‘I wasn’t ready to retire, so I found new ways to earn extra cash’

Are you ready to retire? Perhaps you are now at home, made redundant by the current viral pandemic, or you have reached that certain age. Some people embrace retirement as one long holiday weekend. But some Baby Boomers can find they need some mental stimulation or extra cash. They may have been dipping into their funds a little too much over the years, or government pensions may never be quite enough.

Due to social restrictions, working at home is the new social custom. So, if you are retired, or have been retrenched into early retirement, there are some jobs you can do, so long as
your health and mobility are okay. With the internet, people can work online to generate some income. You have to build up a trusting rapport with your clientele, and beware of online scammers. Job offers online can lead to expensive courses or non-existent job opportunities that never appear. Always be wary of online clients who seek your banking details. In Australia, we can use Paypal for safe transactions, whether you are earning a fee, or paying someone online for goods or services.

But there are jobs people of any age can perform online. Some such online jobs are as data entry clerks, transcript writers, bookkeepers, illustrators, copy writers, editors, instructors, proof-readers, product reviewers, survey takers, virtual assistants, website writers, or bloggers.

I am now 66 years old, but still not ready to retire. This year, I am not tutoring face-to-face, but I am still tutoring online on Skype or Zoom and doing academic writing for online tertiary students. Sometimes I also write resumes for online clients. At-home jobs do not have to be totally online. One friend of mine has started making home-cooked meals to deliver to people in lockdown. She’s doing well, with online advertising raising awareness of her brand. Other at-home jobs can include ironing, or offering services such as gardening, or dog walking, or pet grooming. One idea to raise money for extra cash is to rent space you may have at your house, such as a spare room or garage. If you have a hobby, you can establish an online website or craft shop, to sell your handiwork.

The point is, you can make your own fun retirement. One drawback can be underselling your services, so do some research before you set your fees. Thinking caps on! If you are not ready to retire, what else can you be doing? This is the new reality of the world of retirement. What are you going to do next? It all depends if you are ready to retire.