7 Easiest Passive Income Ideas To Make Money This 2022

To become a multi-millionaire, you should either be a business owner, a politician or generate the easiest passive income.

Last Updated: March 21, 2022

Last Updated: March 21, 2022

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When we talk about the easiest passive income, the most definitive term is that it helps you get extra cash at your disposal.

May it be for security, your trip to Hawaii, or paying college fees and rent.

Therefore, having the easiest passive income over a regular job allows you to have better financial standing.

It’s also a great alternative as your primary source of income. For instance, in case of unemployment emergencies. Likewise, the Covid situation in 2020 immobilized the workforce globally. 

Furthermore, passive income activities could range from simple renting, investing, or providing a product or service.

During this digital age, the sky’s the limit to earning money.

Whatever you are interested in, these activities should not require much effort on your end for them to be considered a passive income.

However, you should know that having a passive income doesn’t automatically make you a money machine.

The easiest passive income always requires you to start from scratch, build your credibility, learn its pros and cons, and just dive into the details of your chosen field of extra work.

The job itself requires pure hard work and impeccable business acumen as you mostly have to decide everything on your own.

This article will highlight the easiest passive income, how it works, and the median pay you can expect.

Ready to make more money the lazy way or while you sleep?

Read more to find out!

Related: 18 Unique Ways To Create Passive Income and Boost your Cash Flow

How can a beginner get passive income? 

successful businessman using laptop

If you already know passive income, you may skip this part. But for those who don't or want a quick recap stay with me.

Passive income is the money or income you earn from doing or initiating other activities outside of your regular job without needing to put in much effort. 

The emphasis on this definition is earning from initiating activities, meaning it still requires some work to get done but wouldn’t require much effort from your end.

There is often a misconception that getting passive income is easy money. That might be true in some cases but shouldn’t be your most significant motivation for starting this venture.

As a beginner, the usual source of passive income is your area of interest. Know yourself first and realize what you think is your niche based on your available resources and other advantages.

Your focus should be on building your credibility and expanding your market reach.

The D-E-A-L Principle

Inspired by Tim Ferris', The 4-hour Work Week, here's how you can start generating passive income.

First, DEFINE your niche. What areas of interest are you experts at? Is there a gap in this category that you can fulfill and serve the market with their unique needs?

You must have a sense of clarity to get through this first step. Moreover, you can create a need or a problem and then build a solution that will solve this.

The second is ELIMINATE. You can also apply it to practical business and life in general. Eliminate the stressors or the least important thing that won't help.

Remember, the goal of passive income is to generate a cash flow without you exerting too much effort. However, you may need to invest time, energy, money, and resources upfront in some cases.

Then, after that, you must make it a point to exert a little or least amount of effort throughout. This leads us to the third point.

A stands for AUTOMATE. It is one of the cores of passive income. 

You must automate your income, your expenses, your savings, everything! Indeed, automation makes your life better.

Lastly, the letter L means LIBERATE. As a result of generating passive income, liberation is the end product.

Aren't we all desiring the freedom of time and financial liberation that ultimately leads to a riching and fulfilling life?

Read more: 21 Types of Passive Income That Will Generate Your Wealth.

How can I make $1000 a month passively?

easiest passive income

You must know that you can't gain passive income through a regular job. So you really cannot expect the same wage you earn on your corporate or 9/5 job since you don’t need to put in much work here.

Hence, for most people, passive income varies.

Moreover, most of your assets will be your leading investment in passive earning. So the more assets you have, the more you make.

As a result, the amount you earn from passive income changes depending on the value of your asset itself.

Let's have an example.

For instance, you decided to sell digital arts.

A full-colored digital portrait could be priced at $120 per artwork. So, it's a better price point than, let's say, renting books but would take a lot more effort from you to make and sell.

If you do the maths, to make $1000 a month passively, here's what to do.

You would need about nine full-colored digital portraits sold per month. So, if you’re a natural marketer with competitive skills in making art, you might consider this one the easiest passive income.  

