20 Unusual Ways to Earn Passive Income

Want to earn money while you sleep? These 20 unusual passive income ideas reveal how you can exploit your available time, skills, and even everyday items to earn money almost effortlessly. If you rent out space in your backyard or license your photos for training AI, you can tap into fresh ways of generating incomes—so start earning today!

1. Vending Machine Art

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Put small vending machines holding small, distinct pieces of art–miniature paintings or hand-made novelties, for example–in coffee shops or bookstores. Artists pay to have their art displayed, and every customer receives a random collectible item. A proper location will give them steady, virtually maintenance-free money.   

2. Ownership of an ATM

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Place an ATM in a high-traffic area, such as a bar or convenience store. Every transaction brings you a fee, and people always need cash, especially in areas where cards aren’t widely accepted. It requires minimal maintenance and can pay for itself in a year.

3. Digital Products on Etsy

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Create and sell digital downloads–coloring pages, wedding invitation templates, or planner templates, amongst others. After that, Etsy will process transactions while you earn extra money with no more effort. With good SEO and niche targeting, one file can fetch thousands in passive income.

4. Car Advertisement Wrapping

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Companies pay drivers to wrap their cars with branded advertisements. If you have a vehicle and drive regularly, you can turn your daily commute into a source of income. Services like Wrapify or Carvertise connect drivers with brands willing to pay for visibility.

5. Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP

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Write and publish short stories, guides, or journals on Kindle Direct Publishing. Once live, your books can sell for years with no extra effort. Even low-content books like planners and logbooks can generate surprising revenue.

6. Renting Out Backyard Space

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If you have extra land, list it on sites like Hipcamp for campers or Sniffspot for dog owners looking for safe play areas. People will pay to use your space without you having to host them directly. It’s a great option if you have a scenic or pet-friendly backyard.

7. Digital Billboards on Your Property

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Install a small digital billboard on your property and rent ad space to businesses. Modern LED technology allows for remote content changes, making it easy to update. If located in a high-traffic area, advertisers will pay premium rates.

8. Personalized Voicemail Services

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If you have a distinctive or calm voice, perhaps you should sell custom voicemail greetings. Business persons and influencers will want to possess a professional or entertaining message but do not intend to record one themselves. Fiverr offers you an easy location to discover them.

9. Online Course Subscriptions

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Create a membership-based learning platform instead of selling a one-time course. Teaching people niche topics like “How to Grow Microgreens at Home” or “Unusual Guitar Tuning Techniques” can attract dedicated subscribers. The steady stream of new content keeps people paying month after month.  

10. Mobile Notary Franchise

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Become a notary and franchise your services by hiring others to handle appointments while you collect a portion of the fees. Certifying notaries are needed daily when signing loan documents, real estate transactions, and other legal documents. If you have good networking capabilities, you can build a business that runs itself.

11. Rent Out Your Driveway

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In urban areas, parking is a nightmare, and people are willing to pay for a guaranteed spot. List your unused driveway on apps like JustPark or SpotHero. It’s a passive way to make money without renting out your entire home.

12. Subscription Box for Digital Files

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Instead of physical subscription boxes, offer a monthly digital bundle of wallpapers, fonts, or templates. Creators, designers, and businesses love fresh resources and are willing to pay for curated, high-quality content. Once set up, the bundle will run automatically with minimal updates.

13. Music Royalties from AI-Generated Tracks

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Use AI tools like Boomy or Soundraw to generate music and upload it to streaming platforms. Even simple beats can earn royalties on Spotify, YouTube Music, and other services. With enough tracks uploaded, the pennies per play add up.

14. Renting Out Your Garage for Storage

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Many people need storage but do not want to pay for expensive units. Turn your garage into a storage rental space using platforms like Neighbor.com. It’s a hands-off way to generate income while helping others store their belongings.

15. Selling Audiobooks of Public Domain Works

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Public domain classic novels could be narrated and sold as audiobooks. Independent publishers can upload content to sites like Audible and Google Play, earning author royalties. If you have a clear voice or can hire a narrator, monetizing timeless literature is easy.

16. AI-Generated Children’s Books

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Use AI tools to create and illustrate children’s books, then self-publish them. With AI-assisted storytelling and design, creating high-quality content is easier than ever. Parents always look for new books, and digital or print-on-demand sales require no inventory.

17. Renting Out Your Wi-Fi Bandwidth

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Platforms like Honeygain enable you to give away unused internet bandwidth in exchange for passive income. Companies actually utilize this for market research and testing, and you get paid simply for being online. It is easy to make passive money from something you already use every day.  

18. License Your Photos for AI Training

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AI firms require high-quality images to train their models and will pay money for unique datasets. If you have a collection of photos, you can license them through platforms like Shutterstock or data marketplaces, targeting AI-specific markets. The demand for diverse datasets is growing rapidly.

19. Investing in Farmland Through Crowdfunding

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Instead of buying property, invest in fractional farmland ownership through sites like FarmTogether or AcreTrader. Agriculture is a stable industry; land appreciation and revenue-sharing from crops can bring consistent returns. It’s a unique way to diversify your portfolio with a tangible asset.

20. 3D Printing and Digital Asset Sales

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Create and sell 3D printing files for miniatures, cosplay props, or custom tools. Designers make passive income by selling downloadable STL files on platforms like Cults3D and MyMiniFactory. Once a design is uploaded, customers can purchase and print it themselves, requiring no inventory from you.

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