How to make an income when you’re retired

Everyone’s experience of retirement is different. When you’re retired there are certain things you may need to concentrate on, such as finding the best stairlifts or moving to a quieter town, but you will also have lots of free time. Many people love to be out of work and being able to relax, however, others find they struggle with feeling unproductive and bored.

Whether you want to continue working to supplement your retirement income, or just because you enjoy feeling productive, there are many ways that you can earn money after retiring without the pressure or commitment of a full-time job.

What to look for

First, be realistic about how much it is possible to earn each month without having a full-time job and then set monthly targets. If you’re not able to carry on the job you love, it doesn’t mean you have to go into a completely unrelated field. Try and think about what you can do that’s a similar role. For example, if you were a teacher, you could now consider taking on a role as a teacher’s assistant for a couple of days a week.

We spoke to Fritz from The Retirement Manifesto, a blog with the aim to help people achieve a great retirement focusing on financial independence and retirement planning. Fritz comments:

“Find something that energizes you and gets you excited about the effort required and something you'd do whether you got paid for it or not. Make purpose the priority and view any income you earn as a secondary benefit. You'll enjoy the work much more than if you're doing it ‘simply for the money’, and you'll likely do a better job on your chosen endeavour since it has a purer motive. Find something you enjoy and explore. If it's meant to be, the money will follow."

Try investing

If you are money savvy, a great way to earn during retirement is to invest in stocks and bonds. Tommy from Leisure Freak is an expert when it comes to retirement funds, he says: “I find it’s necessary to have a portion of our savings invested in the markets. Investment income performance can be volatile and beyond our control. But the percentage of our savings allocated to stocks, bonds, and cash to earn retirement income within our personal risk tolerance is within our control.

“Getting this mix right means we can earn retirement income but also still rest easy with today’s market and economic fluctuations. It’s important to do a self-assessment and work with a certified financial planner to get this right.”

Earn from your hobby

These days, many people are working full-time at their hobby. Think about what you love to do in your spare time and there will more than likely be a way that you can monetize it. Tommy from Leisure Freaks continues: “Staying open to opportunities and engaging in pursuits of interest is a great way to bring in retirement income.

“The trick to enjoying any work in retirement is to be picky. Assess payable skills learnt during your career and hobbies. Then mark them as skills you would love to do and those you wouldn’t. Also figure out other attributes like location, flexibility, industry, etc. Look for and accept opportunities that are heavier on skill.”

Read on to find out some hobbies that you could earn from:

Gardening

If you love gardening and being in the outdoors, then we recommend offering your services to people in your local area. For a small fee, and a few cups of tea you could transform their outdoor space into a beautiful garden. Alternatively, if you love to grow fruit and vegetables, this is a great opportunity to sell them. More people are buying local and organic, so it’s the perfect time to start selling home-grown produce.

Blogging

Starting a blog is a great hobby to keep you occupied during your new found time, however, it can take a while to earn money. If you are a creative person, whether that be with writing, photography or even poetry, a blog is a good way to keep it up and eventually you may earn a good income from it.

Crafts

Creating arts and crafts is a popular way to make money. You can sell your masterpieces with ease on websites such as Etsy or eBay. Creating art has been suggested to have many benefits such as relieving stress and helping with memory, so earning money is an added bonus.  

Baking

If you love to be in the kitchen then let people enjoy your delicious bakes. Pay for a small space at any local markets and layout your homemade treats for people to purchase. People will be willing to pay a bit more if they are freshly made and look delicious.

Get a part-time job

Having a part-time job during retirement doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can help you feel more productive and you’ll continue to meet new people. If you want a part-time job purely to earn money, then avoid a role that is going to be too strenuous and demanding and instead look for jobs such as working in a local shop, café or bookstore.

Consulting

If you are retired from the business industry, a way you can continue to earn money is to become a consultant. You can provide your expertise, network and experience but on your own terms, whether it’s with a company you have previously worked with or a new one. Similarly, you could tutor students and share your advice and wisdom.

Dog walker

A great way to get outside each day and talk to people is by becoming a dog walker. People who work full-time and have dogs are always looking for people who can let their pets out for a mid-day walk. A reliable dog walker gets paid a considerable amount.

Driver

Driving is a very popular way for retired people to still earn a hefty income. There are many ways in which to become a driver, you could register to work for Uber, your local taxi company or if you’re looking for something a little more challenging, you could become a driving instructor.

There are many ways that you can explore how to make money after retirement. To find the best way, focus on what you love to do in your free time and work from there!