Your job is stealing your life.
Brutal. Maybe?
But so is getting a ‘thanks for your hard work’ email right before they cut bonuses and increase your workload. 😑
Let’s be real…
- Between the alarm clock and morning traffic,
- the mundane routines,
- and hour-long meetings that could’ve been summed up in 5 minutes…
When do you actually get time for you?
You know you need a passive income stream—one that’s proven to work, earns 24/7, and won’t take forever to set up.
Taking action right now is a smart move, too, because every day you wait is costing you. If inflation is just 3% per year, your money loses half its value in 23 years!
And with bank interest rates barely covering the cost of lettuce, relying on savings alone is like betting your financial future on a horse named Glue Factory.
That’s why 91% of millionaires have passive income streams. They don’t just work for money—they make money work for them.
So let’s get into the 5 best passive income ideas for beginners in 2025.
🔹 At the end, I’ll share my #1 recommendation for the best place to start.
🔹 BONUS: I’ll also hook you up with a FREE 4-part video workshop series that will show you how to create passive income streams from scratch.
This workshop series was created by one of my mentors, Stuart, who’s built several multi-million dollar online income streams and now teaches people like you to do the same. Grab them while they’re still available!
Contents
1. Affiliate Marketing: The OG of Passive Income
Affiliate marketing is like being the ultimate middleman—without the awkward small talk. You recommend cool stuff, people buy it through your link, and you get paid.
It’s like being everyone’s favourite friend who always knows the best deals, except now your recommendations come with a paycheck. Cha-ching!
How It Works
- Pick a niche you’re passionate about (or at least interested in). Fitness? Tech gadgets? Parenting hacks? Go wild.
- Join affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, ClickBank, and Warrior Plus to find offers to promote. ***Or even better, think of products and services you already use and love and see if they have an affiliate program.
- Promote other companies’ products through various platforms such as paid ads, blogs, YouTube videos, or even TikTok (yes, Gen Z is onto something).
Why It’s Great for Beginners
- Low Startup Costs: All you need is a website (making one is easier than you think!) or social media account.
- No Product Creation: You’re selling what already exists.
- Scalable: Your content can keep earning for years.
Pros
- Endless earning potential.
- Works 24/7—even while you’re sleeping. Cliché, but it’s true. There’s real satisfaction in waking up in the morning to see you made money while deep in REM sleep 😉
- Massive variety of products to promote.
Cons
- Requires consistent marketing to drive sales. (However, if done correctly, most of this can be automated).
- You’re selling other peoples’ products, so if they make changes, you will be affected (not always for the worse).
PRO TIP: One-off sales are fine (especially high-ticket ones $$$), but combining affiliate marketing with email marketing is where this business model truly shines. What does that look like? Follow the bouncing ball below:
- Promote a product in a certain niche (eg, health).
- Ensure the buyer provides their email address.
- Create a list of people’s emails interested in that product/niche.
- Provide value to them in regular emails (it’s easier than you think).
- Occasionally promote different products to them that you think they’ll enjoy.
Also, selling subscription-based things can result in recurring commissions every month, making your revenue consistent and predictable. And all off the back of one initial sale—nice!
Look, I’m not going to lie to you and say, “This is as easy as A, B, C!”…
However, it’s not rocket science either. You don’t need previous experience or to be some tech-savvy ninja. Even if you’re still logging in with “password123”, you can still do this.
That being said, watching endless YouTube videos on ‘money-making ideas’ and trying to DIY a passive income without structured guidance will only lead to wasted time, confusion and frustration.
In today’s age, we’re practically drowning in information, but we’re starving for wisdom.
With the right strategy, support and willingness to do the up-front work, anyone can be successful with the ideas mentioned in this article. Once you crack the code, it’s like having a golden goose that lays money eggs… So, yeah – it’s worth the effort!
👉 Want the inside secrets on how to set up a profitable passive income from scratch? All is revealed in the FREE 4-part video workshop series. Discover how it’s done today – click below.
2. Dropshipping: Your Store, Their Stock
Dropshipping is e-commerce for the lazy genius. You sell products through an online store, but here’s the kicker: you don’t handle inventory, packaging, or shipping. Instead, a supplier takes care of that while you collect the cash.
