Passive income of $1K per month? These methods have a lower threshold.

Passive income sounds great, but it takes time to set up the framework in the beginning. However, once it's running smoothly, you can earn money while you sleep.

Starting from $1K/month is actually quite reliable - this number is neither too big nor too small, it's easy to get started and can motivate you to continue to invest more.

According to financial expert Erika Kullberg, you can try these methods:

1. Dividends + Real Estate Trusts — Buy dividend stocks or REITs, and cash flow will come in passively. For example, targets like IRM and BXMT can generate stable returns over the long term. In the early stages, platforms like Arrived or Fundrise can be used to enter real estate investment with a low threshold.

2. Digital Products — No big capital? Try creating eBooks, online courses, or printables. Platforms like Amazon KDP, Udemy, and Etsy allow you to sell the same product infinitely with almost zero additional cost.

3. P2P Lending — Lending or crowdfunding through platforms like Fundrise can yield an annual return of 5-10%. Calculating with a $140K investment at 9% annual return, the monthly interest exceeds $1K.

4. Other Options — Affiliate marketing, blogging, renting out parking/storage space, YouTube channels, email newsletters, or even directly buying and renting out properties are all viable.

The key is: you don't necessarily have to spend money to make money. Videos and courses basically start for free (unless you buy recording equipment), but they all require time to hone in the early stages.

One more thing - don't forget to pay your taxes. How to calculate it depends on the type and amount of income, and some can be deducted (such as property depreciation).