Of course! Starting a passive income stream with just $100 is a fantastic way to learn, build momentum, and make your money work for you. The key is to start small, reinvest your earnings, and be patient.

Here are 20 passive income streams you can start with $100 or less, categorized by type.

Digital Products & Content (High Leverage)

These are great because you create them once and sell them repeatedly.

• Printable Digital Planners & Art: Create and sell PDF planners, budgeting sheets, wall art, or organizational journals on Etsy. You only need a Canva Pro subscription (around $12/month) to design them.


• Niche eBooks: Write a short, hyper-focused eBook on a topic you know well (e.g., "A Student's Guide to Budgeting," "30 Easy Keto Recipes"). Publish directly on Amazon KDP. Cost is just your time.


• Stock Photography/Videography: If you have a smartphone with a good camera, take high-quality photos or short video clips (e.g., of nature, urban life, abstract patterns) and upload them to platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or Getty Images.


• Selling Digital Templates: Create and sell templates for Notion, Google Sheets (for budgets, habit trackers), or Carrd (for one-page websites). Market them on your own site or on Etsy.


• AI-Powered Content Packs: Use AI tools (like ChatGPT or Midjourney) to create bundles of content—such as 500 blog post ideas for a specific niche or a pack of AI-generated logo concepts—and sell them on digital marketplaces.

Investing & Lending (True Passivity)

Your $100 is the entire worker here.

• High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA): This is the safest, most fundamental step. While returns are modest, it's completely passive and protects your capital. Online banks often offer the best rates.


• Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs): Some companies and brokerages allow you to buy a single share of stock (or fractional shares) and automatically reinvest the dividends to buy more stock. Look for companies with a history of paying dividends.


• Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending: Platforms like Prosper or LendingClub allow you to lend your $100 to individuals in small increments ($25 notes). You earn interest, but there is a risk of default.


• Fractional Real Estate Investing: While you can't buy a property for $100, platforms like Fundrise (specifically their "Starter Portfolio") allow you to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) with a small amount of money.


• Acorns "Round-Ups" App: This app rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change into a portfolio of ETFs. It's a set-and-forget way to start investing with money you don't miss.

Online Platforms & Marketplaces

These leverage existing platforms to generate small streams of revenue.

• Create a Niche Blog or Website: Use a cheap domain name ($10-$15/year) and affordable hosting (e.g., Namecheap, ~$3/month) to start a blog. It's not instantly passive—it requires upfront work writing content—but once you have traffic, you can earn through ads (Google AdSense) or affiliate links.


• Start a YouTube Channel (Tutorials/Compilations): Create a channel with evergreen content like software tutorials, "how-to" guides, or curated compilations (ensure you have rights!). Once a video gains traction, it can earn ad revenue for years. Your $100 can go towards a cheap microphone or basic video editing software.


• Sell on Redbubble or Print-on-Demand: Upload your original designs to Redbubble, TeePublic, or Society6. They handle printing and shipping on products like t-shirts, mugs, and stickers. You only earn a royalty, so the cost to start is $0, but use your $100 for targeted social media ads to promote your best designs.


• Affiliate Marketing on a Social Media Page: Build a focused Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest page around a hobby (e.g., gardening, gaming, book reviews). Once you have a small following, you can earn commissions by linking to products you recommend on Amazon or other retailers.


• License Your Music: If you create original music, you can license it for use in YouTube videos, podcasts, and small-budget films through platforms like Soundstripe or AudioJungle. You earn a fee every time someone uses your track.

Small-Scale & Gig Economy

These require a tiny bit of active management but can be mostly passive after setup.

• Rent Out Your Stuff: List items you already own on rental marketplaces. This could be a camera lens on LensRentals, a powerful projector on Fat Llama, or even your parking space or spare room if you have one.


• Buy and Resell on Amazon FBA (Arbitrage): Use your $100 to hunt for clearance items at local stores (e.g., discounted books, unique toys). You then send them to Amazon's Fulfillment Centers (FBA), and they handle storage, packing, and shipping. Requires research to be profitable.


• Create an Online Course: Package your knowledge on a specific skill (e.g., basic Excel, intro to SEO, knitting for beginners) into a short course. You can host it on a platform like Skillshare (where you earn based on minutes watched) or Teachable (using their free plan).


• Design and Sell Fonts or Creative Assets: If you have a knack for calligraphy or design, you can create and sell your own font files or graphics on platforms like Creative Market or Etsy.


• Cashback and Reward Apps: While not a traditional "income stream," apps like Rakuten (for online shopping) and Fetch Rewards (for scanning grocery receipts) provide cashback and points that can be converted to gift cards or cash. It's a passive way to get money back on spending you're already doing.

Crucial Mindset & Next Steps

• "Passive" Requires Upfront Work: None of these are truly "set it and forget it" on day one. They require an initial investment of time and energy.


• Reinvest Your Earnings: The most powerful strategy is to take your first $10 in profit and reinvest it back into the stream to help it grow.


• Diversify: Don't put all $100 into one idea. Try two or three different things to see what works for you and your skills.


• Patience is Key: Building a meaningful income stream, even a small one, takes time. Focus on the process of learning and building.