Before you start reading this post, you must keep in mind that it won’t be as easy as signing up for a program, kicking your feet up and watching your bank account rise. If only it were that easy, everyone on this planet would be retired by now.
Instead, I want to offer up some ideas as to how you can make money doing nothing only once your project takes off. In some other cases, you could make some money doing nothing, but it won’t make you too much.
Commonly referred to as a passive income source, I wanted to talk about the many ways you can start making money today and see it continue to come in, even when you’re doing nothing.
Again, you will have to work hard in the beginning, but I can promise you that if you stick to it, great things can happen, I can tell you that much.
For now, take a look at the many options I’m about to list and see if any are of interest. If so, be sure to follow some of the links I provide for more information. Right now, I’m going to keep this more of a summary-like post, wherein I just talk about the many ways to make money doing nothing, but I won’t go in depth. Instead, I will link out to some of my favorite resources.
With that out of the way, let’s begin!
How to Make Money Doing Nothing at All (25+ Ways)
Invest in Dividend Stocks
This is what I do and it is one of the best ways to earn money all while doing absolutely nothing. It takes money, of course, but if you treat your investing like a bill, it’s amazing how fast your dividend income can rise.
This deserves its own blog post, but I will explain it as quick as possible just to give you an idea as to how it works.
For me, the goal is to find a solid consistent stock that pays a great dividend (I will link to a book later) and one that raises its dividend at least six to eight percent a year.
These dividends are what the companies will pay you, generally every quarter, just for having the stock. Investopedia does a better job explaining it.
So, using an easy example, let’s say you invest $100 in a company paying a 4% dividend. This means that every year, you will get $4 back in your account or about $1 four times a year, every quarter just for holding the stock. That’s it.
I know, it doesn’t sound like much at first, but as these companies raise their dividends annually and you make it a habit to invest, it’s amazing how fast your monthly income will rise. $1,000 equals $400, $100,000 equals $4,000 a year and so forth.
This is how the rich get richer and you can do so too. If you have the discipline to invest and don’t mind investing for your future, I highly recommend you check out the book, Get Rich with Dividends to learn more about how this strategy works.
Consider Index Funds Instead
Yes, dividend stocks can take some work, but if you don’t want to gamble with your investments and learning the ropes, I understand.
Instead, consider investing in an index fund which basically does the dirty work for you and even pays dividends, much like what I explained above.
Index funds are said to be the safest investments on the market, closely following the S&P 500, earning you more than 9 percent in annual returns in some cases!
Even if you’re not looking to make extra cash, it’s a great investment to consider for your future, no matter how old you are.
Write a Book
Yes, writing a book does take a lot of work, I understand that, but once the book is written, it’s up to you to list it, promote it and watch the money come in. More work, I know.
And, unlike the past, where you needed a publisher and shelving space at your local bookstore, this isn’t the case anymore as Amazon allows anyone to publish an eBook on its platform through its Kindle Direct Publishing program.
Of course, to become successful, you do need to know what you’re doing, all of which can’t be done in this subheading, so, for now, I recommend you check out a few of these low-cost books on Amazon.
Writing a book is a fantastic way to watch checks come in, but as you can imagine, you will need to invest a lot of your time before your hard work pays off.
Refer Friends to Research Companies and Apps
A lot of the survey companies I mention on here have awesome referral programs, wherein the research company will pay you to refer your friends and even continue to reward you as your friend earns cash with the platform.
Simply create an account with these platforms, receive your unique URL to track your referrals and then give them the link to sign up. You can also market in other creative ways to earn money as well. Just make sure you’re not spamming!
For example, Swagbucks will pay you $3 when your referrals earn $3 in their first month plus 10% of their earnings for life. If you could even get 10 of your friends to earn $500 a month cumulatively, that’s an easy $50 a month.
Sure, you will have to refer your friends, but if you can get a handful of friends to join and they continue to use these platforms, it’s a wonderful way to make money doing nothing really.
If you don’t mind referring people, I recommend you also check out MyPoints, FusionCash and instaGC as all of these companies have great referral programs as well.
Aside from the survey companies, DoorDash and Uber will pay a pretty penny for referrals as well if you download the apps and sign up. Heck, you don’t even need to work for them as referrals can pay great cash, too!
