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25 Options for Extra Income During Retirement

A side hustle is a great way to make additional money to put towards your retirement planning. This extra cash gives you the freedom to do more of the things you want while using your skills, doing things you enjoy, and staying active.

To find your perfect side gig, make a list of the things that interest you. Brainstorm ideas related to your hobbies and skills - making money is always easier if you love what you’re doing. If you’re interested in working part-time during retirement, here are some side hustle ideas to get you inspired:

1. Start a Dropshipping Business

Dropshipping is popular for additional income. Dropshipping means you sell a product via an online store, and a third-party supplier handles the fulfillment. So, you can sell directly to the customer without having to buy any inventory.

You can pursue almost any niche with dropshipping. If you’re a home decor nut, sell home decor products. Fashionistas, start your own fashion store. You’ll need to market your product, so knowledge and passion will help.

2. Start a Blog

Blogging allows you to build a personal brand and stay true to your passions. To monetize your blog in a significant way, you’ll need to build a following of loyal readers. Having a singular niche, such as yoga, business, or cars allows you to grow an audience who has similar interests and develop a community.

Bloggers typically make money by incorporating sponsored posts, affiliate links, or adding a shop page where you sell products.

3. Sell Information Products

Do you know a lot about a popular topic? Are people always “picking your brain” about a specific skill or process? You may be able to monetize your knowledge through information products.

Why not create an ebook and publish it on Amazon? Or, develop an online course on a specific subject to sell on Udemy or Skillshare. Whether it’s a workout video, tech troubleshooting how-to, or a guide to holiday decorating, the content you create should be informative and help people solve a problem or complete an objective.

4. Become a Virtual Assistant

As a virtual assistant, you work remotely to help clients with a range of tasks, including:

  • Administrative
  • Bookkeeping
  • Social media
  • Customer service

Most virtual assistants (VA’s) charge hourly and some specialize depending on their skills and experience.

To get started as a VA, you can simply advertise your services via your own website or social media. Platforms like Upwork also offer VA opportunities, and there are various training and certification programs to help you get started in the VA world.

5. House Sit or Pet Sit

Animal lovers can offer dog boarding, dog walking, or doggy daycare as part of your retirement side hustle. Sites like WagWalking, Rover or PetSitter connect furry family members to a community of pet lovers.

If you like to travel, sites like TrustedHousitters let people exchange pet care for a place to stay. While you’re not exactly making money with this gig, you can earn free accommodation during your travels while making new furry friends.

6. Sell Your Photography

If you like taking pictures, sell your photography. There are several online marketplaces where you can sell your stock photos for money. Alternatively, you could offer photo shoots for family and friends or sell prints at a local artisan market.

7. Consider Freelance Writing

If you have a way with words, you might enjoy working as a freelance writer. Businesses of all types need written content for their websites, email newsletters, and social media platforms, and they’ll pay good money to talented writers who can deliver.

You can search for freelance writing opportunities on sites like ProBlogger and Freelance Writing Gigs. If you’re a beginner, focus on building your portfolio and skillset with sites like Fiverr, Craigslist or Upwork. It’s easier to land your first few clients on those websites, and the stakes are generally lower.

8. Get a Part-Time Job

Many retirees choose to get a part-time job, even if they don't need a retirement side hustle. Part-time jobs get you out into the community and allow you to help people while padding your retirement plan.

Potential part-time jobs include:

  • Childcare
  • Receptionist
  • Barista
  • Retail cashier
  • Customer service representative

9. Become a Driver

Many of our clients drive for Lyft or Uber as a retirement side hustle. People love this job for its flexibility (you choose when you drive) as well as the social aspect of meeting and chatting with riders. Drivers deliver food through apps like UberEats and DoorDash, and reportedly earn between $15 and $20 an hour.

10. Serve as a Notary Public

It’s not difficult to become a notary, but you must comply with your state’s requirements.

When you’ve completed your education and training, you can start earning extra cash by notarizing documents for the public.

You can provide notary services out of your house or at a place of business. You might even consider partnering with a real estate agent who need your services as a signing agent.

11. Rent Out Your Car

In many major cities, you can rent your car on a daily or hourly basis. According to the leading peer-to-peer car rental app Turo, the average car sits idle 22 hours a day. Their service provides an opportunity to capitalize on those idle hours. Getaround is another such app you might be able to use to pad your pockets.

The companies handle all the insurance and connect you with potential renters. If you’re retirement planning in Denver or another metropolitan or high demand area, this might be a good option for you.

