greater potential for long-term returns
- Provides an alternative wealth option that can increase your net worth
- Potential to build a portfolio of income streams
- Ability to set your own hours or schedule
Cons:
- No control over returns
- May require a large sum to begin with
- May complicate taxes, depending on its structure
Best Ways To Earn Passive Income
Some of the best ways to earn passive income is by investing in rental properties, dividend stocks, high-yield savings accounts, annuities, and REITs (real estate investment trusts).
Aside from making investments, another ideal way to generate passive income is through passive income ideas that require no money and no upfront work. These include using cashback sites, cashback rewards cards, and using cashback apps.
FAQs
You can do it by combining several passive income ideas. Start with those that do not require initial funds, such as starting a blog or renting out your storage space. Combine these with passive income ideas that require an upfront investment, such as investing in real estate and stocks.
Owning stocks and bonds is among the most successful passive income ideas. It is the basis of private retirement accounts, in which you buy stocks, bonds, and mutual funds that let you live off passive income when you retire. If you choose dividend-paying stocks of good value, you may even attain adequate passive income streams well before retirement.
Many millionaires use real estate and invest in dividend stocks to generate passive income. They also collect compound interest via non-equity lending vehicles such as high-yield savings accounts, certificates of deposits, bonds and by issuing loans.
Good side hustle jobs include transcribing videos, tutoring online, and walking or pet-sitting dogs. If you have the money for upfront investments, consider investing in stocks, bonds and mutual funds that can help provide for your financial needs when you retire.
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