This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
Who couldn’t use some extra income these days? The thing is, more money almost always means more work. And you’re busy enough as it is. That’s why passive income is so great. But without a rental property or some massive investment, chances to earn passive income are pretty hard to come by.
But if you live in New York, it couldn’t be easier. A company called OhmConnect pays New Yorkers every month to reduce energy usage and stabilize the grid. Even better? If you connect a thermostat and two smart plugs, you can earn $7 per month, every month!
Plus, right now, you can get a free smart plug just for signing up.
Reduce Your Electricity Bill Mindlessly — And Earn $5 Every Month
OhmConnect works with all the major power companies in New York and pays people to use less energy and avoid turning on dirty power plants. Then, they pass those savings on to you.
When you create an account with OhmConnect and link your utility account, you’ll get a text when a lot of people in your area are using power. So when you cut back your power usage during these “OhmHours”, you’ll get paid — and help reduce the stress on your energy grid.
All you have to do is use less energy during the OhmHour. Your smart devices will automatically turn off and back on again. If you opt out, you have two opt outs left for the month. So long as you allow the devices to power down during these OhmHours, you’ll get paid — not to mention you’ll likely see a lower power bill each month.
OhmConnect will only ask you to turn down your usage for an hour or so, about once per week, and you don’t even have to lift a finger — if you use a smart thermostat or plug, they’ll do it for you automatically. When you connect a thermostat or two smart plugs, you can earn $5 per month, every month. Connect both the thermostat and two smart plugs, and you can earn $7 per month, each and every month.
Plus, for each friend or family member you refer, you get $20.
You could also win prizes in their bi-weekly giveaways, such as an electric bike, a trip to Disneyland for the whole family or a new washer and dryer.
How to Start Making Money This Month
Signing up is easy for New York residents who use Con Edison. Here’s how:
Sign up for a free OhmConnect account here.
Sync it with your online utility account through Con Edison.
Receive energy usage notifications during “OhmHours” and “AutoOhms” — high-energy-consumption times that trigger non-green power plants to activate in order to support the overtaxed grid.
Head outside or find a cool place to hang out, like the movie theater, on those hot days until the OhmHour is up. Your devices will automatically shut off or power down during these high-usage times.
That’s it! OhmConnect pays you each month for reducing your energy consumption and helping to prevent blackouts.
Even better? You’ll get a free smart plug just for signing up and linking your utility account.
Enter your ZIP code here to get started. See how much passive income you could earn this month.
Kari Faber is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.