12. List Your House

If you have extra room in your house, rent it out! Platforms like Airbnb or VRBO are a great way to meet interesting people from around the world while earning extra money for your retirement plan. You could also co-host other Airbnbs by acting as a property manager, coordinating guest check-ins, maintenance, and cleaning in exchange for 20% of the rent.

13. Answer questions on JustAnswer

Websites like JustAnswer pay you to answer professional questions. If you have a skill in high-demand such as law, medicine or information technology, you could get paid to help others navigate challenges they face in your area of expertise. This side hustle could turn out to be as interesting as it is profitable.

14. Provide Professional Services

If you have specialized skills, you might set up a profile on Taskrabbit or Thumbtack.

Both apps match customers with professional providers of services like electrical, house cleaning, dog training, handyman, interior painting, personal training, massage therapy and junk removal. These “gig economy” platforms offer a way to put your skills to use while maintaining control of your free time.

15. Sign Up For Gigwalking

Gigwalk or EasyShift are two other free apps that will pay you to complete small tasks at places near you. Unlike Taskrabbit and Thumbtack, tasks on Gigwalking and EasyShift are mostly related to market research conducted by businesses, and may be anything from photographing products or businesses, verifying prices, and reviewing marketing promotions. This retirement side hustle is flexible and easy, and payments go automatically to your account.

16. Offer IT Services

Are you the go-to person when someone’s computer goes on the fritz? If you have the necessary tech skills, there might be a business opportunity to provide troubleshooting or repair services. You could even offer tech consulting for small businesses or those purchasing a personal computer.

Decide whether you’ll provide services over the phone or in-person. Will you make house calls or have customers come to you? Will you charge by the hour or by the item/service?

17. Become a Caregiver

Care.com helps match you with clients who need pet care, childcare, senior care, special needs, tutoring, or housekeeping services. Caretaking could be great supplemental income for anyone with experience in education, nursing, nannying, or otherwise. Many of our retirement and financial planning clients say they enjoythis side hustle because they get to interact with and most importantly, help people.

18. Start a Sewing and Alterations Business

If you like to sew, you could use your talents while adding a little extra to your retirement investment accounts. You may need to upgrade your sewing machine and learn a few new stitches, but you can set your own schedule and work from home.

19. Give Music Lessons

If you play guitar, piano or another instrument, consider offering music lessons out of your home or in your students’ homes. Teaching music is a great way to make money by doing what you love. You can choose to work with both children and adults. And, the schedule can be as flexible as you need it to be.

20. Open an Etsy Store

Etsy is a great site to leverage for selling crafts and homemade goods online. You can let your imagination run wild, as everything from collectibles to vintage jewelry to flea market finds and handmade items sell on Etsy. If you find the right niche and do some effective marketing, you could have a profitable business on your hands.

21. Take Surveys

You can make money from your laptop or your phone by taking surveys. Many companies offer incentives like cash and discounts to survey takers in exchange for their valuable data and opinions. Sign up for websites like MyPoints, Swagbucks, PineCone Research, InboxDollars, Survey Junkie for good returns.

22. Bookkeeping

Remember that while accountants often require a degree or certification, you don’t need any formal education to become a bookkeeper. As a bookkeeper, you’ll be responsible for tasks like:

  • Paying bills
  • Collecting payments
  • Sending invoices
  • Updating financial records
  • Creating reports

Remote bookkeeping jobs frequently appear on Indeed and FlexJobs. It's especially common to snag a part-time or seasonal job, so you don't overcommit.

23. Become a Tour Guide

There are likely plenty of volunteer tour guide opportunities in your city. But if you want to turn your passion into an opportunity to earn extra income, why not start your own tour? Retirement planning in Denver means the market is ripe with tourists eager to explore the Mile High City.

Design a tour that explores Denver’s craft beer scene or national parks in the area, for example. No matter where you live, you can create a tour of hidden places for out-of-town visitors. Or history, or art, or natural places.

24. Translate Documents

Are you fluent in more than one language? Many larger cities experience a demand for translation services in tourism, international business and immigration settings. Depending on the volume and type of documents you will work with, you may or may not want to seek certification. It’s important to start with a little research to determine whether you’ll become a certified translator or not.

25. Help People Declutter and Organize

If you’ve mastered the art of organization, why not help others find more space in their terminally cluttered homes? With the success of Marie Kondo’s book and subsequent TV show, the magic of tidying up will not be lost on your clients.

Finding opportunities to make extra money is easy. The most important thing is making sure you’re living the retirement lifestyle you want. If pursuing a retirement side hustle sounds exciting to you, go for it! Follow your passion and have fun.

The first step to living the retirement lifestyle you dream of is planning. Get our free guide to retiring in Denver to help you avoid planning pitfalls and enjoy the freedom and success you deserve.

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