25+ Passive Side Hustle Ideas to Earn More Money

The fact that you’ve come across this article shows that you’re hungry for more. You’re not content relying on your day job. Perhaps it doesn’t bring you the monetary rewards you need to pay off all your bills. Or maybe you’re looking for a way to gain financial independence and retire early.

Whether you’re saving for a much-needed vacation or trying to pay off your student loans, a side hustle is an invaluable tool. However, there’s a difference between working hard and doing things intelligently. 

Understanding Passive Side Hustles: An Overview

Whether you’re the CEO of Apple or a legal secretary just starting out, 24 hours is all you have to work with. Let’s say you reserve 12 hours for rest and leisure activities. What do you have left? How do you use the remaining 12 hours wisely? You probably work for eight of them. Regardless of how fast you eat and your commute time, you’ll agree that limitations are staring you in the face. 

In this article, we’ll talk about how side hustles can bridge the divide between living paycheck to paycheck and experiencing financial freedom. But hold up; these aren’t ordinary side gigs. We want you to maximize your time and effort and earn pocketfuls of passive income along the way.

Sure, you could drive an Uber or freelance as a writer a few hours after work. However, smart people earn money even while they’re asleep or on vacation. Some of the passive side hustles we’ll describe in the following section may require an initial setup and ongoing management. Others simply call for a financial investment. Research and understand each opportunity to find one (or a few) that fit your situation. 

25+ Passive Side Hustles Ideas to Earn More Money

The traditional school of thought centered around earning monetary rewards based on the amount of effort utilized. Let’s forget that for a second. Even if you have to spend eight hours at your day job, you can earn money on the side that rivals your paycheck. 

#1) Sell Your Unused Internet Bandwidth

A revolutionary platform, Pawns.app, has recently been the talk of the town. It helps people monetize their unused bandwidth so that it doesn’t lapse at the end of the billing period. Now, while $0.20 per gigabyte shared doesn’t sound like much, your earnings quickly add up.

Plus, Pawns.app has an attractive referral program that will net you 10% of your friends’ profits. Generating money is as simple as installing an app, letting it run, and sharing a referral URL on all your socials!

#2) Invest in Businesses

If you have some money set aside, let it work for you! One way to do that is by investing in small businesses. You’ll find them in your locale or on sites such as Mainvest, where you’ll join a band of investors enjoying up to 25% returns with as little as $100.

Does an investor fee put you off? Rejoice! Mainvest charges none of that. You’ll receive quarterly payments and have a steady influx of vetted companies seeking investments. 

#3) Build an Alexa Voice App

Have you heard of Alexa skills? These are voice apps that run on Echo devices. With a bit of know-how and time, you can develop a skill and sell it on Amazon’s platform. Get ready to laugh your way to the bank with 70% of the revenue.

Let’s say you create a skill to play ambient noises and get 10,000 people to install it. If half of those pay a dollar each month for a paid version, that’s a cool $3,500 in your pocket.

#4) Create a Mobile App

You don’t need exceptional skills to be an app developer today, thanks to easy-to-use tools. With a simple drag and drop, you can create functioning apps to help mobile users solve their everyday problems. 

Do your homework upfront and figure out what sells. After that, create and sell your software. You can either earn with a one-off payment or a recurring subscription. 

#5) License Your Creative Products

The internet provides an excellent platform for you to license your creative work, whether it’s music, photography, or voiceovers. Those with great ideas are in a prime position here. Look at the example of Nate Dallas and his brother, who took in $300,000 of royalties from Mattel. All they did was come up with a game concept.

#6) Start a Vending Machine Business

Picture a store selling snacks. It profits by buying in bulk directly from suppliers and charging higher prices for items. Stores bring in profit, but they have high overhead costs. With vending machines, you just need to buy or rent them, invest in stock, and collect your earnings. Research the best spots to place your machines and the most sought-after snacks for success. 

#7) Launch a Self-Service Laundry Business

You may not know this, but a laundry business is probably a sure bet for high returns. Nonetheless, starting one requires a substantial monetary investment. The industry brings in a steady ROI of 30% or more, depending on marketing efforts and location. For assured success, consider opening an outlet near universities.

#8) Rent Out Unused Space

If you have an extra room in the house, don’t let it collect dust. Rent your space out on Airbnb or similar sites. While you may have to provide cleaning services and the like, the hustle still pretty much delivers passive income. If you don’t want to deal with the nitty and gritty of renting out your place, hire a third-party service!

#9) Provide a Service and Find Subcontractors

Do you want to set up a house cleaning service but don’t see yourself doing the dirty work? There’s a clear path for you: outsourcing! You’ll deal with hiring cleaners and sourcing clients. Behind you will be a team of professionals. Naturally, you’ll have to be great at customer service and task organization.

