If you’re like most retirees, you find your living expenses to be much higher than you expected. Even with an established budget, you may have a hard time covering monthly costs due to factors like inflation and fluctuating markets.
The best thing you can do in such a situation is to rework your retirement plan by including a side hustle to bring in extra income. This will allow you to:
- Boost your retirement savings to increase your financial security;
- Save for a special event or vacation; or simply
- Stay active and explore your creativity working on your passion.
Unfortunately, not all job opportunities are ideal for older workers. You want a side hustle that allows you to stay busy and make extra cash without taxing your health.
With that in mind, here are some of the best side hustle ideas that are a great fit for retirees. Whether you want to set up a desk in your home for some office work or head outdoors to earn money while giving back to your community, this guide has something to suit all needs.
Online Jobs for Retirees
1. Start a Money-Making Blog
Starting a blog is one of the best side hustle ideas for retirees. It’s a great way for you to share your knowledge and experience with the world while earning more money.
You can monetize your blog in a number of ways, such as selling products or services, advertising, or affiliate marketing.
But, rather than being a quick way to make money online, a blog is more of a long-term business idea, so you will have to be patient before you can start seeing returns on your investment.
Where to Find Jobs:
I offer a free course on how to start a successful blog and build up a dedicated reader base in your chosen niche. You can sign up for it right here.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$5,000+/month
Resource to Learn More:
2. Create a Profitable YouTube Channel
Starting a YouTube channel is yet another side hustle that’s a great fit for retirees. Like blogging, it allows you to share your knowledge and expertise with your audience. You can then monetize your videos using ads, sponsorships, or subscriptions. This side hustle is highly scalable, making it one of the best methods to pay for retirement.
Where to Find Jobs:
Sign up for my free YouTube Secrets course to learn how to start your own YouTube channel even if you have no prior experience creating videos.
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,000+/month
Resource to Learn More:
3. Sell Collectibles Online
Online selling is a great way to earn money. There are many business models to choose from, inclduing retail arbitrage, dropshipping, and mny others. One type of online selling that is ideal for retirees is selling collectibles.
As a collectible seller, you can source antiques and keepsakes to auction on sites like the ones listed below. This is a great side hustle for retirees because it offers flexible hours and the opportunity to work from home.
Who knows, you may even have a few childhood treasures that you can cash in on to get your online business off the ground.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$400/week
Resource to Learn More:
4. Become a Part-Time Consultant
If you worked in a specialized field, then you likely have loads of expertise to share. Why not offer your services as a part-time consultant?
As a part-time consultant, you can offer your services to help companies that are short-staffed or to mentor younger workers who are eager to learn from the lessons you learned over the span of your career.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
5. Create and Sell An Online Course
Creating an online course is a great side hustle because it can provide you with a source of passive income. You’ll only have to create your course once, and you can sell it for years to come.
You can create a course on just about any topic, whether it’s your favorite hobbies, your unique lifestyle, or your vocational experience. People will always be happy to pay you for your advice if it can help them achieve their goals more efficiently.
Platforms like Kajabi and Podia have all the tools you need to create and sell your course, including course builders and payment processing tools.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$1,500-$3,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
6. Become a Tutor, Teacher Aid, or Adjunct Professor
You’ve spent a lifetime accumulating knowledge, why not put it to use by becoming a tutor or teacher aid in your retirement?
This can be an extremely fulfilling side hustle for retired educators, but it also works for all other professionals. You can tutor others in your specific area of expertise or even find work as an adjunct professor at your local college or university.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$800-$2,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
7. Earn Money As A Wildlife Photographer
Hanging around wildlife is an extremely fun hobby. It can also be a very profitable side hustle for retirees. You’ll need to be a master of patience to deal with elusive and unpredictable creatures. If you can do this, you’ll be able to earn a healthy side income from your photography skills.
If you are a good photographer but don’t enjoy spending countless hours patiently observing nature, waiting for the best shot, then you might consider portrait photography instead.
You can find jobs on websites like the ones listed below, or sell your photos on websites like Animals Animals, Nature Picture Library, and National Geographic Images.
Where to Find Jobs:
- Nature Picture Library
- Photographers Without Borders
- Re: Wild
- Jooble – Wildlife Photography Jobs
- LinkedIn – Wildlife Photographer Jobs
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$2,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
8. Grow and Sell Plants Online
If you have a green thumb, consider planting a garden and selling your produce to your community.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$500/week
Resource to Learn More:
9. Join Surveys and Focus Groups
Paid surveys are an easy way to earn money on the side. Companies pay good money for valuable market research. You can take online surveys to share your opinion or join focus groups to offer in-depth marketing insights on products and services.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$50-$120/week
Resource to Learn More:
10. Become a Customer Service Representative
A lot of companies are in need of customer service reps and are willing to accommodate the need to work from home. In your retirement years, you can make money by handling questions from callers from the comfort of your home.
