Residual Income Can Be Your Key To Wealth

Are you standing at the door to wealth but can't seem to find the right key?

There are many keys on the key ring that can unlock the door to wealth, but you have to know which ones they are and how to use them correctly.

In this article I'll focus on the "residual income" key that many have discovered can be used to enter the inner sanctums of the wealthy.

But before I go too far, I should probably define what I mean by "residual income," (also called passive or recurring income).

While there are perhaps a number of definitions for "residual income," I will be using the term here as follows:

"Residual income is income that continues to be earned after the initial effort has come to an end." In other words, it can be thought of as the process of making a sale one time but getting paid over and over again.

How can this be? That is, how can you make one sale and get paid over and over again? Well, let's take a look at some common examples of residual income.

An insurance policy. When you buy an insurance policy, you normally pay premiums monthly, quarterly or annually. You made one purchase, but you continue to pay as long as you maintain you policy. The insurance company earns a residual income from you.

A service subscription such as a pest control, lawn maintenance, or web hosting contract. When you purchase a pest control, lawn maintenance, or web hosting service you normally again pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee. As long as you continue your service, you continue to pay the fee. The service company earns a residual income from you.

A membership subscription such as to a membership Website or a club. To continue your membership, you much continue to pay membership fees. The membership entity earns a residual income from you.

In all of the above examples, the sale was made only one time, but you continue to pay the company over and over again.

Residual income is distinguished from "linear income," where a single payment for a single one time purchase is made. For example, if you have an hourly job, you are exchanging one hour of your labor time for an hourly pay rate. You must work each hour to get paid. If you stop working, you stop getting paid. Your income is linear.

However, if you sell memberships to a Website and your members pay a monthly fee to belong, then you continue to collect their monthly fees as long as they continue to remain a member. You made the sale one time but continue to collect an income long after the initial sales effort was completed. This is an example of "residual income."

Which would you rather have, a residual income or a linear income