If the thought of making money while you sleep has crossed your mind, you’re not alone.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to make money while asleep?

Even though it’s a very cliché saying, you can make money in your sleep.  And, yes, what I’m about to mention is scam free, I promise you that.  It’s going to take some work to get the ball rolling, but once the momentum starts, it’s hard to slow it down.  Most people give up, and it’s the main reason why they can’t create that passive income opportunity, allowing them to earn money while asleep. Everyone thinks making money online is easy, but in reality, it isn’t at first.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the many legitimate ways to make money while you’re sleeping.

There’s an old saying by Warren Buffet, who noted it perfectly: “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

Again, it will take some work, but if you have the right work ethic, anything is possible.  As long as you don’t become a statistic that quits after the first few days, you can make it.  I’m proof of it, and I know it’s possible.

If you’re willing to dig in, then let’s check out the many ways to make money while you sleep.

As always, everything I promote is 100% honest.

How to Make Money While You Sleep

Write an eBook

The nice thing about the internet today is that you don’t need a publisher to create an eBook.  Self publishing is easier than ever with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.  It’s 100% free and anyone can do it with internet access.

Find a niche and then write a book on that very topic.  It can be anything, as long as it’s interesting, of course.  Preferably, you should try to stick to at least 80 to 100 pages to consider it a success, but you can write much more than that.

Once your book is live, it will show up in the Amazon search results, and after it starts to gain traction with reviews, you can earn money while you’re asleep.  You can, however, promote it via other methods as well, such as your social media channels and website.

Create an Online Course

Picture an online course almost like a virtual classroom.  You can record a class of sorts and then people can buy it off you to learn whatever skills you want to pass onto them.  It’s a great way to make money while you sleep because once you record, you’re done for a while until you create another course.  These webinars will run 24/7, teaching whatever you may want to teach.

And, the great thing about these courses is that you don’t need to have a website to promote them as there are many third-party platforms that can help you such as Kajabi, Udemy or Teachable, to name a few.  You can also create your own courses through your website as well.

To create a course, think of what you may want to offer that’s of value to others.  This can include learning an instrument, maybe helping someone master a piece of software or helping with a school subject.  These are just ideas, but there are a ton of ways to help others in the form of a webinar.

It can be anything, as long as it offers value.

Lend Money to Strangers

There are a ton of what’s known as peer-to-peer lending platforms.  These platforms work similar to that of how a bank would work, only that you’re the bank.

People ask for money, and in exchange for helping them, they pay you interest.  Depending on what you invest, you could make 10%+ on your money.  The higher your interest rate, however, the riskier your investment may be.  Don’t worry, though, as you will know who you’re dealing with before you invest your cash.

Websites such as Prosper, Zopa and Lending Club will connect you with people looking to borrow money.  It’s a great way to start investing now and earning interest on your money while you sleep.

Start a Blog

This one will take the most work, but I feel it’s one of the best options on this list.  I have blogged for many years now and have made quite the living from it.

It would be next to impossible for me to explain how blogging works in this little snippet, so I will point you to some of my favorite free resources:  Income School, Authority Hacker, Backlinko, Quick Sprout and the Ahrefs Blog.

In reading those resources, it should get you on the right path to blogging for profits.  I’m not the type who sells $1,000 courses, so you won’t find that here.  Instead, I try to help you learn without having to pay a dime.

Like the options mentioned here, think of a niche, start writing while doing keyword research and capitalize on the traffic that visits your site.  From affiliate marketing to display ads, there are a ton of ways to earn cash from your traffic.

Buy an Existing Website

If you don’t have the time to create a blog or you just don’t want to start from scratch, consider buying a website already bringing in revenue.

Flippa,  FEI International, and EmpireFlippers are a few of the reputable website marketplaces which have a ton of websites making $100+ a month.

If you do go this route, just make sure you know what you’re buying and how the website is making its money.  There are a lot of scams out there, so research is extremely important.

Become a YouTuber

This one is similar to that of a website, only that you will create content visually rather than typing it out.

Once your videos upload, it’s in cyberspace forever, which means money whenever someone watches them.