Create an App
Like writing a book, creating an app will take some work, especially if you don’t have the programming knowledge, but once everything is done, money can be made as people download the app and view your ads and/or make in-app purchases. There are quite a few ways to make money with apps.
Even if you don’t have the programming knowledge, don’t worry just yet as there are some pretty cool books online that can teach how to do it. Some are even free.
Don’t have the patience or just don’t want to learn?
That’s fine, too.
If you have the cash, consider buying someone else’s app that’s already making money right now through brokers such as Flippa and start making money while you sleep right away.
Rent out Your Car
Have a car and don’t mind renting it out to strangers?
I know.
The idea sounds quite scary, but if you really dig deep and explore your options, it’s actually not as bad as you think!
For instance, Turo.com, one of the larger companies online that allow you to do this, offers a $1 million liability insurance policy with all rentals and they let you post your car for free.
You get to set your own rates, pick the days you want to rent it out and pretty much run the show. Plus, since people are renting from an individual rather than a company, most tend to be much more careful with the car.
Just hand over the keys for the day and make $20+.
If interested, I recommend checking out Turo.com or GetAround.com to see how much you can make and how the whole thing works.
Start a Blog
I have mentioned this idea a million times over on this blog, but in my opinion, it’s one of the best ways to make money while doing nothing… eventually.
Yes, like writing and many of these other ideas, it will take work to get the ball rolling, but once you do, it’s so satisfying to log in and see money in your advertising accounts.
Again, I would love to tell you how to make money while blogging, but for now, I highly recommend you check out my favorite free resources: Ahrefs, Authority Hacker, Income School, and Backlinko.
All of these resources are 100% free and will teach you everything you need to know. It’s just up to you to take action, create a game plan and have the patience to watch your blog grow.
In short, you’re going to want to pick out a niche, find low competition keywords that you can write about and sprinkle in some offers/ads that make you money.
In the blogging world, you will see a lot of bloggers pushing $100+ courses, and while some have great reviews, I highly recommend avoiding these as the free resources I mentioned above will have everything you need to know about making cash in the blogging world.
Rent out a Room
It doesn’t get much easier than renting out a room to a full-time roommate or even a temporary traveler.
And, in today’s technological era, it’s easier than ever to find somebody who needs a room like the one you have.
As long as you have a room, or even home available, then there’s no reason you can’t make $200+ a month. This greatly depends on what you’re offering and where you live.
I recommend at least using Airbnb if you want to deal with temporary travelers, but if you want a full-time roommate, then Craigslist, Roomster, and SpareRoom.com should be ones to consider.
Real Estate/Rentals
This could be a lot of work, I know, but if you have the capital to purchase a home, condo and/or apartment, this could be the option that earns you the most on your list.
Now, if you hire a property management company, you’re truly working hands off, meaning you can earn cash doing nothing really. How much you make really depends on your expenses and how much you can get for your rent. Some can make hundreds, while some barely break even.
Even if you manage yourself, you’re barely putting the effort in.
For example, I owned rentals in the past and probably invested one to two hours of my time a month answering questions or lining up contractors. It wasn’t much.
Again, it’s going to take a lot of money up front, but as with all my guides, I want to include all of the options possible.
Even with no real estate experience, I recommend you read the highly rated, low-cost book, Build a Rental Empire to learn more about how to manage your rentals properly. It will go in much more depth than I can right now.
Take Advantage of Your Phone
As a warning, these methods will not earn you much money. I’m talking a few dollars, but these methods will make you something as soon as right now.
What’s known as lockscreen apps, these apps will show up on your lockscreen whenever you unlock your phone. You can unlock your phone just as you normally would, but the biggest difference is that you will often see an ad, all of which you can interact with or just open your phone as you normally would.
Just for keeping this lockscreen option on your phone, these companies will reward you for letting it run in the background. That’s it.
Again, don’t expect a ton of money here, but if you don’t mind seeing an advertisement every time you open your phone, it’s one to consider.
If you like this idea, be sure to check out some of the highest rated lockscreen apps such as S’more.
Switch to Bing
This sounds silly, but did you know that Bing will reward you every time you make a search via its Microsoft Rewards program.
