Fun Ways to Earn Extra Retirement Income

Let's face it.  Most Baby Boomers are going to have to do something to earn extra income during their retirement years.  The vast majority of Boomers simply have not saved enough money to live comfortably during their later years.

We see the reality of this around us.  Several times recently I have been in Starbucks or fast-food restaurants and observed that many of the employees are not the young, college-age kids one would expect to see.  Instead, these part-time jobs are often filled by people who are obviously in their 60's or older.  The same is often true of department store clerks and people in other service industries. I can't help but wonder if they are really enjoying what they are doing.

Instead of working in stressful, demanding jobs after retirement, wouldn't it be nice to find something fun to do that could also provide us with an extra income?  Look around, there might be more opportunities than you realize.

Examples of Fun Jobs for Retirees:

Create something and sell it:  I have a friend named Patti who is a retired Realtor and a wonderful painter.  She spends hours painting a wide variety of ocean and mountain scenes and selling her work at Southern California art festivals where she has gotten to know other artists who are doing the same thing.  It is such fun for her!  When I have visited her booth at the festivals, I have frequently observed that she is surrounded by other men and women our age who are making and selling jewelry or lovely boxes and items they have created out of wood or other materials.  A few years ago I bought some earrings from a 60ish man at a fair in Kona, Hawaii.  He told me that his wife made the jewelry, while he went to the fairs and sold it.  You can even start your own website and sell the things you make online!

Start a New Career and Be Your Own Boss:  Another friend of mine retired after decades of working all day as a hair dresser.  She decided to become a Realtor.  She wanted to try something different and has been successful and happy in her new career.  She only sells retirement condominiums in the community where she lives and she has become an expert in that area.  She never has to drive very far, but she always seems to have several active listings and a few buyers.   She is now in her mid-70's, works her own hours and has complete control over her new career.  It has certainly rejuvenated her.  As you can see, a job that has become drudgery for one person can be a fresh new career for someone else.

Write About Your Hobbies:  Do you like to crochet, knit, quilt, make jewelry or other crafts?  Why not start a blog or website and share your knowledge and experience with others?  While you might not make a lot of money writing about hobbies, you could earn a small amount each year to spend on incidentals, travel or Christmas shopping.  Check out this website: Domestic Diva Online.  The author has turned her love of creating craft projects into a successful website where people can follow her detailed instructions and create adorable crafts of their own.

Write About Your Experiences:  Perhaps you don't feel that you have any hobbies to share.  What about some of your life experiences?  Many people have created blogs about their personal life experiences ... traveling to exotic locations, going on cruises or even more day-to-day experiences, such as interesting places to visit in your local community.  You may have fun experiences that you would enjoy sharing, too.  Whichever type of blog you decide to write, you need to learn how to monetize it by adding appropriate ads from companies like Amazon, Google, Chitika, or Vigilink.  You can also list your blog on Amazon Publishing for Blogs, since some readers will subscribe to your blog on their Kindle.  You'll earn a little here, a little there and, pretty soon, it will add up.

Find a Fun Job:  Perhaps you feel that your financial situation requires you to have a regular paycheck and not rely on the advertising fees from a blog or website.  There are a variety of fun jobs available that you might find very interesting and stimulating.  One of our friends retired as a stockbroker and went to work in a health food store.  He had always been interested in vitamins and nutrition.  Another man I know works in an antique store.  He has a houseful of antiques and, although he worked for a large corporation most of his life, he always loved collecting antiques.  Now he gets to work at a store he really loves and share his knowledge.

Teach: If you have knowledge and expertise in an area, and enjoy sharing that knowledge with others, you can earn money by teaching.  Many of the Emeritus teachers at our local community college are in their 60's and 70's ... and this includes the fitness teachers who lead classes in yoga, Tai Chi, chair aerobics, circuit training and much more.  If you know how to play the piano, guitar or any other musical instrument, teaching is a fun way to earn extra money.  

Tutor Children:  Are you an expert in algebra, geometry or calculus?  There is a huge need for people who are patient and can take the time to really explain this subject matter to teens.  If this describes you, check with your local high school to find out how you can get connected with teens who need your help.

Work with other Senior Citizens:  If you aren't interested in working with kids, go to your local senior center and ask about job opportunities for senior citizens.  You might be able to work as a receptionist at the senior center or for a local business.  There are hundreds of senior citizens, many much older than Baby Boomers, who are working in the area around our community ... in the hospital gift shop, as security people at the community gates, for our homeowner's association, and in many other capacities.  Some of these jobs are part-time and others are full time.

