How You Can Start Making Passive Income In 2026
Are you wanting to earn more money in 2026? but you don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket. Are you also fed up with not earning enough with just one source of income? Are you ready to branch out and quit your mundane 9 - 5 job when you can start to make money whilst you sleep. Well you can, with these top 5 best passive income ideas, If this sounds anything like you; read on to learn how you can try right now.
There are many ways to earn that little bit of extra cash alongside your professional job. Some, are definitely harder than others and do require a lot of time, effort, money and smart investment ideas. Nevertheless, in 2026, absolutely anyone can do it; with the right amount of determination, knowledge and access so . . .
Here are the best passive income ideas and investments you can start in 2026…
what is passive income?
Passive income covers any source of income that you can earn without having to physically work for it. Still, you might have to potentially ‘work’ for this flow of income to first begin, yet when you are earning continuously you can sit back, relax and not have to worry about losing any finances. Basically, you can even earn money whilst you sleep!
This type of income can mainly begin with; investments, bonds, dividends, online courses you can create and sell , online affiliate opportunities, starting an online business, and the list just goes on!
Worried about not having enough money to start off with? well, don’t stress as you can start with as low as £50 - £100! it just takes a little bit of time, knowledge and understanding of how you can earn the most from even sitting on your own couch at home.
Creating your own passive income ideas . . .
There are many different types of passive income. The income you can earn by creating a project, blog or business all by yourself and income you can earn from a main investment, that essentially creates a cash flow and returns into your bank.
First, if you have any creative ideas like creating a blog on your favourite topic of interest, an online selling business idea, homemade or manufactured products you can sell, or even a social media content creation project. These are your best options to start with. With the right platforms like etsy, squarespace, shopify and many more alike you can start uilding up your own project today, right now.
It is first important to note it is definitely worth implementing monetisation and advertising within whatever it is you want to do as that is how you can first start to make money from it.
Creating a blog
Setting up a blog is one of the easier ways to earn passive income, all you really need is to research and build up a foundation of knowledge either from books or through online sources, find your own personal niche of what you want to write about, find a hosting platform, buy your domain and then you can get creative with design which is all up to you!
It’s a smart idea if you want blogging to be more of a hobby, to include monetisation, SEO, email marketing and many more features from plug-ins which will enhance your blog to another level.
Read my post on “How you can get started blogging today” linked below
Starting up an online business idea
Whether you have a great online business idea that you have been afraid of starting up, want to get creative and start one or you’re just curious of how you can start. you can easily get started by investing time into e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Etsy, Squarespace and many more! These platforms allow you to open up your own store selling online digital or physical items. However, this doesn’t come without fees and shipping prices so be careful if you’re looking for a cheaper and easier way to start earning money passively. Still, if you don’t mind spending a little extra when you first start, creating your own online business would be perfect for you!
Becoming an affiliate marketer
Honestly, affiliate marketing is one of our favorite ways to start building passive income especially if you’re someone who already loves sharing your favorite finds.
Think about it: you recommend products you actually use and adore, drop your special link, and when someone buys through it you get paid. The best part? Once you’ve created a blog post, TikTok, or even a cute Instagram reel about it, that content can keep working for you 24/7 without you having to lift a finger.
In 2026, there are so many affiliate programs from beauty and fashion to apps and online tools so you can totally find something that matches your vibe and your audience. It’s like turning your shopping habits and recommendations into a little income stream.
Social media content creation & online courses
You can also create passive income opportunities by starting social media creation. Build your own personal platform through Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest etc… to promote and showcase yourself.
Many, when they have a substantial amount of followers, then use their platforms to promote their own courses, classes and masterclasses.
This is a perfect way to start earning passive income as you can customise, control and host your projects all by yourself.
Perhaps you might opt to choose a platform to present your courses, and there are many that can do this for free!
This is possibly the most popular way to earn that extra bit of cash as you can make it fun, creative and build your own aesthetic. How you present yourself is completely your choice. Whether you want to start with mindset and wellness coaching to becoming a professiona; business coach, it is completely up to you!
So you might have to invest a little bit of time and money into these ideas, yet when you start earning and gaining profits, it’s all worth it.
Investing passive income ideas . . .
Investing in bonds & stocks
You can start investing into dividends or capital gains. Stocks and bonds are like the “classic starter pack” for building wealth.
Stocks let you own a small piece of a company so if the company grows, your money does too.
Bonds, on the other hand, are a little safer: you’re basically lending money and getting interest back in return.
A mix of both can give you balance some growth from stocks and some stability from bonds. It’s not about getting rich overnight, but about building steady, long-term passive income that adds up over the years.
Invest in an Isa
If you’re in the UK, an Individual Savings Account (ISA) is honestly a must-have. It’s like a special little wrapper around your money that keeps it safe from taxes.
You can invest in stocks, funds, or bonds within an ISA, and all the growth and dividends you earn are tax-free. The earlier you start, the more magic it works for your future self.
However there are many different ISAs with different intrest rates so its careful that you pick the right ones for your intentions with your money.
Invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs)
Love the idea of making money from real estate but don’t want the stress of buying or managing property? Enter REITs.
These are companies that own or finance real estate, and when you invest in them, you basically get a slice of the rental income without having to deal with tenants, repairs, or mortgages.
It’s a fabulous way to dip into real estate investing without the big upfront costs, and it’s perfect if you want a more low-maintenance path to passive income.
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