What money-making method can actually work in 2026?

jodyberry

jodyberry

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So, I have been a member here for about 15 years and have always tried to make money using methods from different posts throughout the years.

I'm a computer geek but was never really good with SEO, etc. and the only time I actually made a few bucks was when I did CPA stuff after creating multiple FB groups regarding Tips and Tricks of the "then" popular games like Farm Life, etc.

I would create the groups, then post how you could get free groceries, or free Walmart gift cards, etc. I think I had about 6 months where I was making about $100/day. That was my goal - but obviously it didn't last long.

Fast forward to today and I still haven't found anything that can make me consistent passive income. I have tried a bunch of things that I thought would work, but they haven't.

TBH I'm not the best when it comes to following thru with an idea or method. I have been chatting with ChatGPT and it seems helpful to a point, but always seems to follow my lead to what I say "might" work.

I ask for ideas but it always comes back around to what I might have suggested in the past. So, basically nothing original.

So, ultimately I am looking for something that I can use in my wheelhouse to make money. I lean towards AI and I don't really want to go out to businesses to get jobs. Preferably something online.

I see a lot of those videos about making money selling SVG files or PDFs for woodworking, etc. but they still seem tough since ultimately you need traffic to sell ANYTHING!!

So, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Bill
 
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jodyberry said:
So, I have been a member here for about 15 years and have always tried to make money using methods from different posts throughout the years.

I'm a computer geek but was never really good with SEO, etc. and the only time I actually made a few bucks was when I did CPA stuff after creating multiple FB groups regarding Tips and Tricks of the "then" popular games like Farm Life, etc.

I would create the groups, then post how you could get free groceries, or free Walmart gift cards, etc. I think I had about 6 months where I was making about $100/day. That was my goal - but obviously it didn't last long.

Fast forward to today and I still haven't found anything that can make me consistent passive income. I have tried a bunch of things that I thought would work, but they haven't.

TBH I'm not the best when it comes to following thru with an idea or method. I have been chatting with ChatGPT and it seems helpful to a point, but always seems to follow my lead to what I say "might" work.

I ask for ideas but it always comes back around to what I might have suggested in the past. So, basically nothing original.

So, ultimately I am looking for something that I can use in my wheelhouse to make money. I lean towards AI and I don't really want to go out to businesses to get jobs. Preferably something online.

I see a lot of those videos about making money selling SVG files or PDFs for woodworking, etc. but they still seem tough since ultimately you need traffic to sell ANYTHING!!

So, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Bill
Click to expand...
I think the biggest change in 2026 is that people making consistent money are usually building simple systems instead of chasing “secret methods.” AI helped a lot, but traffic and consistency still matter no matter what model you choose. Even small niches can work if you stick with them long enough and improve over time.


Since you already have experience with FB groups and CPA, you probably understand audience psychology better than you think. Maybe instead of jumping between random ideas, focus on one skill stack like AI content + Pinterest/blogging, faceless YouTube, or building small niche sites with affiliate offers. Most people fail because they switch too fast before giving a method enough time to compound.
 
Theory Of Everything said:
With a budget of $200 and less, I'd say vibe coding mini SaaS niche tools is an easy 1k MRR when done right.

ChatGPT prompt > Paste into Loveable > Fine tune it > Add Stripe API keys in env files > Ship the SaaS > Market on FB and Reddit Groups = $1k MRR
Click to expand...
Loveable or claude which does the job
 
johnperzevi said:
Loveable or claude which does the job
Click to expand...
Lovable + your own supabase is the fastest way to ship it, I would recommend avoiding Lovable cloud because cloud compute costs going up fast and you're "stuck" on it despite them saying you're not locked in and it'll be harder to migrate out of it to vercel or cursor or whatever later on
 
Honestly bro at this point you can pretty much do anything you set your mind to, you got AI, you can vibe-code pretty much anything. I started out just like you back in the day, spamming facebook groups and whatnot, made some very nice gains, but things have changed.

The best thing you can do is just open your eyes and your mind, and look around. Any website/tool you see online, someone is making money off of it. You dont need to reinvent the wheel, you can copy what already works, and make it atleast slightly better. There are so many websites/tools that offer various services, that are making the owners passive income that havent been updated in ages, and could be made significantly better. Just dont do another chatgpt wrapper.
 
jodyberry said:
So, I have been a member here for about 15 years and have always tried to make money using methods from different posts throughout the years.

I'm a computer geek but was never really good with SEO, etc. and the only time I actually made a few bucks was when I did CPA stuff after creating multiple FB groups regarding Tips and Tricks of the "then" popular games like Farm Life, etc.

I would create the groups, then post how you could get free groceries, or free Walmart gift cards, etc. I think I had about 6 months where I was making about $100/day. That was my goal - but obviously it didn't last long.

