16.) Make a YouTube channel
Is there something in your life that you are passionate about? A hobby, interest, collectible item? If so, then you are already on your way to having your own YouTube channel. All it takes is a keen interest in something, the drive to want to engage others about your interest, and a camera. I have seen some YouTube stars with huge lighting rigs, expensive camera equipment and microphones, and professional editing - but none of that is necessary to get started.
Amazon has a 4k HD action camera with 2 thousand reviews that I've linked below; couple that with a small tripod and you are ready to start making your videos. Don't worry about getting crazy fancy with them, but you will want a nice backdrop, a room with good lighting, and a script to stick to. Play around with it, review the footage, make any changes needed, then shoot it again. You aren't wasting film, just battery, so do different takes, change your lines up and just have fun. Before you know it you will have all the footage you need to edit together a product review, show someone how to bake, or how to fix their car.
Once you build up a small viewer base you can monetize your videos with ads, make a website, write a blog- so many of these passive income ideas go hand in hand. Cast many wide nets to catch the most fish.
17.) Investments
Oh boy, what a topic. There is so much information out there on products and services available that it will blow your mind and send you into a search-blackhole. I will be going over many of the options in The Blog! and I hope you head over there and check them out. Investing is a tricky deal, with tons of ways to both make and lose money. While there are some that are relatively safe (like CD's) the payout is much lower than riskier investments. Please, for the love of Southern Sweet Tea, don't fall for sites and services that say "Get Rich Quick!" or "Double Your Investment Gaurunteed!" because honestly, no one can gauruntee you anything like that. Some of the best investments I have seen are property, because we aren't making any more land.
For most of us, our available investment capital is far too low. I spoke to a financial advisor over the phone about setting up a portfolio, getting into annuities and bonds, and he made the statement that pretty much ended the converastion for me: "Unless you have $10,000 to invest, don't waste my time." I can't afford my kayak (oh kayak, you sweet, beautiful water chariot of fishing bliss) let alone give someone $10k and not have access to it. Do your research, have the conversation with your SO if you have one, and make an informed decision before you commit to anything.
18.) Growing / raising your own food
Now, call me crazy - I'm just a simple man from Kentucky, but I have never understood why people refuse to put their hands in the dirt and grow their own vegetables. For that matter, I don't understand why more people don't raise their own chickens.... It's literally free eggs every day. Sound crazy to you? I bet you've never thought of it this way, but in our not so distant past we didn't go into debt over our homes. Our homes made us money.
Today, we happily sign up for 30 year mortgages and spend a great portion of our lives paying for our house. Our ancestors used their house and property as a location to generate income for their families. They did this through farming, raising livestock, canning their own food, producing their own handmade goods, and they did all of it without a bank.
Last year I tried an experiment where I grew greenbeans, onions, carrots, raddishes, marigolds, and small cucumbers in a raised bed in my backyard. It did so well, with so little work, that I ended up expanding and added lettuce in another bed. I spent a grand total of around 7 dollars on the seeds, a few dollars a bag for some cheap potting soil, and I found the lumber to make the beds. Growing our own food is not hard, but it IS something that we have been taught less and less about.
Animals, while probably not doable for many of you, is still a viable option for some of you. Check your city ordinances or HOAs before you go out and buy yourself a flock of yard birds! 3-4 chickens can produce as many eggs every day for the duration of their laying life, then after that they are a free chicken to roast or BBQ. Before some of you even get ready to open your mouth about how aweful it would be to eat your own chicken, I would like to remind you that I live near an area where chickens are kept in cages. They are given zero room to move about, and are fed foods high in chemicals and antibiotics to grow and stay alive until it is time for them to butcher them with zero compassion. You have no problem buying that meat in the store, so you should have no problem giving a chicken a good life until you humanely put it down and fry that bad boy up.
Try growing vegetables in a pot on the windowsill, or if possible keep a single chicken in the backyard. The benefits far outweigh the costs, and the reconnection to a dying way of life is something truly special that I feel more of our society should experience.
19.) Scrapping / Recycling
If you live in an area with recycling, stop giving away your aluminum cans. You are literally giving away money. I have an article about scrapping in The Blog!, so I won't go into detail here. Suffice it to say, there is money to be made in that pile of Mt. Dew cans on your computer desk.
20.) Energy savings / Generation
As an Electrician I am in a pretty good position to talk to you about your energy usage and alternate/green energy sources. This top is too broad to come even in a long section here, so I've broken it down into multiple blog posts on The Blog! and cover topics from sizing a solar array, battery storage, water turbines, and basic electricity conservation. Check back regularly for updates!
Now that you've gone through the list, check out The Blog! for an in depth look at many of the ideas you've just read about, and more!
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I link products mainly for you to get ideas from. The links don't add any extra cost to any of the product recommendations on this site.