Most seniors have top-notch personal skills, and if you are someone who relates well to people, this can be a great site hustle for you.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$25/hour
Resource to Learn More:
Freelance Side Hustles for Retirees
11. Become a Virtual Bookkeeper
If you have bookkeeping skills, you can make extra money in your retirement by offering your services to businesses and individuals in need of freelance bookkeepers.
Your job will involve things such as recording data and ensuring that payments are made on time. This side hustle is also a great way to keep your brain engaged during your retirement years.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$800-$2,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
12. Become an Event Organizer
If you are a detail-oriented person who is great at planning and organizing activities, then this is the perfect side hustle for you.
Not only can it be fun if you enjoy social interactions, but it can also be a very lucrative with the right strategy (see the resource below).
You’ll be able to earn good money as an event coordinator while getting the opportunity to regularly connect with other people during your retirement. Build a website and offer your services online to plan for children’s birthday parties, conferences, alumni gatherings, annual fairs, etc.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$25-$80/hour
Resource to Learn More:
13. Offer Freelance Writing Services
If your passions lean more towards grammar, then this is the perfect side hustle for you. As a retiree, you probably have loads of free time on your hands. Why not use it to start a freelance writing career?
There are plenty of companies and individuals that will hire you to do everything from helping to prepare reports to writing product reviews, blog posts, and even eBooks.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$400/week
Resource to Learn More:
14. Become a Data Entry Clerk
Earning money from your own home is now easier than ever before. You can set your own schedule with flexible hours. To get started, just sign up on any of the sites listed below. Create your profile, and start taking on data entry projects.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$15-$25/hour
Resource to Learn More:
15. Do Odd Jobs In Your Area
If you are skilled in doing handy work, start your own business offering your services to do yard work, fix cars, refurbish antiques, fix phones, or whatever else you know how to do.
A lot of young families are yet to learn these life skills which opens up profitable opportunities for you to leverage your existing skills to earn money in your retirement.
You can find odd jobs in your local community by searching through your local buy/sell/trade groups. You can also post on local bulletin boards that you’re offering handiwork services. Additionally, sign up on apps and online marketplaces like the ones below to find the constant flow of clients for your new business.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$100-$400/week
Resource to Learn More:
16. Offer Lawn Care Service In Your Neighborhood
Do you love being outdoors? Does the thought of working in the garden excite you? If so, then this is a great side hustle for you to consider.
You can offer lawn care services to people in your area. Advertise on your local Craigslist or find clients on other online marketplaces like GreenPal.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
17. Become a Pet Sitter
Animal lovers have the option of becoming pet sitters as a way to earn extra money in their retirement. Pet owners will gladly pay you to look after their furry friends while they are away.
Pet sitting is a great side hustle that will also help you keep active as you will get loads of exercise regularly walking dogs or interacting with other pets.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$50/session
Resource to Learn More:
18. Rent Out Space
Do you have extra space in your home? If so, consider renting out your room, garage, or attic to regular tenants or people who want to store their stuff in your home.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$400-$1,500/month
Resource to Learn More:
19. Become a Mystery Shopper
A mystery shopper is someone who is hired by brands to “shop” in their stores. The shopper’s job is to visit online or physical stores to assess the quality of sales, service, and job performance in those stores and then report back to the brands.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$1,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
20. Rent Out Your Car
Renting out your car is a great way to make easy cash with no extra effort. You can use apps like Turo and HyreCar to find takers.
Your car will be insured fully and the car hire platforms pre-screen drivers to ensure your vehicle is in good hands.
Where to Find Jobs:
How Much Money Can You Make?
$20-$25/day
Resource to Learn More:
21. Start a Home-Based Business
You’ve learned a lot of things over the span of your lifetime. You can put your knowledge and skills to use by starting a home-based business to bolster your personal finance situation.
Virtually any skill can be monetized. For example, you can:
- Offer music, dancing, art, or cooking lessons from your home
- Tutor local high school kids in long division
- Start a dog treats bakery, or a meal planning service
The options are endless, and any of these can be a pretty lucrative side hustle for you. Create a website to showcase your business, and then advertise on social media platforms and search engines to find customers.
Where to Find Jobs:
- Build a Website: Wix, Shopify, Etsy
- Advertise on Social Media: Facebook Marketplace, Twitter, Instagram
- Use Paid Ads: Google, Bing, Facebook
How Much Money Can You Make?
$500-$5,000/month
Resource to Learn More:
These are just a few of the best ways you can bump up your retirement income.
Whether you are saving up to buy something special or if you just want to maintain an active lifestyle, the side hustles listed here will help you continue earning income long after your retirement.
The best part is, there’s no need to worry about a reduction in your retirement benefits. As long as you’re older than your full retirement age, you can work as many hours as you want, and earn without limits, all without impacting your Social Security benefits.