21 simple ways to make money without doing anything

[StormRichards]

1. Become a referral source for local businesses.
2. Write a book and get royalties.
3. Create an online course and get paid for it.
4. Make a website and get advertisement revenue.
5. Or make a YouTube video guide.
6. If you already have a website, use referral links.
7. Be in a commercial.
8. Airbnb your unused apartment or room.
9. Sell old books on Amazon.
10. Invest in index funds.
11. Save your money in a high-yield savings account.
12. Use Acorns to invest your spare change.
13. Invest in high-dividend stocks.
14. Get even more cash back with Ebates.
15. Sell your photography to the web.
16. Get cash back on credit cards.
17. Invest in real estate.
18. Build an app.
19. Get paid for watching TV and playing video games.
20. Get paid for browsing the web.
21. Get paid for improving products.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/smart-living/21-simple-ways-to-make-money-without-doing-anything/ss-AAm9JDG?li=BBnb7Kz

[StormRichards]

Jacob Shamsian from INSIDER clearly has a different definition of "simple" than I do.

[james.hendrickson]

excellent list Storm.

[disneysteve]

What a bizarre article.

Clearly, I have a very different definition of "without doing anything" than this guy does. Quite a few things on that list are pretty labor-intensive, like writing and publishing a book, for example.

[StormRichards]

What a bizarre article.

Clearly, I have a very different definition of "without doing anything" than this guy does. Quite a few things on that list are pretty labor-intensive, like writing and publishing a book, for example.

I totally agree.

I am proficient with Microsoft Office, but I have no idea what it takes to create an App. I suspect that it isn't something simple to do for the majority of the population.

[disneysteve]

I totally agree.

I am proficient with Microsoft Office, but I have no idea what it takes to create an App. I suspect that it isn't something simple to do for the majority of the population.

My daughter wrote and self-published a novel a few years ago. It took her about 2 years all together, and that was only after getting 40+ rejections from traditional publishers.

She did make a very small profit on sales but it was hardly a windfall.

[StormRichards]

I posted this thread while watching the football game, so it didn't have my undivided attention. I think a good question to add to the original post would have been:

Among the list of 21, which do you actually view as "simple?"

[disneysteve]

among the list of 21, which do you actually view as "simple?"

1,6,9,10,11,12,14,16,20

[StormRichards]

1,6,9,10,11,12,14,16,20

When I think of a list like this, I just don't think stock market. I found it interesting that you included Index funds but not high-dividend stocks. With Index funds, you really aren't making money unless you sell at a higher price. For many, how you handle those transactions aren't simple.

I don't really think dividend stocks belong on this list either, but at least in that scenario the dividend check is money you are making.

[disneysteve]

When I think of a list like this, I just don't think stock market. I found it interesting that you included Index funds but not high-dividend stocks. With Index funds, you really aren't making money unless you sell at a higher price. For many, how you handle those transactions aren't simple.

I don't really think dividend stocks belong on this list either, but at least in that scenario the dividend check is money you are making.

I think investing in index funds is simple. Investing in individual stocks is more complicated. You really don't need to do much of any research to open a Vanguard account and deposit money in their S&P 500 fund. Buying stocks, specifically high dividend stocks, requires doing a fair amount of homework. That's the only reason I picked the way I did.

But I agree, when I see a title about easy ways to make money, I don't think of investing in mutual funds. I do agree that moving from a typical bank savings account earning 0.01% to an online account paying 100 times that amount qualifies, though.

[StormRichards]

I do agree that moving from a typical bank savings account earning 0.01% to an online account paying 100 times that amount qualifies, though.

I agree but still not the type of thing I expected to see when I clicked on the story.

Referral links and browsing the internet are good examples of ways to make money that most people probably didn't know about. Most people understand that if the bank across the street offers a higher rate, they can earn more money by switching.

[Sagalamora]

I am proficient with Microsoft Off'ice, but I have no idea what it takes to create an App. I suspect that it isn't something simple to do for the majority of the population.

I professionally know a few of these guys creating apps and I can tell you it is actually a challenging and intensive task.

[scfr]

I have a friend who is a professional writer. 12 published books, but not best sellers. She is good enough that she can make a living, but it is a full-time job!

I guess the advantage for her is that she may continue to receive small royalties if the day comes when she quits writing. But I'm sure she would get a laugh at someone calling what she does "simple" given all the time she spends researching, writing, re-writing, and promoting.

[SavingMum]

I was totally going to write my book a couple of years ago. I had an awesome story line, I'd done some short stories to brush up my skills, and I was ready to go!

I did NaNoWriMo, when the goal is to write 50,000 words towards your novel in a month, and the chapters were flowing... the month ended with me halfway through my book, and I haven't done any more since

It takes a lot of time, which I don't have, and even once it's done there's all the drafts and submissions... One day, you'll see my books on the shelves! Until then...

[disneysteve]

I did NaNoWriMo, when the goal is to write 50,000 words towards your novel in a month, and the chapters were flowing... the month ended with me halfway through my book, and I haven't done any more since

First, welcome to the site. I'm enjoying your posts.

Second, my daughter is a NaNoWriMo veteran. She is 21 and has been doing it for several years. She wrote and self-published her book 3 years ago as a result of NaNo. She has actually made a small profit but only enough to maybe buy a nice lunch.

Keep at it, Mum. Finish that book. She published with Bookbaby and was happy with them.

I'm actually currently editing a manuscript for a friend for her 2nd book. That alone is quite a task. I'm 27 chapters in and still have about 60 pages to go.

Bottom line is that writing and publishing a book is NOT a simple way to make money without doing anything.