With global eCommerce projected to hit $8 trillion by 2027, you don’t need a revolutionary product—just a smart angle, a killer offer, and the right audience.
The key? It’s NOT about selling random junk from China. The real money is in branding and positioning. A plain water bottle? $10. Slap on a premium brand, call it a ‘Hydration Optimization Vessel,’ and suddenly—it’s selling for $39.99.
How It Works
- Set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce.
- Find trending products from suppliers on sites like Oberlo or Spocket.
- Market your products via social media, ads, influencers, or email campaigns.
Why It’s Great for Beginners
- Low Risk: No upfront inventory costs or guessing how many units you’ll need.
- Easy to Start: With tools like Shopify, setting up a store is as easy as pie.
Pros
- You don’t handle storage or shipping.
- Flexibility to test multiple products.
- Scalable with proper marketing.
Cons
- Razor-thin margins (you’re splitting profits with suppliers).
- Heavy competition in popular niches.
- Reliant on paid ads for traffic.
PRO TIP: Use tools like Google Trends to spot high-demand items and focus your marketing efforts on those. Start small with one or two products in a specific niche, and don’t skimp on branding—it’s the secret sauce to dropshipping success.
3. Print-on-Demand: Your Art, Their Canvas
Print-on-demand (POD) is where creativity meets commerce. You design images that can go on products like t-shirts, mugs, or phone cases, and your POD partner prints and ships them when someone orders.
The real money? It’s not just about ‘cool designs’—it’s about tapping into emotions and trends.
A plain T-shirt? $10. But slap on a viral meme, joke, or a niche passion (like “Retired Hot Girl” – For moms who traded nightclubs for nap time), and suddenly—it’s $29.99 and flying off the shelves.
With the custom apparel market set to hit $16.5 billion by 2028, you’re not just selling products—you’re selling identity, humour, and belonging. Get the message right, and people won’t just buy—they’ll proudly wear your ad for free.
How It Works
- Create your designs (no Picasso skills required; Canva works wonders. Or contract a graphic design artist on Fiverr – easy).
- Upload them to POD platforms like Printful or Redbubble.
- Promote your products on your website or marketplaces like Etsy.
Why It’s Great for Beginners
- Creative Freedom: Perfect for those with an artistic streak.
- No Inventory Hassles: Like dropshipping, you’re free from the logistics grind.
Pros
- Low upfront investment.
- Highly customizable—your designs, your rules.
- Broad audience appeal (sometimes the more niche, the better).
Cons
- Profit margins depend on pricing and production costs.
- Requires consistent marketing to drive sales.
PRO TIP: Seasonal designs sell like hotcakes. Think Christmas sweaters, Valentine’s Day mugs, or back-to-school gear.
💰💰 Want to discover the ultimate 6-step strategy for creating passive income in 2025? Click below to learn more.
4. Online Courses: Teach It, Bank It
You’ve got skills or knowledge, and guess what? People will pay you for it. The e-learning market is set to hit $400 billion by 2026! And guess what? You don’t need to be a ‘guru.’ Just package what you already know and sell it.
Whether it’s yoga, graphic design, or teaching someone how to dominate Excel spreadsheets without crying, there’s a hungry market out there.
*** Been through some tough times and made it out alive? That’s gold. Helping someone navigate the same mess you conquered is like being a life GPS—except you get paid for the reroute. And let’s be real: Few things feel better than knowing you turned your dumpster fire into someone else’s guiding light.
How It Works
- Pick a topic you’re skilled at (or can learn quickly).
- Create an online course using platforms like Teachable or Kajabi.
- Sell the course and earn while you sleep.
Why It’s Great for Beginners
- High-Profit Margins: You create it once and sell it multiple times.
- Authority Building: Great for personal branding.
Pros
- Scalable income.
- Builds trust and authority in your niche.
- Long-term value if updated regularly.
Cons
- Time-intensive to create.
- Requires marketing to attract students.
PRO TIP: Start with a mini-course or workshop to validate your idea before creating a full-blown course. Engage your audience with free webinars or sample lessons to build trust and drive sales.