Therefore, the passive amount you will earn would depend on the value of your asset (solutions or products)

7 Easiest Passive Income You Can Start Today

As we live in a world where technological advancement is on the rise, it's no surprise that there are hundreds of ways to make money online and offline.

Some have learned how to make money the hard way. But on the other hand, others learned to make money the lazy way.

Here are seven of the easiest passive income you can start right away. Note that the level of effort stands for how involved you will be to generate this passive income.

Five is the highest, meaning you will most likely get involved. Plus, you may need upfront monetary and time investment.

While one is the lowest, meaning there's only minimal to no effort for the easiest passive income.

1. Affiliate Marketing

easiest passive income

Level of Effort: 1

Average Income: $65,800/yearly

Like influencer marketing, affiliate marketing is one of the most profitable and easiest passive income you can start today.

Additionally, it is more of a performance-based marketing method. Plus, it's simple.

Essentially, you sell or promote other people's or a company's products and services. Hence, you are called an affiliate.

Here's how it works. First, place your affiliate link on your website or social media pages. Next, visitors or readers from your website click your affiliate link, and they will be taken to the merchant's website.

Then the customer buys something from the merchant's website. Lastly, you earn a commission, usually a percentage of the sale. Affiliate marketers' income varies depending on the niche they serve and how they promote their links.

Furthermore, they are paid per sale, lead, or click depending on the program they signed up for. Businesses reward affiliates for sending traffic to their websites or anytime someone buys from their products.

Therefore, driving significant online revenue.

Some affiliates use email marketing or blogging. While others simply post their affiliate links on their website, store site, or social media accounts. It's easier to get started, plus the work you will invest is minimal up to the little to no cost at all.

Where to find affiliate programs:

PRO TIP: Being an affiliate is not limited to companies or brands. You can also be an affiliate of someone else's course or program. However, ensure that you read the terms and agreement before signing anything.

One way to think of it is to become an affiliate of brands that mean the most to you or support and consume. So it will be like a profitable win-win situation. You don't have to force yourself. Work with brands that you know and care about.

2. Online Course Creation

online teacher

Level of Effort: 3

Average Income: Varies

Becoming an online course creator is yet another one of the realistic and easiest passive income providers out there.

Besides, it's easy to get started than you think. First, you need yourself, recording equipment, a website, and a topic that you are knowledgeable enough to teach.

It is indeed a viable revenue stream. Because once you have finished outlining your content and video recording yourself teaching about it, you are good to go.

You have to post it and wait for prospects who will sign up and take your course. While you, on the other side, are just waiting for the money to hit your bank account.

Of course, there's still some work involved in the beginning. Depending on the complexity of the topic you will teach, it could take more than two weeks to establish a course fully, polish the layout and content, create worksheets, pre-record yourself, and more.

Specifically, here's how it works. First, you must choose a topic that you will teach. Essentially, it must be something you are deemed an expert at, where you can share your hands-on learning process, knowledge, skills, and expertise.

Next is to presell it to your peers, colleagues, or friends. Even better if you go out and have a soft launch of your course to test the market's interest.

After that, you must choose a platform on where your content will be. You must also decide whether how you will build it. For example, is it video-based or text-based learning? Perhaps you can create a freebie for your clients so once they signup, they'll be more engaged and guided about the course learning they will take.

Lastly, use the power of automation and wait. Create an automated sales funnel where prospects can sign up, and now you have an organic email list.

Therefore, online course creation will bring you a recurring passive income.

PRO TIP: Value your course for its content worth; ensure to state for whom your course is and what's in it for your clients. Build a relationship-based approach, working sales funnel, and ensure to provide value. Don't undervalue yourself but strike a balance between a reasonable price for your clients vs. quality services.

You'll only need at least five courses launched in a month to have a lucrative side-hustle that brings passive income!

Platforms to launch your online course:

3. Digital Products/Printables

digital marketing product

Level of Effort: 2

Average Income: Varies

Do you want to tap into the power of the internet? Then make the most out of it by creating digital products or printables.

