Most older adults tend to draw from social security and retirement funds, therefore living on fixed income. Having additional income sources is important these days due to the rise in inflation and rising healthcare costs.
However, just because you retired from a lifetime career does not mean you need to stop getting paid for doing things you love.
If you are an older adult looking for additional income streams, we’ve got you covered with ideas.
Receiving Social Security And Working
If you are retired and receiving social security, you can have another job. Depending on your age and income, you may or may not have penalties. The US Social Security Office outlines this in their documentation. The Social Security Office document EN-05-10069 states:
“If you were born January 2, 1959, through January 1, 1960, then your full retirement age for retirement insurance benefits is 66 and 10 months. If you work, and are full retirement age or older, you may keep all of your benefits, no matter how much you earn. If you’re younger than full retirement age, there is a limit to how much you can earn and 2 still receive full Social Security benefits. If you’re younger than full retirement age during all of 2021, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above $18,960.”
In short, if you are older than 66 and 10 months and have a job, you can have social security with no penalty. If you are younger, they take a $1 for every $2 earned over $18,960.
Why Take A Job If Retired
One of the most important things you can do in life is keep learning. And why not find a few odd jobs or a side gig that keeps your mind challenged.
Plus, finding the right job after retiring can be a fun idea that keeps you moving. Find a job in something you like to do. Plus you may get discounts for doing so.
My friend’s mom retired after teaching foreign languages for 30 years. She loved to ski. She got a part-time job at the local ski resort as an ambassador for the resort, greeting foreign guests and translating information. The perks of her job included discounted ski passes.
Other reasons for taking a job after retirement include staying involved in your community. You ca stay on top of real estate and other neighborhood trends.
Even being a local babysitter for neighborhood moms is a great way to get out for walks, love on some babies and stay active.
Income Source Ideas
If you’ve retired and are looking for places to plug in, we’ve got you covered. I do want to share that there may be sticker shock in your income if you just retired from a full corporate career.
The point here is finding something you enjoy, and why not get paid for doing it. A little extra income always helps when you are on a fixed income or budget.
Making sure you know how money is coming in and going out is super helpful.
Here are a few top income sources that fit older adults looking to get out of the house and earn a few dollars.
Side Jobs
Today’s market is filled with side jobs. Some call them side hustles, others say it is a gig economy. Meaning, side gigs or jobs are the way to go.
Whatever you do, remember it is just a means to an end. There are tons of side jobs out there that can earn you a little extra cash.
If you look at the amount of jobs available, you basically can have your pick of anything. If you’ve had a full career, why not find something that has some perks. Like greeting at a department store and having a great employee discount.
Years ago I worked at one of the major retail stores. I loved it. Most of the ladies I worked with had grandkids. We all agreed our employee discount was worth working a few hours each week.
Here are a few jobs we recommend:
- Walmart Greeter
- Home Depot or Lowes Craftsman
- Virtual Assistant
- Handy Man
- Write Resumes
Online Surveys
Did you know you can get paid to give your opinion? We all love to give our opinion.
If you know how to operate a smartphone, have a little free time, this is for you.
Most of the apps today will walk you through how to complete a survey. And some even pay you to shop.
Here are our top picks:
Proofreader
If you love to read, and are good at English, one hot side gig these days is being a proofreader.
Sites like Fiverr are great to list your skills at proofreading. Fiverr is a great site for anyone that has a skill to offer.
Growthbadger states that there are more than 600 million blogs. That’s a lot of proofreading.
And what I love about this job is that you can do it from anywhere. One lady I know does it from her boat where she lives full time.
Babysit
Who doesn’t love babies? Many moms are now working from home and could use some help. My neighborhood has over 1500 homes and I see posts for mother’s helper or nanny help all the time.
The best part of babysitting is you get to love on babies, take them for walks while getting your exercise. Plus you get to teach them how to talk, eat and all the basics of life.
House Sitting
Do you have neighbors that like to travel? House Sitting gigs are very popular these days. It is like a mini vacation for you since you get to get away from your home.
If you live near a large neighborhood, check out the Nextdoor app to list your services. Also check out your local Facebook neighborhood page to offer your services.
Get to know your neighbors and get the word out you can house sit. Offer a basic rate and if it includes pets, make sure to set the rate accordingly.
Dog Sit
Do you love fur babies? Dog sitting is a great way to get out of the house, help neighbors out and get some unconditional love.
Most people prefer to keep their pets at home. As I type this, my pets are with our house sitter. Our friend is watching the house and helping with the dog.
When I say pets, I mean the dog and the fish. The kids fish will need fish food.
Dog sitting rates will vary based on dog size and how many dogs. I dog sit as well and typically charge $10 to $20 a visit based on travel and how many dogs.
Teach A Class
If you have a skill to share, why not teach a class or two? One idea is to open your home or see if your local senior rec center has a need for a skill you have.
My sister who is almost 65 teaches exercise class to older seniors at her local rec center. It is a great way for her to keep active as well as be connected in the community.
Another idea is to Create online classes. This may seem scary but most things are moving online. Learnworlds is a great way to take a professional skill you have learned and put it out on the web to make money.
Delivery Jobs
After I graduated college, I remember a dear friend of mine’s father delivering flowers to our home. He had retired from many years of working at a bank. He was the gentlest and kindest person. Delivery flowers was the perfect gig for him.
Turn Hobbies Into Cash
Do you love to make things like I do? I love making jewelry as a hobby. Over the years I have probably made a few hundred pairs of earrings.
For those of you that love to make things, it may be time to sell them. Check with your local coffee shops to see if they will let you sell a few to see if anything sells. Or put them out during a garage sale.
If you are into model cars or trains, check out Hobby Gear for some unique hobby kits and unique items.
Rent Out Unused Space
Does your home or garage have extra space? Did you know you can rent it out with neighbor.com. Neighbor will take you through the process of how to rent out empty space.
Think about the open space you have in your home. If you have an extra bedroom, there may be someone on neighbor looking to store their couch or beds in a dry clean space.
Most people do not want to pay for a full storage unit when they just have a few key items. This is where you come in with neighbor.
Check out neighbor to get started.
Buy And Sell Stock
Hopefully as a retiree, you have had a 401k baking for years, earning retirement money. Today’s market offers more access for just about anyone 18 and older to buy and sell stocks without having to use a brokerage company.
Apps like Robinhood offer a commission-free stock trading and investment platform. Robinhood also includes ETFs and some popular cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, Doge and Ethereum. It is free to join and super easy to use.
There is always risk associated with buying and selling stocks. Find a class that can teach you the basics of the market and tools. A Robinhood Gold account offers premium tools and research.
Another app we like is M1 Finance. They are an all-in-one financial tool for investing, borrowing, and spending all at your fingertips. Plus they have amazing customer service.
Learn more about Robinhood and M1 Finance today!
Summary
Hopefully one of our top income source ideas will work for you. Remember, you are in charge of your retirement years and having a little extra cash never hurts.
Use your extra money to travel, spoil the grandkids or build that rose garden you always dreamed of. The best days are just ahead.