Fast forward to today and I still haven't found anything that can make me consistent passive income. I have tried a bunch of things that I thought would work, but they haven't.

TBH I'm not the best when it comes to following thru with an idea or method. I have been chatting with ChatGPT and it seems helpful to a point, but always seems to follow my lead to what I say "might" work.

I ask for ideas but it always comes back around to what I might have suggested in the past. So, basically nothing original.

So, ultimately I am looking for something that I can use in my wheelhouse to make money. I lean towards AI and I don't really want to go out to businesses to get jobs. Preferably something online.

I see a lot of those videos about making money selling SVG files or PDFs for woodworking, etc. but they still seem tough since ultimately you need traffic to sell ANYTHING!!

So, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Bill
Click to expand...
Don't be discouraged.

You're a computer geek.
You have a set of skills that solves problems.
Solving problems isn't a cheap product, it sells.
Own that expertise and market it proudly.

Offer something that nobody else with your skills is offering.
Don't fear trying it, just try it.
 
Theory Of Everything said:
With a budget of $200 and less, I'd say vibe coding mini SaaS niche tools is an easy 1k MRR when done right.

ChatGPT prompt > Paste into Loveable > Fine tune it > Add Stripe API keys in env files > Ship the SaaS > Market on FB and Reddit Groups = $1k MRR
Click to expand...
Thanks all! So yes, I AM a geek, but even what you're saying is slightly foreign to me! I will need to get more info on that!
 
No offense, but I think your biggest problem isn't your approach—it's just that you're not persistent enough.
You said it yourself: you tried some things that worked, but then you gave up.
To generate a steady passive income, you still have to put in at least some effort.
Be more consistent.
 
If you are good with computers and tech stuff, focus on that instead of trying to master marketing or SEO. Simple AI tools or automations can make money too. It’s usually better to use the skills you already have.
 
jodyberry said:
that can make me consistent passive income.
Click to expand...
There's nothing that can make you passive income online. Some people may argue an app or SaaS can do that but you'd essentially be trusting a bunch of employees to run the show completely and they won't show the same ownership as you and you'd never be able to scale it up.
 
jodyberry said:
So, I have been a member here for about 15 years and have always tried to make money using methods from different posts throughout the years.

I'm a computer geek but was never really good with SEO, etc. and the only time I actually made a few bucks was when I did CPA stuff after creating multiple FB groups regarding Tips and Tricks of the "then" popular games like Farm Life, etc.

I would create the groups, then post how you could get free groceries, or free Walmart gift cards, etc. I think I had about 6 months where I was making about $100/day. That was my goal - but obviously it didn't last long.

Fast forward to today and I still haven't found anything that can make me consistent passive income. I have tried a bunch of things that I thought would work, but they haven't.

TBH I'm not the best when it comes to following thru with an idea or method. I have been chatting with ChatGPT and it seems helpful to a point, but always seems to follow my lead to what I say "might" work.

I ask for ideas but it always comes back around to what I might have suggested in the past. So, basically nothing original.

So, ultimately I am looking for something that I can use in my wheelhouse to make money. I lean towards AI and I don't really want to go out to businesses to get jobs. Preferably something online.

I see a lot of those videos about making money selling SVG files or PDFs for woodworking, etc. but they still seem tough since ultimately you need traffic to sell ANYTHING!!

So, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Bill
Click to expand...
Hey Bill. I don't have any advice for you but I was genuinely moved by the honesty and full explanation of what you have done in the past. The best of luck to you. Looking forward to reading other replies to your post.
 
Bill, the honest answer is that the methods that "work" in 2026 share one trait: they're hard to replicate with a prompt. The easier it is to spin up, the more competition there is, and the margins collapse quickly.

One angle that fits your profile well — you're a computer geek who can build things — is niche data tools. Not general AI tools (oversaturated), but highly specific platforms that serve a niche where people are motivated to pay. The model works because:

1. The barrier to entry is technical, not just copywriting
2. The audience has genuine recurring intent (they come back daily, not once)
3. Monetization can combine subscriptions + affiliate/CPA

The clearest example I can share from personal experience: we built trapstats.co.uk, an analytics platform for greyhound racing using ML models. Niche audiences in sports/betting are underserved by data tools, highly engaged, and will pay for an edge. It's not something you could replicate just by prompting ChatGPT — you need actual data pipelines, calibrated models, and a decent UX.

The pattern can apply to other niches too — horse racing, darts stats, fantasy sports tools, financial data dashboards. The key is picking a niche that's dense enough to have paying users but niche enough that no major player has bothered building for them properly.
 
Everyone's on that train now. i wouldn't put all your eggs in that basket, especially if you're already struggling with follow-through. those svg/pdf things? yeah, traffic is king. it's a grind. try to find a niche that isn't oversaturated, or you're just another face in the crowd
 
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