It’s not a lot, but if you’re already searching the web, why not get rewarded for your time? The points really do add up.
Bing results aren’t always the best, but for me, I can usually find what I’m looking for. Worst case, you can head to Google.
Follow this link to learn more about the program and learn how it works as I wrote about the program in depth.
Aside from Bing, Swagbucks will reward you to search the web as well.
Get Paid to Sleep
Yes, it’s not clickbait, I promise!
You can make money while sleeping, all of which I cover in this blog post, but if you don’t want to read it, let me explain how it works.
Basically, to make money while you’re sleeping, you’re going to want to find local medical studies willing to pay you while you sleep. It can be a bit tough in some cases, but if you’re lucky to find a gig, it can pay hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars!
Follow this link for more information as to how you can take advantage.
Sell Your Photos
A lot of companies I mention in my 20+ ways to make money taking pictures allow you to sell your pictures over and over again. Only some companies do, however, so make sure you read the restrictions before submitting your photos. You can usually find this information in the terms and conditions before signing up.
For example, on Shutterstock, you could earn up to $75 per download. Doing the math, 10 downloads a day at $1 could earn you an easy $300 a month doing nothing once your photos are uploaded and people continue to buy. Of course, your results may vary, but the money is there.
Sure, you do need to take pictures at first, but once you have hundreds or even thousands in your inventory, the recurring sales should start to slowly come in, making for a great passive income.
To learn more, either refer to the post mentioned prior or consider some of the largest websites such as Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, and Alamy, to name a few.
Make Videos on YouTube
Another passive income opportunity that can make you money for months or even years to come.
Like blogging and many of the options mentioned prior, you will need to create the videos at first and create something of value, but as time goes on, the money will slowly roll in, even when you’re not working.
So, essentially, once you put in the work, you’re making money doing absolutely nothing.
YouTube is a very powerful platform, serving billions of views every single day, so why not jump and take 0.0001% of these views and make some cash? As a rule of thumb, every 1,000 views should net you at least $2, but you could make a lot more with private advertisers as well.
To learn more about YouTube and how to make money, edit videos and succeed overall, I do recommend you check out the very popular book, YouTube Secrets. This highly-rated book will teach you all the tricks to rank, make money and gain subscribers.
House Sit
Why not house sit for others and do the same thing you would do as if you were in your own home?
Now, some people may want you to perform a few chores, but generally, it’s no more than watering a few plants, maybe getting the mail or taking out the trash once you leave.
In many cases, homeowners just want you to watch their house, but some may want you to watch their pets while you stay at home.
Regardless, it’s a fantastic way to kick back and just make sure the house is in order, all while making a few bucks.
To find people who need a home sitter, I recommend TrustedHousesitters.com, HouseCarers.com, MindMyHouse.com, and Nomador.com.
Become an Extra in a Commercial or Movie
If acting is your thing, consider looking into becoming an extra in an upcoming film or even commercial.
Depending on how you’re cast, you could earn royalties every single time your show or commercial airs, making for a great way to earn money while doing nothing.
Again, this isn’t always the case, but to learn more about royalties and how they work, refer to this Marketplace.org post.
Watch Videos and TV
It sounds appealing, but you won’t get paid a ton.
Websites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars will reward you to watch plenty of videos but do keep in mind it won’t be much, maybe a few dollars a day.
Regardless, if you want to watch some new entertainment and get rewarded for your time, it’s something to consider. It’s kind of like doing nothing since you’re just watching a show, no different than you usually would.
Be sure to check out my 28+ free ways to make money while watching TV if you like the idea.
Wait in Line
Did you know people will actually pay you to wait in line for a certain event?
From getting the new iPhone to shows that only sell at the box office, you can usually find these gigs on a very popular app known as TaskRabbit.com. Since some people don’t want to wait 8+ hours in a line, they would rather pay someone else to do it for them.
And while these jobs aren’t always open, I have seen them posted before on the app. You just have to be quick when seeing them as they tend to go fast because you’re doing nothing for the money after all.
Aside from getting paid to stand in line, TaskRabbit offers a million other ways to make money, making for a great side job if interested.
Create T-shirts
Similar to that of uploading your photos and waiting for a buyer, creating a t-shirt can work in the same way.