#10) Rent Out Your Stuff

Look around you and focus on items lying around that people need. You can rent out your car, RV, sports equipment, cooking tools, lawnmower, and more. Many platforms will facilitate the transactions, connecting interested renters with suppliers. You don’t even have to own big-ticket items, either. Even breast pumps, feeding chairs, and child car seats are popular!

#11) Create and Sell Printables

Thanks to the internet, you can sell all sorts of printables. The popular ones include business card templates, wedding invitation designs, sewing patterns, and school worksheets. Either create your own website to market them or utilize platforms such as Etsy. People will fork out significant amounts for planners, chore charts, and budgeting templates!

#12) Buy a Popular Website

Blogs and websites are great for earning passive income. However, you need to put in the initial effort to create content and generate substantial traffic. If you don’t want to start from the ground up, buy an existing website and build on it. Keep in mind that fresh content will maintain the site’s Google ranking.

#13) Sell Your Data

Your data, while not worth a massive amount of money, can still build your bank account. If you conduct much of your life online and don’t mind sharing your digital activities, try this passive earning method. Sell your data to companies such as Nielson, MobileXpression, and Miles. With Miles, you’ll get discounts and gift cards just by walking and driving!

#14) Be a Peer-to-Peer Lender for Real Estate Loans

Have you heard of Groundfloor and PeerStreet? These platforms connect real estate flippers with lenders. As an investor, you’ll earn a 6-9% return on the amount you put down. And since the loans have the backing of property, you’re at a cool advantage. If a borrower can’t afford to repay you, foreclosure helps you regain funds. 

#15) Open a High-Yield Savings Account

Instead of running on autopilot and leaving your money in any ordinary bank account, shop around. Many online savings accounts at FDIC banks will help your cash earn a higher annual percentage yield (APY). Do your research and consider the minimum balance requirements and maintenance fees. With luck, you’ll earn over 5% APY!

#16) Create a YouTube Channel

If you’re a content creator, don’t discount ads as a money generator. YouTube’s partner program helps people earn by placing ads on their videos. Recently, the social media company loosened its rules. Now, you can participate and earn if you meet the following criteria: 

• Have 500 subscribers
• Shared three public uploads within the last 90 days
• Have 3,000 watch hours in the past 365 days or 3 million Shorts views in the last 90 days 

#17) Sell Print-on-Demand Goods

Are you constantly designing t-shirts for yourself and your friends? If people seem to like your designs, it’s safe to say that you can use them to earn passive income. Seek platforms such as Merch by Amazon, Printful, and Zazzle. All you have to do is upload the designs. You won’t have to deal with shipping, returns, and customer service. 

#18) Write a Book

If you have something to say, say it! Being a writer today doesn’t imply having to find a publisher. Today, it’s easier than ever to self-publish with Amazon. You only have to write your book once and reap the royalties for years to come as long as its popularity doesn’t drop to zero! Price your book according to the demand. Take note that if it’s between $2.99 and $9.99, you’ll earn 70% royalty as opposed to 30% if it’s outside that range.

#19) Create an Online Course

Microsoft Sway, Microsoft PowerPoint, Prezi, SlideShare, Canva, and

Easel.ly are all excellent tools for creating online courses. This gig falls under the “create once, sell many times” concept. You can teach practically anything. Look within to discover what knowledge you can share with the world. Perhaps you are an Excel whiz or a master organizer!

#20) Invest in Dividend Stocks

What are the best companies with a good history of paying dividends? With a bit of research, you’ll discover that Target, AT&T, P&G, and Chevron are on that list. While these companies might fall into the “boring” category among youngsters, they are popular for giving out consistent investment returns. So if you have some money lying around, how about investing for dividend cash flow? 

#21) Join an Affiliate Marketing Program

Affiliate marketing is highly profitable, especially once you have a good traffic flow on your website or a substantial following on social media. You’ll find programs for a wide range of industries, such as travel, e-commerce, services, and apps. If you have the power of influence, you may as well wield it!

#22) Advertise With Your Car

Your car is a powerful advertising tool, and companies are well aware of that fact. For that reason, they will pay you to drive around showcasing their brands. This side hustle is passive income at its best. Since you’re using your car anyway to get around, you won’t be putting in any extra effort.

#23) Buy Crowd-Funded Real Estate

The future of real estate investing is here. Today, you don’t need hundreds of thousands to participate in this income-generating venture. With as little as $10, you can start earning dividends on your portfolio of pre-vetted properties. Companies such as Fundrise are leading the pack and enabling people of all backgrounds to get a slice of the pie. 

#24) Sell Photographs

If you capture stunning photographs, you should capitalize on your skill right away. Sell your works of art on sites such as Pixel and Shutterstock. Each photo may not earn you much, but the amount quickly adds up, especially if you know what creative content people want. So do your research, snap away, and pocket your money.

