9 Low-Effort Ways to Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week)

Earning passive income doesn’t need to be difficult. You can start this week.
Most of the time, if you want to earn money, you have to work for it. That’s kind of the whole arrangement we’ve all agreed upon. Unless, that is, we’re talking about passive income. It’s right there in the name — it’s passive. You can earn money while you’re sleeping, hanging out with your friends or just living your day-to-day life.
And it doesn’t have to be some difficult far-fetched scheme, either. These are some of the lowest-effort ways we’ve ever seen to earn passive income. You can start these as soon as this week:
1. Use an Annuity to Earn Guaranteed Growth on Your Retirement Savings
There aren’t many guarantees in life. But that’s what’s great about annuities — they can provide a guaranteed growth on your retirement savings, plus a steady stream of income during retirement.
You can get started with a Gainbridge® FastBreak™ annuity with a minimum investment of just $1,000. The more you invest, the higher rate you can earn — up to 5.80% APY**. The best part? There’s no risk to your investment.
For context, 5.80% APY is more than 13 times* the average rate on a savings account. Plus, your principal amount is fully protected, unlike when you invest in the stock market.
The FastBreak™ annuity is self-directed, easy to set up and comes with 30 days to cancel your contract if you change your mind. Plus you can access up to 10% of your money each year without penalties — even if you’re under 59½.
Looking for a predictable, stable way to grow your retirement savings without risking any of your principal investment? Get started here with as little as $1,000 to earn 5.50% APY, or deposit more to earn up to 5.80% APY.
2. Collect Rent Checks Without Being a Landlord (You Just Need $1K)
Owning rental property has always been one of the most well-known ways to earn passive income. There’s a reason so many rich people do it. There’s just one problem — we can’t all afford to just go out and buy an investment property. And we’re not exactly dying to be landlords, either.
Luckily, a company called Arrived lets you invest in rental homes and vacation properties with a minimum investment of just $1,000. The best part? You don’t even have to be a landlord. Arrived handles all the nitty gritty work.
The process is simple. Just sign up, then browse the available properties, like a single-family rental home in Charlotte, or a vacation rental in the Catskill Mountains. You decide how much you want to invest, then watch for property appreciation and quarterly rental income payments.
More than 540,000 people have already invested with Arrived, and it’s already paid out $3.5 million in dividends to its investors. Depending on the property and terms of the investment, investing in single-family and vacation-rental properties has historically yielded between 6% and 15% returns.
Want to start earning passive rental income? Click here to get started and see how much you can earn.
3. Boost Your Lifetime Investment Returns — By As Much As Double
According to a Northwestern Mutual study, working with a financial planner could double your lifetime investment returns* — all while helping you reduce risk.
But only one in three people ever do it. Luckily, a company called WiserAdvisor will match you with a vetted financial advisor in your area — for free.
No two people have the same financial situation, which is why WiserAdvisor matches you with an advisor tailored to your unique goals — retirement, investing and more.
Every advisor is pre-screened for expertise and trustworthiness, and you have no obligation to hire them.
Want to get a customized financial plan and answers to your biggest money questions? Don’t miss the chance to see what your money could really be doing. Get matched with a financial advisor for free.
4. Stop Wasting $1,025 on Your Car Insurance
Odds are, you’re probably paying way too much for your car insurance every month. And it can seriously add up — to the tune of $1,025 a year.
Fortunately, Insurify lets you compare all your car insurance options at once — and it can save you up to $1,025 a year.
Just enter some basic details about your car and background, you’ll get customized quotes you can review on your own time and from the comfort of home.
Ready to cut your car insurance bill? It’s easy to get started here and see how much you can save.
5. Use This App to Get $300+ in Annual Value While You Build Credit — No Hidden Fees, No Interest
Building credit can feel impossible if you don’t already have it. Most cards either reject you or stick you with sky-high fees and interest.
But with an app called Fizz, you can actually get over $300 in annual value via rewards while you build your credit.
Here’s how it works: Become a Fizz Member for less than a cup of coffee a month. Connect your existing bank account and apply for a line of credit to use for everyday purchases. Then, turn on daily autopay, and Fizz will report your on-time repayments to the credit bureaus — so you can build your credit while your wallet grows, too.
You can earn over $300 in annual value along the way, including 3% cash back in a category of your choice, cash-back rewards at merchants near you, and flash deals worth up to 100% cash-back at popular spots.
Unlike traditional credit cards, there are no hidden fees, no interest and no ATM or foreign-transaction fees. More than 100,000 people already use the Fizz app.
Want to pocket an extra $300 in annual value or more while you boost your credit? Download Fizz on iOS and Android and start earning. You could get approved for up to a $1,000 line of credit today.
6. Add Up to $20K in Free Silver to Your Portfolio
The past few years have been a rollercoaster for investors. Plenty of retirement accounts have taken serious hits.
