Geldanlage: Aktien, Anleihen, ETFs, Optionen: So klappt es mit dem Nebenverdienst ohne Arbeit

Psychologists know that even the mere thought of passive income triggers feelings of happiness in the brain. While generating a steady income without working may require effort, it is indeed possible. The Handelsblatt magazine presents four investment strategies to illustrate how it can be done. Bonds offer a particularly calculable passive income.

How investors can best benefit from this trend is explained here. Many companies provide reliably increasing dividend payments. Learn how to turn dividend stocks into a passive income source here. However, you can get even more out of your stocks, such as with call options. Funds and ETFs can also generate high dividend yield returns for passive income.

When these two words appear, most people's minds start racing. No meetings, just doing what you feel like doing, and without the nagging question, "Who's paying for this?" There's probably the allure and success of many self-proclaimed financial strategists promoting passive income ideas on social media. "From a psychological perspective, the idea of passive income primarily bundles three desires: security, freedom, and relief," says Valentin Haas, a psychologist and leadership coach.

He knows this phenomenon from countless sessions: As soon as someone feels trapped in a never-ending cycle, the thought of recouping brings a sense of relief. At that moment, our brain releases the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine, believing we've found an escape - even though nothing in the situation has changed. "Videos, success stories, and promises like 'Save amount X and you can live off it forever' create a genuine dopamine rush," says the psychologist.

But upon closer examination, few specifics are found. Where there's a dopamine rush, there's often little concrete information. Whether passive income can work depends on several factors.