If you are a blogger, this is also one of the best and easiest passive income to have out there.

The level of effort and involvement in initiating it is minimal. After you have decided on what products to sell online, all you have to do is place it on your website and wait for potential customers to buy it, and then here the money goes!

Printables, downloadable files, and stickers are among the few examples of digital products you can sell online.

Selling digital products is also one of the easiest ways to make money online. You can list your products on EtsyShopifySellfy, and Teachable.

What digital products to sell:

  • E-books
  • Photos
  • Online courses
  • Planners
  • Stickers
  • Worksheets
  • Templates
  • Downloadable content
  • Printables

PRO TIP: Aside from digital products, you can also offer your services online! Well, that is another story of becoming a freelancer.

4. Listing your property

easiest passive income listing property on airbnb

Level of Effort: 2-5

Average Income: Varies

Real estate is your friend if you want solid passive income combined with building wealth.

The level of involvement will go around two up to five, which is the highest level of effort for this article.

Moreover, the world of rental property investment is wide. Aside from listing your property and then waiting for the rental income to come in monthly, there are other ways you can make money passively in real estate.

For instance, here are some ways to do so:

  • Become an Airbnb host
  • House flipping
  • Co-host to an Airbnb host (ideal if you want to make money on Airbnb without owning a property)
  • Become an Airbnb photographer

In addition, there are ideally two ways to go around here. First, if you already have an extra space in your home or an extension, you can use it for accommodation. List your extra space for rent and watch your cash flow multiply passively.

So the first way is at level two.

The second way is to buy a whole new property and flip it. Do some renovations and makeovers or fixings if there's one. Then sell it higher than you bought it. Ultimately, the goal is to earn profit.

Now the second way is at level five. Why? Because of the upfront work you have to do before you can watch your money grow passively.

5. ATM/Vending Machine Business

vending machines

Level of Effort: 3

Average Income: Varies

A vending machine and ATM Business is one of the most lucrative plus easiest passive income businesses nowadays.

Additionally, there are many opportunities for a vending machine business, not only for beverages or instant food.

For instance, in Japan. Did you know that they have a vending machine for almost anything! They are named the world's vending machine capital for a reason.

From weird to fantastic items, they have a dedicated vending machine! Anime figures, instant noodles, ramen, toys, souvenirs, books, candies, healthy snacks, coffee, sanitary napkin, soft drinks, and more!

Most significantly, venturing into the vending machine business is a low commitment but high-profit business that can also be a side hustle! In addition, it's scalable with low start-up costs.

On the other hand, you may be wondering how you can own an ATM and how does it work?

First, the automated teller machine business is a genuinely high passive income. Besides, owning an ATM business is not limited to banks and other financial institutions.

The primary profit maker here is that you get a certain fee with every transaction with people's usage of your machine. And that is your passive profit (earnings from transaction fee's from money withdrawals)

You can also seek a digital loading station and a cash payment machine apart from ATMs. Both of which can also be lucrative businesses generating passive income.

Moreover, the level of involvement for both ATM and vending machine businesses is at the middle ground. For sure, you may have to exert some level of effort at the beginning, like finding the right location, purchasing the actual machine, etc.,

But again, after that, everything is automated, and you'll start making money even while you're asleep.

6. Survey Sites

easiest passive income

Level of Effort: 2

Average Income: $1-$5, varies per site

While taking paid surveys online wouldn't make you rich over time, there are a few high-paying survey sites that could be worth your while.

You may not earn money passively at the start because there is still some extensive work you might need to do. For instance, taking the survey, reading emails, watching videos, or playing games. Mind you that some surveys will take longer than ten minutes.

Plus, you might not be qualified to take one on top of that.

However, these are all no-brainers when it comes to making money online. Besides, it is what you usually do online, so it's easier, but you might want to manage your time.

