Learn How to Beat Tariffs and Bridge the Income Gap
Learn How to Beat Tariffs and
Bridge the Income Gap
Last month, I had a call with a mom named Jess.
She’s raising three little ones and running a household that has one income—her husband's. She’s feeling the pinch.
Groceries, gas, diaper costs—everything is climbing but their income.
She and her husband used to have two full-time paychecks. Now, with her home full-time, they were relying on one... and it wasn’t stretching as far as it used to.
"I want to bring in real income again," she told me, "but I’m not willing to send my kids to daycare just to make it happen. I don’t want to miss these years—and I definitely don’t want to be glued to my phone or computer all day either."
Honestly? Jess isn’t alone.
Millions of parents are realizing the old playbook (work more hours, pay more for childcare, hope for a raise) isn’t cutting it anymore.
The good news is: there’s a different way.
And it starts with building passive income products.
The Reality: Wages Aren't Keeping Up (And Haven't for a Long Time)
While the cost of living has exploded in the last two decades, wage growth has limped along.
From 1979 to 2022, the average worker’s hourly pay (after inflation) rose only about 17% total—less than 0.5% per year.
Meanwhile, housing prices have grown 118%, and childcare costs have increased nearly 200%.
Recent 2024 data shows that average wage increases are hovering at 3-4% annually, while inflation in many sectors (housing, food, healthcare) is still surging 5-7%+.
No matter how hard families work, the math just isn't mathing anymore.
Add in tariffs—which are currently raising prices across food, goods, and technology sectors—and it’s like running up a down escalator.
Passive income isn't just a nice-to-have anymore.
It's survival planning. It's opening time & freedom
Tariff-Proofing Your Income
New tariffs imposed on Chinese imports are already estimated to increase the average American household's expenses by $1,000 to $1,500 a year (and this is 2024 data...).
And it's not just electronics or cars. It’s groceries. It’s furniture. It's everyday basics that used to be affordable. Deporting those who are 90% of our agriculture workforce? You bet your bottom your food prices will rise either due to higher demanded wages or lack of labor and production.
So here’s the critical question:
How do you create income that isn’t chained to rising costs? Or more time (you don't have)?
--> You build income streams that are scalable, independent, and value-based—
not hourly-based.
Passive products (like digital downloads, courses, templates, memberships, and white label or dropship physical products) let you create or build systems once and sell forever—without your time or location being a bottleneck.
When costs go up, you can simply serve more customers without working more hours.
This is how you tariff-proof your household income.
By creating assets, not just wages.
Passive Products vs. Traditional Jobs: A Quick Comparison
In a volatile economy, the people who thrive aren't just the ones who work harder—they’re the ones who build systems that work harder and earn more for them. And passive products are one of the most accessible systems to start today.
Real Families Are Already Closing the Gap
According to a 2023 survey by Side Hustle Nation, 45% of Americans reported having a side hustle —but here's the kicker:
Those building passive products earned nearly 3X more on average than those working traditional side gigs (like driving Uber or delivering food).
The reason?
Lower overhead: No gas, no commutes, no inventory warehouses.
Higher scalability: One product, unlimited customers.
More flexibility: Build it around nap times, work schedules, or weekends.
If you have a skill, a solution, or a story—you have a product waiting to be packaged.
Why Passive Income Is the New Essential for Families
We’re not just fighting stagnant wages anymore.
We’re fighting:
Tariffs raising costs at the grocery store.
Housing prices outpacing incomes by historic margins.
Childcare costs that rival college tuition.
Job instability from automation and corporate layoffs.
Traditional budgeting advice—like “cut Netflix and avocado toast”—doesn't fix systemic income gaps.
But creating even a small stream of passive income—$1000, $3,000, $5,000 a month—can bridge the gap between struggle and breathing room.
It gives families what we actually need: margin.
Margin for emergencies.
Margin for rising prices.
Margin for more family time, less grind (without needing to ask to take PTO).
And the sooner you start, the more resilience you build into your life.
Start Here:
If you're feeling the weight of rising costs and stagnating wages, you're not alone.
But you do have options.
Inside my Passive & Play Blueprint, I’ll show you the exact roadmap to building your first passive income product—even if you’re short on time, tech skills, or ideas.
And when you're ready to roll up your sleeves and actually build your first asset?
My Parent’s Passive Income Playbook walks you step-by-step through launching a real product that helps others—and helps your household income too.
→ Learn more with The Blueprint if you’re just starting out.
→ Grab The Playbook if you're ready to build out your passive product.
Your future doesn’t have to depend on someone else’s raise anymore.
You can build it yourself.
Cheerin you on!
Jenny
Sources:
Economic Policy Institute, "Wage Stagnation in America" (2023)
Pew Research Center, "The Rising Cost of Living" (2022)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "2024 Wage Growth and Inflation Report"
The Wall Street Journal, "How New Tariffs Are Raising Costs in 2024"
CNBC, "Impact of Tariffs on Household Budgets" (April 2024)
Side Hustle Nation Survey (2023)
Zapier 2023 Report: “Digital Product Income vs. Gig Economy”