#25) Record Audiobooks

Some people are blessed with a good voice and excellent narration skills. Are you one of them? Purchase some recording equipment and start creating audiobooks. Audible, Amazon, and ACX are three companies that pay you substantial amounts for doing so. In general, payments occur either by per-finished hour or royalty share. 

#26) Start a Dropshipping Store

Dropshipping has been a hot topic among hustlers for the past 10 years. While the market may pose a slight over-saturation, you can still make money from this gig. It doesn’t require too much effort and is a great way to start an e-commerce business without worrying about inventory and shipping. 

Setting Up a Successful Passive Side Hustle: Best Practices

Now that you know you can’t depend on your day job forever, you’re probably itching to set up your passive side hustle. Before you do that, familiarize yourself with the best practices to avoid making crucial mistakes.  

• Go Beyond a Google Search: When searching for a side hustle, you may begin Googling for ideas. The internet search may give you thousands of options. However, you may not have a complete vision of all the work that will go into the side gig until you do more in-depth research. Cover all your ground. It also helps to get in touch with someone who’s successfully launched a business in your area of interest. 
• Monetize Your Passion: To avoid starting something and quitting it before you see any real progress, choose a side hustle that banks on your passion. That way, you’ll have a reason to follow through. Consider your skills and hobbies. Ask yourself what topics your friends always ask for advice on. The answer will help you narrow down on a niche. 
• Conduct Market Research: Once you have a list of probably side hustles, determine which ones are worth your time and effort. Most importantly, find out if there’s a market for your products and services. Once you have an idea, you’ll be able to formulate a clear business and pricing plan. Other than that, figure out what other hustlers are doing right and the things you can improve on. 
• Pitch Your Idea: Once you create a reasonable business plan, start pitching your idea to the people around you. It helps if they have the experience you lack. They’ll be able to tell you if you’re on the right track or not. If you need a wider audience, create a thread on Reddit for advice, but take all the comments with a grain of salt. 
• Identify the Best Marketing Strategies: To launch your side hustle off the ground, you may have to put a lot of work into marketing. Find the most effective way to communicate with your target audience, whether through social media, email, or a website. If you need to, take a course on SEO best practices and apply your knowledge to scale. Don’t hesitate to outsource your marketing efforts; some work is best left to the pros. 
• Avoid Conflicts: Some side hustles may pose a conflict with your current job. So before investing your time, money, and energy elsewhere, read through your employee handbook. Your company may prohibit you from running ventures or set limits on the types of work you can do outside your hours. As a rule, check with HR to avoid any conflicts of interest. 
• Set Realistic Targets: At the initial stage, your side hustle may require high levels of time and effort on your part. Therefore, if you have other commitments, such as family, you’ll need to create a schedule that works. You don’t want to neglect what’s important to you. Divide your time well for your mental health. Burnout among side hustlers is real.
• Keep Your Accounts Straight: Setting up a business means keeping track of how much you spend and earn. Always note that you may have to pay taxes on your earnings. To make things easier, work with an accountant familiar with side hustles. They will help you create a clear delineation and set up good accounting rules. These moves will avoid a big tax bill and late payment fees.  

Inspirational Success Stories: Passive Side Hustlers Who Made It Big

Learning about how other people are reducing their dependence on regular paychecks will make you more determined to exit the rat race. You don’t have to be a master’s degree holder or 20 years of work experience to be a successful side hustler. Let’s regale some stories to whet your appetite. 

• Jasmine McCall, known as “Jazzy Mac,” is a multi-talented individual excelling in finance, motherhood, and YouTube. With her expertise in finance, she offers valuable insights on generating passive income, eliminating debt, and cultivating wealth. Jasmine also provides educational kits that guide users through essential topics such as credit-building, career development, and the process of purchasing a home. She works two hours a day and makes $105,000 a month in passive income from her side hustle.
• Quinn Miller used to work in sales. In 2020, he got into the vending machine business and invested $5,000 in equipment. To date, he has almost 60 machines in his hometown, bringing in around $30,000 every month. Quinn enjoys a lot of free time now, working only six hours each week. 
• Rachel Jimenez, a 34-year-old mother of two, had ventured into numerous side hustles before she embarked on her Etsy journey in 2019. In her Etsy store, Jimenez specializes in selling printables, which are downloadable documents that customers can print on their own. Her store showcases a diverse range of offerings, including Christmas scavenger hunts and digital planners. Remarkably, she made almost $160,000 in 2021 while working full-time.  

Key Takeaways

If you’re serious about making money on the side, don’t just research and talk about it. Put in the work and make that first step, whatever it is. The diversification of income will surely benefit you and your family in the long run. You’ll have more time and money to spend on things that matter, the possibility of quitting your full-time job, and more. 

We’ve done the hard work for you in compiling this article. Now, it’s time for you to choose what side hustle with paid surveys is right for you. Start the ball rolling with something small, such as selling your leftover internet connection. Once you enjoy the taste of that first bite, you’ll be hungry for more!