Passive income is strictly what it appears like. Money that is available in – with out having work for it.That may sound too good to be true. But examples of passive income abound, from inheritance trusts to individuals who hire out their empty parking locations.Here is my plan to earn passive income by placing apart simply £100 a month.Shares as passive income ideasWith £100 a month, I’d begin saving frequently in a Stocks and Shares ISA. £100 a month won’t sound that a lot. But it provides as much as a 4 determine sum annually. That’s sufficient for me to begin producing passive income streams.Just placing cash away wouldn’t earn me passive income, although. That’s why I’d begin to spend money on shares. To maximise my passive income streams, I’d look for excessive yielding shares. These are shares the place the dividend is giant relative to the share value.Passive income instanceFor instance, at this time I might purchase a share of British American Tobacco for round £28.32. This yr its dividend payout is 215.6p. That equates to a dividend yield of seven.6%.In different phrases, if I put £100 into BAT shares this month, I’d count on to obtain £7.60 over the approaching yr. I’d additionally obtain any dividends declared in future after that. I’d nonetheless personal the shares. I might promote them in future if I wished, although won’t recoup my buy value.DangersBut issues won’t work out that means. For instance, BAT has paid out a rising dividend for the reason that flip of the millennium – however that’s no assure of future dividends. Dividends are funded by money flows. While BAT’s manufacturers reminiscent of Lucky Strike permit it to generate meaty money flows, smoking is declining in lots of markets. BAT additionally has a lot of debt it must service, consuming into free money flows.To assist decrease threat in my passive income plan, I’d diversify. That includes spreading my threat by investing in numerous shares, throughout a vary of sectors.Identifying excessive yield sharesHow can I uncover excessive yield shares?A number of info sources publish historic share yields. But to generate passive income my curiosity is in what a share’s future dividends may be. Past dividends are usually not a dependable information to future ones.Story continuesTake GlaxoSmithKline, for instance. The pharma firm presently yields 5.8%. For a blue chip identify that’s enticing. But a little analysis reveals that GSK has already indicated a probably discount in its total dividend degree when it splits into two corporations quickly.I attempt to keep away from what may be a ‘worth entice’. A worth entice might be harmful for unwary buyers. Historical information could make it look enticing, however future prospects might be sharply completely different. That is why I all the time analysis my income picks, to attempt to establish any indicators of a potential worth entice. I give attention to future passive income prospects, not purely historic information.Compound impact and passive incomeOver time, if I preserve placing £100 every month into new passive income concepts, I’ll add extra shares to my portfolio. But I’d additionally hope for common dividends.Instead of spending this income, I might mix it with my month-to-month £100 when shopping for extra shares. That compound impact ought to assist my portfolio develop over time – and the passive income will hopefully additionally improve.The put up How I’d earn passive income for £100 a month appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.More readingchristopherruane owns shares of British American Tobacco. The Motley Fool UK has really useful GlaxoSmithKline. Views expressed on the businesses talked about on this article are these of the author and due to this fact might differ from the official suggestions we make in our subscription providers reminiscent of Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we consider that contemplating a numerous vary of insights makes us higher buyers.Motley Fool UK 2021