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Your retirement years don’t have to mean the end of your working days if this isn’t what you want. Depending on how much work you want to take, you could be mentoring younger people or even get projects and start freelancing. With your experience and expertise, you have the freedom of getting as much work as you wish. Plus, if any financial insecurities appear during this time, knowing you have some options of earning money during your retirement is reassuring. This way, you will be able to keep having an income, but without the stress of working an incredibly demanding full-time job.
Although the age of retirement is 67 in the U.S., on average, American citizens retire at the age of 64. However, this doesn’t mean they stop working altogether. For some, the option of doing something productive is appealing. Although traveling is very common among retirees, many of them still wish to work for one of the following reasons:
- It gives them more financial security;
- They enjoy their work and it brings them fulfillment;
- It keeps them active and mentally sharp.
So, if you find yourself in a financial predicament, there are things you can do to earn money even at an older age, whether you wish to work or get a better retirement plan.
Opt for a reverse mortgage
If continuing to work is not an option you are content with, there is no point in doing it during your retirement years and feeling unhappy. In this case, what you could do to earn more money and not worry so much about your financial situation is to access your home’s equity by taking out a reverse mortgage.
The way this works is based on your personal information and your estate’s information, and given you qualify – you need to be 62 years old or more – you can unlock a significant percentage of your home’s equity. A noteworthy mention would be that one of the main requirements is that you must own your house and not have any plans of moving out to get a reverse mortgage.
Rent out your house or guest room
You always have the option of renting out a space you own. If you have the financial possibilities to buy another house or apartment that you can rent out constantly, this could be an option of regular income. However, doing this while being on retirement might be more of a challenge. In this case, what you could do is rent out your house when you are gone for an extended period of time.
It is common for retirees to travel a lot and leave their homes for weeks or even months. Plus, if you have children and they live in a different city or country, you will probably want to visit them before or after your travels. So, when you are away, you can rent your house or just a guest room for the entire time. It is an effective way to earn some good money, and many online platforms facilitate this renting process, so you don’t have to worry about a tenant’s lack of credibility.
Tutoring or mentoring
No matter the area of work where you have gained experience all these years, chances are you can provide tutoring lessons. Perhaps you have been a financial advisor or an architect. In any way, you can mentor younger inexperienced individuals who will be looking to acquire more knowledge of the respective profession. And what better way of doing this than from a person who has been working in the field for years and is an expert?
If you have also been teaching students while working and are passionate about passing on knowledge to the younger generation, mentoring or tutoring others could not be more fitting for you. So, if you wish to have a sense of purpose and earn some money after you have retired, this could be a viable option.
Being a consultant
Apart from becoming a mentor for individuals who are still learning and only starting to build their careers, you could also become a consultant for other businesses. Some of the most in-demand consulting jobs include, but are not limited to:
- Business development and development;
- Market and consumer research;
- Marketing strategies;
- Project management.
With your experience and knowledge, you can set a higher rate as this is a tremendous competitive advantage. Plus, you don’t have to worry about looking for projects for days on end. There are platforms posting consulting projects where you can sign up and find the ones suitable for you. Not to mention that with your expertise and vast contact list, you can ask your network for any consulting opportunities.
Copywriting or copy editor
If you have been working in marketing for a large part of your career or have excellent knowledge about copywriting, this is an area that can be done remotely and on a project basis. Whether it is consulting or working as a copywriter, it is highly likely to find jobs you could do, even though you are retired. On the other hand, if you don’t necessarily want to write copy, you could look for copy editor jobs. Your role will be to proofread, edit and check the factual accuracy of already written articles.
Opening a home cooking/baking business
If you want to keep working but would like to do something different than what you have been doing most of your professional life, there is the option to open a home business. If you have a hobby and are talented in a specific area, you could transform this into a business.
For instance, many individuals who are good at cooking or baking start making this a way to earn money. Home cooking or baking businesses can be profitable. Indeed, you have to build a solid business plan and have access to essential equipment to get you started, but once you do this – and especially if you have experience in business development – you are on the right path.