12.) Make a website
Sounds hard, but it's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. There are many sites available that offer free webpage templates and all the spiffy things that can make a 'meh' website into something pretty special. Make sure you pick a subject you have experience with (unlike me), and don't pander on and on. Spend time writing quality content for your site, no matter what the topic, because content is one of the key factors in the growth and longevity of your site.
After you've decided who will host your site (Wix is amazing), and you've created your content, you can begin to monetize your traffic with ads. Ads can be intrusive, and using too many can put people off from your site, so try to find a good balance between ads and content. I am currently in the process of getting approved through BidVertiser and Google Adsense, and since I decided to publish this site as a work in progress it has been a rocky start. Check out The Blog! for more details and the lessons I'm learning about site building, blogging, opossum wranglin', and my outdoor pursuits.
Important Note: Building this site, and the subsequent blog, has taken me about a week so far and will require much more time and effort. Though I am searchable to an extent on Google and other search engines, It will likely be a year or more before my site is ranked anywhere near enough to the top to be able to make any kind of consistant revenue. I have seen plenty of sites advertise ranking services, free backlinks, and other scams to entice you in. Stay the course, and realize up front that in order for this option to pan out, it is a serious commitment.
13.) Write a blog
Similar to building a website, writing a blog is more inline with a real passion of yours - something you want to write about often. The trick with a blog is creating a LOT of informational content, whether it's your journey across America, or the restoration of a beloved family vehicle, and worry about your monetization afterwards. Be genuine, include pictures, and think about adding a way for your readers to ask questions or comment; there is a wealth of untapped information in your readers, and it may even lead to exciting new content for you.
14.) Rental Properties
This can be as in-depth as purchasing a house to rent out, or as simple as renting out a spare room on Airbnb. Have a garage you never use? Convert it a rentable room. The more there is to do in and around your area, the better your results will be with Airbnb, but as far as renting to a new roommate - this type of revenue cannot be beaten. I will be adding much more detailed information on rental properties in the future, as I may be going this route myself in the next year or so.
15.) Baby Sitting
If you are a stay at home parent, or if you do not work on the weekends, this is one of those classic ideas that so many people gloss over. If you have children, and you watch your own children... you should be watching other children. It's that simple - other people wish they could save on daycare, and you can make that happen. Call around to local daycares and ask about their rates - and then undercut them by a fair margin. The idea is to make it affordable enough that they can't resist it, but not so cheap that they wonder what you are going to do to their child. Weekend nights are the sweet spot for babysitting, as many couples want to take a date night. They drop the child off, you provide dinner, and before you know it the child is asleep. A cute little sleeping bundle of money. Start off with one, and if you are comfortable with the extra effort maybe try to find another child to sit.
This method does work, and is not something new. The difference between you and every other daycare is that you are not trying to cram 20+ children into a room with 1 or 2 sitters.
Continue on to see more of my favorite passive and near-passive income ideas!
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