This is another option that will take some time, but it can pay off once you build an audience.

Real Estate

Let’s go the traditional route and think about real estate.  It’s going to take an investment and the right property, but this is a fantastic way to make money while you’re sleeping

If you don’t like the digital methods mentioned, this is one of your best options, as people will always need a place to live.  With a long-term rental, you can secure a tenant who will send you a check every month.  Worst case, you have to work on some repairs or replace flooring, etc, every so often.

Real estate is here to stay, so why not learn about your local markets and see if there’s anything worth renting out?

Invest in Crowdfunded Real Estate

If you like the appeal of real estate but you don’t want to be involved, then you may want to consider the crowdfunded real estate route.

Crowdfunded real estate funds you to invest in real estate, but you don’t have to do the dirty work.  These funds pay you a portion of the profits, similar to that of a stock, and in some cases, it can be as high as 20%+ annually.  Your results will vary, however.

There are a lot of these companies out there, so I recommend this Investopedia article highlighting some of the better options available.

Sell Stock Photos

If you love to take pictures, consider putting up your work on the many websites that allow you to do so.

Similar to that of creating a website or video, customers can purchase your photos, either exclusively or the rights, allowing you to collect money as you sleep.  If you allow people to buy the rights, then your photos can be up forever, creating a small income stream.  Just imagine how much you can make if you upload thousands of quality photos.

There are a lot of websites that allow you to sell your pictures, all of which I covered in this post.

Dividend Stocks

This is one of my favorite ways to make money while I sleep.  In fact, it’s one of my largest money makers and it’s one of the best ways to earn a passive income.

To be short, when you purchase a dividend paying stock, the company will pay you, usually quarterly, a dividend, based upon the number of shares you own.  Every share pays a dividend, and the great thing is that a good company will increase this dividend rate annually, which means a raise every 365 days.

Granted, there are a lot of dividend stocks out there, some great, some bad, so it’s very important you know what you’re buying before you dive in.  For that reason, I recommend one of the many higher rated books on Amazon to help you.

Build an App

If you have the coding skills, consider creating an app and then uploading it to the app stores.  Like the few options I mentioned, this app could be on anything.

Even if you don’t have the coding skills, you could hire someone to help you if you feel you have a unique idea that could yield thousands of downloads.

If your app does well enough, then you can earn either by charging a small fee to download it or via the ads you implement within the app.

Rent a Room Out

If you’re comfortable with renting out a room in your house, this is another great way to earn money while sleeping.

Whether you want to rent it out temporarily for a day or two to tourists or you want to live with someone full-time, renting out a room can yield you hundreds per month.

Airbnb is a great place to start if you’re looking for a temporary roommate, whereas local Facebook groups can help you find a full-time roommate.

Rent Your Car

This is another rental option to consider, as long as you don’t mind a stranger driving around your car.

Turo, for example, connects you with people in your area who need to rent a car.  If you live in the right city and have a desirable car, it’s possible to earn up to $1,000+ a month renting your car out.

Design Merchandise

This is another creative outlet I wanted to mention, in which can create you a passive income.

With this option, you can create an image of sorts and then allow people to purchase it on a t-shirt, poster, hat, etc.  The best thing about it is that you don’t have to create the merchandise.  You just have to upload the art and then wait for a sale.  Once you make a sale, the company sends the product out.

If interested, a few of my favorite platforms to sell on include Threadless, CafePress, Teespring and Redbubble.

License Music

Like taking pictures and designing merchandise, licensing music can create a passive income opportunity as well.

Websites such as LuckStock, Soundotcom and AudioJungle can help you sell your music.  People often turn to these websites to buy music for their YouTube videos, games and so forth.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to work around the clock to earn cash, as you can see.  If you have the motivation to start a project, you can earn money while you’re sleeping.  It’s just going to take some work.

As long as you’re not the 99% that quits in a month, I don’t see why you can’t succeed.  I’ve been earning a passive income for years because I wanted to.  How bad do you want it?

That’s going to wrap it up for now.

If you have ideas I’m missing or you want to comment on what’s been noted, you’re more than welcome to add to the comments section below.  Thanks for stopping by!