The only difference is that now you're getting paid for doing things you usually do online. Plus, there are some perks on it too! Talk about cashback and points convertible to cash or gift cards.

Highest-Paying Survey Sites To Make Money

Related: 17 Online Paid Focus Groups To Earn Extra Cash on the Side.

7. Royalties

close up shot of woman reading a book

Level of Effort: 5

Average Income: Rates slightly vary. For instance, average rates from traditional publishers are the ff:

  • Hardcover sales: 15%
  • Trade paperback sales: 7.5%
  • Mass-market paperback sales: 5%
  • eBook deals: 25%
  • Audiobook sales: 25%

Want to write a book? Or have an idea about something? Then, put your idea into life and find publishers who might be interested in your work and profit from the royalty it will gain after some time.

However, this one requires a tremendous amount of effort at play. Most significantly, in the initial stages of your book writing.

You will need to plan and conceptualize your ideas for about six months. Then, you can start earning royalties on it for the rest of your life. After that, you just have to work to ensure that your book will become highly rated and sell.

A million sold copies would be even better! But, that would take some time, unless you're a famous author and great at what you do.

If you want to go the alternative path, you can also self-publish. However, that has a different royalty structure.

But aside from the royalties you earn from every sale of your book, art, or music, there are plenty of other ways to make money using your creativity and art.

For instance, as an author, you can give talks, launch a new product, or build your personal brand.

So it might need a specific work effort on your part first, but afterward, you'll earn passive income from royalties.

What is the highest paying passive income?

The highest paying and easiest passive income is none other than investing.

Think about this. The hard-earned money you get from your regular job is easier to spend.

It can last for a few hours only if you don’t know how to save and budget. An impulse checkout of orders at Nike is not the best move.

So, you need to figure out how to save better. With that being said, you might even consider making extra money through a side hustle or generating a business that will profit passive income.

The key here is to use your disposable income to invest and grow your money.

Related content:

Stocks Investing

Dividend (stock) investing can be considered as the easiest passive income. You buy stocks from large institutions like fast-food chain companies, insurance companies, and other industries that offer public shares.

Entering the investment world could be intimidating at first. But don't let it keep you from doing so.

Many online courses offer informative details about learning how to invest.

Analytical thinking, time, and tons of research are what you need to get the hang of investing.

As a dividend investor, you earn money from the dividends paid to you by a company for your investment.

It’s the payment corporations give to their shareholders, or you in this case, for trusting them with your money. Technically, it’s like sharing the company’s profit.   

DRIP

Some companies even offer a dividend reinvestment plan, “DRIP.”

With DRIP, you have the option to reinvest your earned dividends so you can buy more shares from the same company instead of withdrawing them and converting them into cash.

This works for people who don't need immediate cash or have other sources of income, and the continued trust for a growing company could sometimes be very rewarding.

But then again, since this is an investment that we’re talking about, there are always risks involved. 

Despite its numerous pros, its fast-changing trend and low yields are significant cons.

When investing, dividend safety should be among your priorities.

It determines a company's probability of giving a share of its earnings. Ensure that you are also doing your research and are updated with the latest news, as economic affairs always affect most businesses' operations

Easiest Passive Income-Final thoughts

When finding the easiest passive income, you should define your niche, find available resources and other advantages. Then, it will serve as your main activity and strength as you become a passive income earner.

Hence, it can be through rental properties, online business retail, or investing. But most significantly, when you invest, you are growing your money. Plus, you earn money without putting in much effort, thus, becoming the easiest passive income.

Of course, there are significant drawbacks, too, since investing is also considerable risk.

You can earn as much as $1000 a month, provided that you have the will to work on becoming a passive income earner.

Contrary to most beliefs, earning passive income still requires you to do some work even if you are already in the business for quite a while. Not to mention the need to build your credibility from scratch.

Achieving financial freedom is the holy grail of doing passive income activities. Having enough money to cover all your expenses for leisure or necessity gives you more freedom than you think.

Life simply gets better when you have enough money to do what you want when you want it.

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