5. Starting a Blog or YouTube Channel
Last but not least, content creation—the playground of the creative. Write blogs, shoot videos, or do whatever makes your brain spark. The idea? Attract an audience, keep them hooked (by entertaining, informing, or preferably both), and turn that attention into income.
How It Works
- Pick a niche you love (and can talk about endlessly).
- Create valuable content consistently—blogs, videos, or both.
- Monetise through ads, affiliate marketing, or sponsored posts.
Why It’s Great for Beginners
- Accessible: If you can type or record, you can start.
- Multiple Income Streams: Ads, affiliates, sponsorships, and even merchandise.
Pros
- Creative freedom.
- Long-term passive income potential.
- Builds a loyal audience over time.
Cons
- Takes time to gain traction.
- Requires regular content creation.
PRO TIP: Like your Mum said all those years ago – “Just be yourself”. Authenticity is the goal here, and there’s a tribe out there for everyone. People aren’t looking for “flawless”. They want to hear from real people they can relate to. Don’t aim for content perfection, either. Just start creating and refine as you grow.
Final Recommendation: Why Affiliate Marketing is #1 for Beginners
If you’re a newbie, affiliate marketing is the fastest and most scalable way to dip your toes into passive income.
- Low Barrier to Entry: No need to create or stock products. This also means you can get started straight away!
- Flexibility: You can promote anything—from gadgets to courses—that aligns with your interests.
- Earning Potential: Once your marketing campaign is set up (correctly), it’s a highly automated money-making machine.
Why Start Here
Affiliate marketing is perfect for beginners because it’s simple to set up and doesn’t involve inventory or customer service. These days, there are a host of tools out there that can do 80% of the work for you.
Even if you choose a different model later down the line (e.g., dropshipping), you’re still going to need to know how to market it.
Affiliate marketing can be incredibly lucrative, highly automated, and you can easily build it on the side of your day job.
The Dumbest Mistake I Ever Made—Don’t Repeat It!
I was working security in a pub in Canada when I first heard about affiliate marketing (about 15 years ago). There were 2 young guys who came in occasionally and seemed to be doing really well for themselves.
I’d see them cruising in the latest BMW. Hear tales about spontaneous trips to exotic places around the world. They worked for themselves and were absolutely crushing it!
After a few chats, I discovered they did something called affiliate marketing. So, I spent a bunch of time researching all I could about it. However, after learning how it worked, I couldn’t shake this one (limiting) belief:
“I’m not an influencer… I don’t even have a website… who the hell would listen to me?”
I just flat-out didn’t think ‘an average guy like me’ could do something like that. So, I shut my laptop and never thought about making money online again for many years. That ignorance was one of the biggest mistakes of my life! Essentially, I gave up at the first hurdle… I gave up before learning exactly what was possible.
Don’t make the same mistake I made all those years ago and give up at the first limiting belief.
NO – you don’t need to be an influencer, have incredible talent, or be a tech wizard to create passive income streams online (building a website these days is ridiculously easy and cheap). You just need to get started!
YOUR BONUS >> Ready to Learn More?
If you’re serious about earning online passive income and creating a life of freedom, then stop scrolling and start building. Get exclusive access to this FREE 4-part video workshop series that will show you how to create your own online passive income streams from scratch.
This training series is presented by one of my mentors, Stuart. This English chap has more than 15 years of experience in this field—So let’s just say that when he talks, we listen.
In the first video, you’ll discover the concept of “Authority Marketing”, which you can apply to any of the 5 passive income ideas in this article (and more). Think of it as the secret sauce that will save you years of wasted time, effort and money.
Stuart will also:
- Unveil the 6 essential steps for profitable online income streams (everyone gets #2 wrong!)
- Discuss the common mistakes people make and how to avoid them – this will save you a fortune and a tonne of headaches!
- Do a deep dive into 2 proven business models that have stood the test of time.
- Reveal the secrets of the Modern Wealthy, and how you can get started as quickly as today.
IMPORTANT: To be crystal clear, I currently have the right to offer you this free training series, but I don’t own it. So I’m not in control of how long it remains available. Don’t miss out. Click below and unlock your access before it’s gone.
Live the life you desire,
Toby
