The phrase “passive income” may have different meanings to different people, so let’s define how I am using it in this article before highlighting a trio of stocks that can provide it. One definition I found was “money earned with minimal effort.” And while this year’s spike in AI-driven stocks, cryptocurrencies and so-called “meme” stocks might have made it seem like money can be earned without a lot of energy expended, experienced investors should be skeptical about that.

Even when investing for yield, the dividend part of the total return may produce low-stress income over many years’ time. However, the price fluctuation that comes with any style of stock investing does not vanish, just because quarterly…