In the t-shirt world, there are multiple platforms you can sell your t-shirt graphics on, most of which I covered in my 500+ ways to make money post. Some of my favorites include Merch by Amazon and Teespring.
In short, you will create a t-shirt design, upload it to the platform and wait for your buyers. Once it sells, the platform does the rest, from printing the shirt to shipping it to the customer. It’s really a hands-off approach.
Even though the company will take a hefty commission, sometimes as much as 40%+, you can still easily earn $5 per t-shirt, making for a great passive income opportunity.
To learn more about the t-shirt world and how you can succeed, there are many highly rated books on Amazon that teach you how to the platforms work as well as how you can maximize your profits.
Create an Online Course
Think of any skill you have right now. C’mon, I know you have at least one.
Take that skill and consider writing an in-depth course, much like a book, only that you will do it online, often via video, documents and/or a mix of both.
Creating a course will take a lot of work, but basically, once it’s finished, it’s as easy as waiting for people to continue to buy it. As long as it’s highly reviewed and you market it properly, your sales could skyrocket as you prove your worth.
If considering a paid course, Udemy is by far one of the biggest platforms on the internet, but you could consider self-hosting as well. Going this route could limit your eyeballs as you have to promote your website as well.
Rent out Your Garage
Like renting out your room or even your home, some people actually want to rent out your garage and turn it into a storage unit.
As long as you have the room and don’t mind having someone store their goods inside, it could be a wonderful way to earn $50+ per month.
To learn more about how you can rent out your garage and make some extra cash, consider placing an ad on Craiglist or check out JustPark to list yours.
Be a Friend to Someone
From going to the movies or even a sporting event, there are a lot of people who just want a friend for the afternoon.
As long as you don’t mind meeting up with strangers and enjoying the day, this is a great way to have some great fun, all while being paid and meeting new people.
If interested, I highly recommend you create an account on RentaFriend.com to see if anyone is interested in purchasing your services. Be sure to check out my RentaFriend review as I wrote about the website in detail.
Play Video Games
To some, playing video games can be a way to earn money while technically doing nothing. Yes, you’re having fun and will have to stream your gameplay, but it could earn you some cash, even when you’re not playing since you can put up replays.
As a very competitive field, there is a learning curve, but if you have the personality and are playing the right games, there’s no reason you can’t earn some donations. Like most of these options, it will take some work.
Most gamers make their money on Twitch, but there are other lesser known platforms to consider as well.
Personally, I haven’t dabbled with making money with video games, but there are plenty of guides out there that teach you how it’s done.
Download Dosh to Earn Free Cash
If you’re already out and about making purchases with your credit card, then why not link it with the Dosh app and get cash back on the purchases you’re already making.
And, if you’re unfamiliar with the app, here’s how it works…
Download the Dosh app. It’s 100% free and only takes seconds to do.
Then, connect a credit card you always use for most of your purchases. Don’t worry, Dosh uses 256-bit SSL encryption, basically meaning your information is protected.
Then, once your card is connected, make your purchases as you normally would. If any purchases are made at a store listed in the app, you get cash back, sometimes as much as 10%+
How much you make will depend on where you shop, but plan on making at least a few dollars for the average shopping spree.
If you truly want a set it and forget it, it’s tough to beat this one.
Final Thoughts
The lesson here is that you will almost always have to earn your money in some way or another unless you came into a lot of cash, of course. 99% of us aren’t that lucky.
There are ways to make money while essentially doing nothing, but you just have to realize that you will have to pour in a lot of work for very little money at first to see a ton of dividends in the future. For some, this can be a turnoff. I understand.
I tried to include as many options as possible, but of course, there’s probably more!
If I’m missing any and/or you want to comment on the ideas I mentioned, then, by all means, feel free to do so in the comments below.
In the meantime, find an idea you like, research the topic a pinch more and hopefully, you can see paychecks roll in while not lifting a finger.
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Thanks for informative article. But I noticed that you didnt motioned one cool platform (it wont pay you instantly, more like monthly payment) – Honeygain. Yea, it wont make you fortune but it can make around $25 per month just by leaving this app running on your devices background. So basically this is an app that lets you sell your unused internet traffic via it.