The Power of Passive Income

Think about income as falling into three categories - earned, investment and passive. These are known as income streams. An income stream pays you money on a regular basis.

Earned income usually comes from a job. It's the hours for dollars concept.

Investment income comes from interest on bank accounts, dividends or profits from stocks and bonds.

Passive income is money earned without the minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour and day-to-day time and effort. It can come from such things as royalties, a network marketing override check or income from rental property.

When considering possible passive income, be weary of promises about doing nothing and still making thousands of dollars. Do your homework!

Let's take a look at three ways (of many) to generate passive income.

Network Marketing -- A business opportunity where you distribute a product or service and recruit a team to duplicate what you're doing. As your team grows, the network marketing company pays you a percentage and bonuses based on your team's revenue.

Example of network marketing companies: Arbonne International, Melaleuca, Nikken, Shaklee and many, many more.

It takes time to build a team and develop passive income. Choose your company wisely; network marketing is not get rich quick. It takes time to build a business but once you've built your business, you'll begin enjoying the rewards of passive income.

Internet Affiliate Marketing Programs -- In a nutshell, it's about using one Internet site to drive traffic to another Internet site. You are rewarded with a commission when your referred customer makes a purchase.

Example of an affiliate program: Amazon.com

It takes a large number of referrals to generate substantial passive income, but if you have the Internet traffic it can truly become passive income.

Creative and Intellectual Property - Royalties are paid to you each time someone reads, listens or uses your authored books, music/songs, software, inventions or patents. It takes work to write, develop and/or invent but the benefit of this work can potentially generate passive income for generations.

Example of creative and intellectual property: In the early 1960's songwriter Paul Anka wrote the theme music for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Every time that song played, he was paid a royalty.

It is important to do your research. Find an attorney and other professionals who are trained to protect your creative works. There are many legal issues involved with intellectual property but it's certainly worth the time and effort.

Can you see how multiple streams of income, especially passive income, could produce a financially rewarding future? Financial freedom is having your money work for you.

Passive income allows you to leverage your time and money - you can do what you want to do, not what you have to do to bring in an income or additional income.