When you think of retirement, you may imagine relaxing days sipping margaritas by the beach, reading a good novel, and generally doing nothing.
The reality of retirement is it can get boring if you don’t have a purpose. Plus, adding extra income gives you more financial freedom to enjoy playtime.
We found 17 excellent part-time jobs that are most popular with retirees. In some cases, you can even save money while working these jobs.
1. Pet Sitter
If you love pets, there’s a high demand for reliable pet sitters. You can approach pet-sitting agencies or start a pet-sitting service of your own. The latter pays more, typically between $25 to $45+ daily, depending on the client and how many pets you care for.
Your job is to care for the pets. You’ll need insurance, a pet first aid qualification, and experience with the types of pets you’re sitting.
2. Bookkeeper
Bookkeeping could be your perfect part-time job if you’re great with numbers and enjoy entering data into spreadsheets or bespoke accounting software. You will take responsibility for a company’s accounts, documenting income and expenditure.
Ideally, you have professional experience in accounting. If not, take a course to get you started. You can choose to provide a freelance service or apply for bookkeeping jobs.
3. Housekeeper
Do you love cleaning? If so, there’s a high demand for reliable housekeepers for private homes, hotels, and residential care homes. Your job will include vacuuming, mopping, dusting, changing bedding, and other domestic chores.
You can make a higher income ($15+ per hour) from offering a freelance cleaning service to multiple clients in your local area. If you do a good job, clients will recommend you to others. You’ll need insurance, cleaning supplies, and a vehicle.
4. Tour Guide
Working as a local tour guide is perfect if you live in an area with high tourist traffic. It’s an appealing role if you love meeting new people, have good public speaking skills, and can retain and confidently share information with visitors. It might help your application if you speak several languages.
You could apply for work with a tour operator or become a tour guide for a museum.
5. Virtual Assistant
The market for virtual assistants (VA) is expanding, and there are many remote opportunities for full-time and part-time workers with excellent organizational skills.
Most VAs choose a niche that interests them. For instance, one freelance VA I know works with entrepreneurs who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). She helps them organize their workload. She charges a premium fee and has a waiting list of clients.
6. Customer Service Representative
Many companies worldwide are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots or voice assistants to navigate their customer service departments. Still, some companies prefer offering human services to their customers.
One of the main benefits of working as a customer service representative is that most helplines provide a 24/7 service, meaning you can choose flexible hours and may be able to work remotely.
7. Dog Groomer
Dog owners love having their pooches pampered, and it’s a lucrative business. There are two routes you can take to become a dog groomer. Firstly, you will need training because dog breeds have different grooming styles.
After that, you can approach local dog groomers and offer your services. They may pay you per hour or for each groom. That’s something you can negotiate. Alternatively, buy a dog grooming start-up kit and offer a mobile service.
8. Receptionist
Receptionists are the face of an organization, and many companies employ several individuals to work different shifts. As it’s a customer-facing role, you will be a confident person with a positive and helpful attitude.
You can choose a niche that interests you for additional job enjoyment. For instance, if you love pets, approach a veterinary practice or a gym if you love the fitness environment.
9. Nanny
If you have the skills and patience of Mrs Doubtfire, working as a nanny is a fulfilling part-time role. You could help working parents, single moms, business owners, and entrepreneurs.
You can choose to work with babies, toddlers, or older children. You will need a Pediatric first aid certificate (updated every three years) and other qualifications. Check the U.S. Nanny Association website for details.
10. Graphic Designer/Web Designer
If you’re creative and love working with design, take a short course to become a graphic or web designer. These days, you don’t need to learn coding to create a beautiful website. There are platforms like WordPress and Squarespace that are easy for beginners.
You can take a short course or practice your design skills with a platform like Canva. When you’re confident in your skills, you can approach local companies or sell your designs or templates on a site like Etsy.
11. Real Estate Agent
After completing a real estate course and gaining a license, you can approach real estate agencies for flexible, part-time roles. They may pay a salary and commission on sales, which can be lucrative.
Typically, the training takes around six months to complete. The best real estate agents enjoy talking to people. They have good communication and sales skills, but you learn some of that in the training.
12. Data Entry Clerk
Data entry positions typically pay less than $20 per hour, but it can be an excellent part-time job if you have an eye for spotting errors. Your job involves transferring customer data from forms and processing them to electronic format to a computer or database system.
Data entry isn’t the most exciting job in the world, but if you do a good job, you’ll have regular work.
13. Tutor
There’s an ongoing demand for experienced tutors to help students who may be behind with their work or struggling to progress in a specific subject. The most popular subjects are English and math, but science and language tutors are also in demand.
Wages vary from $20 to $40+, depending on the organization you work with. Successful tutors have the gift of imparting knowledge by engaging well with their students.
14. Personal Assistant/Secretary
Personal assistants (PAs) and secretaries help clients navigate their business workload. They may attend meetings, make notes, book appointments, and manage their employer’s personal and business diaries. For instance, one day, you could prepare a mailshot, and the next, you could pick up dry cleaning.
There is potential for remote work, but consider approaching local businesses with your secretarial services.
15. School Bus Driver
If you don’t care for remote work, want to get out of the house, and enjoy being around lively children, the role of school bus driver is one to consider. There’s a shortage of suitable candidates, and most schools prefer hiring reliable individuals over 50.
Because the job has an unusual schedule, you will be comfortable working a few hours in the morning and afternoon.
16. Dog Walker
Do you enjoy walking and dogs? Great. Combine your two favorite pastimes and start offering a local dog walking service. Once you have a few clients, there’s a regular income. The job involves exercising people’s dogs, letting them out for a toilet break, feeding them, and doing other pet-related tasks.
Getting a pet first aid certificate and dog walking insurance is best practice. You may walk several dogs together if your clients agree. Some states limit how many dogs you can walk in public together.
17. Shuttle Driver
Working as a shuttle driver is a fun job if you like people. You’ll meet individuals from all over the world as you drive tourists to and from airports. Your passengers may ask for hotels and attraction recommendations. Therefore, you’ll need in-depth knowledge of the local area.
It’s not the highest-paid part-time job, averaging about $17 per hour. Still, you’ll be outside and can meet many interesting people.
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