Residual Income — Associated Content

For several years now, I have been writing articles for Associated Content. I write occasional product reviews, how-to articles, opinion pieces, and so on.

In addition to the up-front payments that AC offers for such articles (usually around $4–$5), Associated Content also pays residuals based on the number of page views that your articles receive. I am currently receiving about 800 page views per day, which yields about $40–$50 in residual income each month.

Since I recently opened an ING Direct Orange Savings Account for my emergency cash fund, I am now directing my residual income from Associated Content into my high-interest savings account, which I will eventually use to fund my Roth IRA. An additional $40–$50 per month may not seem like much, but it works out to around $600 per year on top of the money I already invest in my 401(k) and my Roth IRA.

You should try to find as many sources of residual or alternative income as possible, in addition to your regular employment income. But be smart with your residual income; rather than spend residual income on things with fleeting value, invest your residual income into your retirement account or use it to help pay off your high-interest credit card debt. Even small amounts of residual income can make a big different in the long term with compounding and long-term growth.