That’s why more investors are building wealth with gold and silver IRAs through a company called Priority Gold. Not only are precious metals a historically stable investment, but right now you could also claim up to $20,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.
Here’s why it works: Gold and silver have a track record of holding value — even surging in price — when stocks fall and inflation rises. It can be a smart way to protect your money against uncertainty.
Getting started is simple: You can roll over existing retirement funds into a precious metals IRA, or buy gold and silver directly. Priority Gold even offers a no-fee buyback program so you can sell at competitive prices when the time is right.
Click here to get your free gold and silver kit and see how you can protect your portfolio and claim your bonus of up to $20,000 in free silver before the offer ends.
7. Get Up to $1,000 in Free Stock Just For Investing
Your savings are looking great. But don’t rest on your laurels just yet. Now that you’ve built up some cushion, it’s a great time to make sure you’re putting your money to work.
When you invest with SoFi Active Invest, you can earn up to $1,000 just for opening and funding an account. All you have to do is open and fund a new account within 30 days.
Once you open your account, you’ll get access to commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs, plus you can buy fractional shares of your favorite companies. Unlike other platforms, SoFi has no account minimums and no hidden fees, so you’ll keep more of what you earn.
It takes just a few minutes to open an account. Get started here and fund your account within 30 days to earn up to $1,000.
8. Get $280/Year in Cash Back on Gas and Food
One of the most underrated ways to get extra money is to use a free cash-back app like Upside. It pays you cash back on things you already have to buy, like gas, groceries and restaurants — frequent users earn an average of $280 per year.
Once you’ve installed Upside, you can start earning cash back at nearby gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. Just claim a cash-back offer, then make your purchase as usual with a linked credit or debit card. Then cash out directly to your bank account, or via gift card.
Getting started takes just minutes. Upside pays its users $1 million each week, and the app has a 4.7 star rating from more than 250,000 reviews.
When you download the free app right now, Upside will pay you an extra 25 cents per gallon on your first tank of gas. Hurry though, this offer expires soon. Get started to see how much cash back you can earn on gas, food and other things you already have to buy.
9. Get Paid $17 a Day to Play Free Games on Your Phone
We all have a game or two we like to play on our phone during our free time. Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid real cash for it? That’s exactly what a free site called Scrambly does — the average person earns $17 per day.
Scrambly works with developers who want to get their games and apps in front of new people, and they’re willing to pay you to try them. When you sign up, you can browse more than 150 free games and apps. Just find one you like and start getting paid.
You don’t need to play long, either — you can earn by playing just a few minutes at a time. And it’s all completely free. In fact, if you make an in-app purchase on a Scrambly-discovered app, they’ll give you cash back.
Once you earn $1, you can cash out instantly via PayPal, Visa, Amazon Google Play and Apple. More than 2 million people already use Scrambly, and the average person cashes out in just six minutes.
Ready to start pocketing up to $500 a month in extra cash just for playing free games on your phone? Get started here and see how much you can earn. Right now, you’ll even get a 500 coin signup bonus.
*Source: FDIC, national average of savings, week of 02/21/25. Rates subject to change.
**Gainbridge®: Annuity rates are subject to change at any time, and the rate mentioned may no longer be current. Please visit Gainbridge.io for current rates, full product disclosures and disclaimer. Withdrawals above the 10% free withdrawal amount are subject to a withdrawal charge and market-value adjustment. FastBreak™ is issued by Gainbridge Life Insurance Company in Zionsville, Indiana. FastBreak™ is not a tax-deferred annuity; instead, it is taxed annually.
*ShoulderTap Technologies, Inc. d/b/a Fizz (together with its subsidiaries, “Fizz”) is not a bank. The Fizz Debit Mastercard® (“Fizz Mastercard”) is issued by Patriot Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. The Fizz Visa® Debit Card (together with the Fizz Mastercard, the “Fizz Card”) is issued by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. Loans offered in connection with the Fizz Card are originated by Lead Bank. Any promotions or rewards offered in connection with the Fizz Card are offered and managed by Fizz, not our bank partners. Increases or specific changes to your credit score are not guaranteed. Impact on your credit score may vary depending on your use. Fizz is required to report late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account, which may negatively impact your credit score.
*Terms and eligibility restrictions apply. See joinfizz.com for details. Over $300 in annual value of Fizz Card based on cash value available to Fizz Card users assuming half of all available rewards and promotions are used. Membership is subject to a periodic, recurring subscription fee. Fizz Members may choose to apply for a Fizz Card, but are not required to. Fizz Membership does not guarantee access to a Fizz Card. Application and eligibility restrictions apply. You may apply for the Fizz Card without subscribing to the Membership by contacting support@joinfizz.com.
GOBankingRates maintains editorial independence. While we may receive compensation from actions taken after clicking on links within our content, no content has been supplied by any advertiser prior to publication.