6 Unique Ways for Millennials To Earn Passive Income in 2025

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With housing costs and grocery prices still rising, many Americans are looking for creative ways to boost their incomes. This is especially true for younger generations, who are still early in their careers.

According to an Intuit consumer survey, 65% of millennials and Gen Zers have either started a side hustle or plan to in 2025. If you fall into this group, knowing that not all side hustles are created equal is essential. Some can be extremely rewarding but require a lot of your time. However, others can be more passive. That means less work and the same income.

Keep reading as we explore six unique ways millennials can earn passive income in 2025.

Purchase a Vending Machine

While vending machines require some upfront capital, this method can be a great way to earn passive income.

You can purchase a vending machine through a company like VendTek or find one locally on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. 

Once you have your first machine, you must decide where to put it. Some places to consider are schools, universities, business offices, apartments and laundromats. 

Once you’ve secured your location, you’ll need to fill it with whatever you plan to sell. Then, you can sit back and collect the profits. The only work will be checking on the machine and having it refilled when inventory runs low.

Rent Out Your Space

Renting out your home or even a room in your home has been a popular way to make extra money for a long time. However, some ways to make passive income from your home don’t require renting out any livable space.

If you have an extra garage or driveway space, you could rent it. The same goes for storage space in your basement or a shed in your backyard. Websites like Neighbor.com provide homeowners with a marketplace for renting out unused space. 

Rent Out Your Car

The sharing economy has come a long way over the past decade. Today, you can lend out just about anything, including your car. If you live in a more urban area or don’t use your car often, you can rent it on a site like Turo.

You set your rates, and Turo provides the insurance. This could be a great way to earn passive income. The Turo website even features a few stories about how people have created sustainable businesses by renting out a fleet of cars. 

Sell Designs

Are you a creative person who loves to draw? You could make money selling your designs. Sites like CafePress allow you to upload your designs on things like coffee mugs, T-shirts and other items. You can then sell these items to others.

Rent Your Household Items

Have you ever needed something but knew you’d only use it once, so it wasn’t worth buying? Many people are in the same situation. If you have things lying around your home, such as tools, musical instruments, party furniture or just about anything else you can think of, consider renting them out through a website like Fatllama.com. 

You get paid for unused items, and someone else avoids buying something that won’t be used.

Write a Book

Is there something that you’re an expert in? Maybe it’s traveling through Italy or integrating AI into your daily life. If you have something that you’d consider yourself an expert, you could write a book and help others. 

Writing a book can be a lot of work initially, but it can be passive and rewarding. Each time your book sells, you get paid a royalty.

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