It’s the dream: money you can count on to keep rolling in, even while you sleep.

Passive income isn’t entirely passive, of course. You’ll put in work up-front to get the profits rolling, so don’t relax in your recliner just yet. But with so many potential sources of passive income available to you, picking one or several will mean that the day you can finally kick back will draw steadily closer.

Rental Properties

Real estate is a tried-and-true wealth builder for a simple reason: people will always need somewhere to live. Research the market in a growing community until you know a good deal when you see it. You can maximize rent by fixing up a deteriorating property or upgrading a mediocre one. The key is to hire a property manager to do all the day-to-day landlord duties for you—and you’ll need a good one. Smart investors put their profits in another property and repeat the process until they have a diverse portfolio.

A YouTube Channel

You can start a blog if you’re more comfortable hiding behind a computer, but consumers are more likely to prefer video content. Post a series of “how-to” videos to answer questions about whatever you’re an expert in.

You can put up any content you want, but if you don’t want to commit to regularly updating it, focus on “evergreen” topics that will draw clicks for eternity. Ads will create your income, especially if your channel grows in popularity. Better yet, sign up for affiliate marketing. If you recommend a product and provide a link to buy it, you’ll get a small percentage of those transactions.

Auto Advertising

If you don’t mind vinyl-wrapping your car with an ad for a company, you can get cash just driving around and running your errands. Make sure you contact a reputable company that doesn’t ask for any money from you; if they’re the real deal, they’ll evaluate your car, your driving habits, your area, and more. Bonus: the brighter the ad, the easier it’ll be to find your vehicle in the parking lot.

Digital Products

What’s something that people will pay for but doesn’t require shipping on your part? Finding that item is what can supplement your income indefinitely. Write an e-book, charge for your cross-stitching patterns, design prints that people can digitally download, invent an app, record a “masterclass,” or whatever else you want. Every time someone new discovers it, the cash register rings. With a little more effort, this is a potential source of passive income for you that can continue to grow. Once you build up a customer base, they might want more products. The good part is that it’s up to you whether you wish to give it to them.

string(2837) "
It's the dream: money you can count on to keep rolling in, even while you sleep.
Passive income isn't entirely passive, of course. You'll put in work up-front to get the profits rolling, so don't relax in your recliner just yet. But with so many potential sources of passive income available to you, picking one or several will mean that the day you can finally kick back will draw steadily closer.
Rental Properties
Real estate is a tried-and-true wealth builder for a simple reason: people will always need somewhere to live. Research the market in a growing community until you know a good deal when you see it. You can maximize rent by fixing up a deteriorating property or upgrading a mediocre one. The key is to hire a property manager to do all the day-to-day landlord duties for you—and you'll need a good one. Smart investors put their profits in another property and repeat the process until they have a diverse portfolio. 
A YouTube Channel
You can start a blog if you're more comfortable hiding behind a computer, but consumers are more likely to prefer video content. Post a series of “how-to" videos to answer questions about whatever you're an expert in. 
You can put up any content you want, but if you don't want to commit to regularly updating it, focus on “evergreen" topics that will draw clicks for eternity. Ads will create your income, especially if your channel grows in popularity. Better yet, sign up for affiliate marketing. If you recommend a product and provide a link to buy it, you'll get a small percentage of those transactions. 
Auto Advertising
If you don't mind vinyl-wrapping your car with an ad for a company, you can get cash just driving around and running your errands. Make sure you contact a reputable company that doesn't ask for any money from you; if they're the real deal, they'll evaluate your car, your driving habits, your area, and more. Bonus: the brighter the ad, the easier it'll be to find your vehicle in the parking lot. 
Digital Products
What's something that people will pay for but doesn't require shipping on your part? Finding that item is what can supplement your income indefinitely. Write an e-book, charge for your cross-stitching patterns, design prints that people can digitally download, invent an app, record a “masterclass," or whatever else you want. Every time someone new discovers it, the cash register rings. With a little more effort, this is a potential source of passive income for you that can continue to grow. Once you build up a customer base, they might want more products. The good part is that it's up to you whether you wish to give it to them.
"

Tax season can absolutely wreck your life for a few weeks, especially if the very thought of anything math-related makes you break out in a rash. (No? Just me?) But regardless of how overwhelming organizing all your receipts and deductions may seem, the process can be made a million times easier with the help of

You Lose $20K Each Year Just For Being a Mom You may not know this, but there was a time when smoking was considered “liberated” behavior for women. There was a cigarette company Virginia Slims that was created specifically to attract female smokers during the bad old 1970s. The slogan was “You’ve come a long

Money plays a huge role in all our lives. We work hard for it, try to save it, sometimes splurge on things that make us happy, and frequently stress about having enough of it. But beyond just paying the bills, financial knowledge is power—especially for women. Historically, the finance world has been a boys’ club,

​​The ugliest thing about credit card debt is that it’s plaguing millions of Americans all across the country. Hang-on, hang-on before you despair — it’s possible to pay off credit card debt by simply avoiding certain purchases that you’d normally give in to without a thought.  The latest social media trend that encourages people to

Even if you don’t know the first thing about collectables, you know Funko POPs. Funko Everyone does. They’re absolutely everywhere, from comic book shops to big box stores to movie theater concession stands. Many people think Funko POPs are cute, with their big black eyes and uniform features. Others think they’re creepy for pretty much

This article includes affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, with no extra cost to you. What are your financial goals for the New Year? Personally, I’m working to pay off my debt. From my student loans to creeping credit card debt, it’s tough to wrap my head around how

A few years back I lucked into an unexpected pile of cash. I’m not sure how word got out but it did. Suddenly, I was pitching in to help my brother buy a used car. I “loaned” $500 to a friend to help pay for the broker’s fee on her new apartment. And another long-time

I’m embarrassed by the sheer amount of frivolous spending I did in 2024. It’s wild to me how, at one point, I thought it was perfectly acceptable to cough up over $200 on a Margarita mixer that I’ve used maybe twice. (What was I thinking? I don’t even like Margaritas!)   Every day, all these wholly

Image via UnSplash: Giorgio Trovato There’s so much to do before the end of the year. And so much of it seems to zap your bank account. Hosting Thanksgiving? Holiday shopping? Decorating and decking the halls? All of it costs money. But there’s one way to get some money back before the close of the

In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max” Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances. Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their