Postpone Retirement and Spend a Few Years in Public Service:  One of the women I walk with every weekend spent two and a half years in the Ukraine after she joined the Peace Corps at age 62.  She had retired from the corporate job that she had held for nearly 40 years, but she wanted to postpone collecting her Social Security or using any of the money in her 401(k).  She did this by working for the Peace Corps.  It was a fabulous experience for her and she still goes on speaking engagements where she is asked to talk about her time in the Ukraine.   If you are interested in doing something like that, check out Encore.org.  This website will help you find government and private public service jobs that are designed for Baby Boomers looking for encore or second careers.  Many of these jobs will be right in your own neighborhood, in case you are not interested in traveling halfway around the world.  What a fun, interesting and satisfying way to postpone your retirement and increase your retirement benefits! 

Even if your Social Security benefits are not very large and you have been unable to save a lot of money for retirement, that does not mean you have to face a poverty stricken retirement.  There are a variety of ways you can make extra money and many of them will be a lot of fun!

If you are currently planning your retirement, you will want to check out the tabs at the top of this article to find links to hundreds of other helpful articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  www.morguefile.com

Get Help Starting an Encore Career

Now that they are reaching retirement age, Baby Boomers are often discovering that they are not quite ready for the rocking chair.  They look at this period of their lives as an opportunity to do the things they always wanted to do when they were younger.  For some, that means travel or pursuing a hobby; for others it may mean doing something meaningful with their lives in the form of a second career.

If you are one of those who is ready to move into a second career, I want to introduce my readers to Encore.org.  It is a website designed specifically for Baby Boomers and others who are searching for a new career in the second half of their lives.

While I only occasionally refer my readers to other websites, Encore.org is so comprehensive and well-done, it would be impossible for me to provide you with all the information they have already put together on this site.

Why You May Want to Have an Encore Career

There are typically two reasons why Baby Boomers choose to start a second career later in life:

Financial Security

With at least 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 every single day in the United States, many of them are not financially prepared for retirement.  Having a second career to supplement their Social Security benefits can make a difference in whether they are struggling to survive or really enjoying their senior years.  In addition, people who continue working while collecting Social Security benefits find that their benefits can increase a bit faster than the typical annual cost-of-living increase.

Emotional Satisfaction

Another reason for second careers is that some adults have spent decades postponing their "dream job" because they needed to stick with better paying jobs while raising their families.  As a result, I know Realtors who want to be artists, engineers who long to work as a chefs, office workers who dream of becoming caterers, and teachers who have been writing a novel for years while waiting to retire.  Other people long to do something meaningful with their lives, but they don't know what opportunities are available and how to get started.

How You Can Find an Encore Career

What should you do if you know you want to work after retirement, either because you need the money or you need the mental stimulation, but you feel as though you are groping in the dark for something that would really excite you?  That is where http://www.encore.org/ can help you get started.

Many of the careers they promote are referred to on their website as careers with purpose.  They even sponsor "Purpose Awards" designed to recognize people who have "moved into second acts for the greater good."  These are people who have committed the second half of their lives to solving significant social problems.  Some of these people have been given cash awards of as much as $100,000 for their extraordinary contributions to society.

When you log onto encore.org, be sure to check out the tab labeled Work.  Under it, you will find information about pursuing the top five encore careers:  health care, green jobs (environment), government jobs (including the Peace Corps), working for non-profit organizations, and educational jobs (such as Troops to Teachers).

From there, the website will give you the information you need to get started on your encore career ... whether that means going back to school, applying to a government agency, or using your current education and experience to fill a job opening at a non-profit organization.

How an Encore Career Can Enrich Your Life

I have a friend who joined the Peace Corps in her early 60's after retiring from her job as head of Information Technology for a newspaper.  Her job with the Peace Corps involved teaching parents and teens in small villages in the former Soviet Union about the dangers of human trafficking.  Unscrupulous people had been going to these villages and offering young women jobs as nannies in Europe and the United States.  Once they were out of the villages, however, these young women were frequently forced into prostitution, instead.  My friend remained in her Peace Corps assignment for two and a half years before she returned to the United States and began her official retirement.  However, even though she is now in her early seventies, she continues to frequently meet with other former Peace Corps members and gives speeches about her experience.  Her encore career continues to define and enrich her life.

By the way, when she joined the Peace Corps, my friend told me that there were a number of other people in their 60's and early 70's who were joining at the same time.  So, if this was something you wanted to do in your early 20's, and didn't have the opportunity, it is not too late!

If you are wondering what you might like to do after you retire from your current career, check out Encore.org.  You may be on the verge of an exciting new adventure!

For those of you looking for additional retirement information, click on the tabs at the top of this page for links to articles about where to retire in the United States or overseas, financial information, dealing with medical issues, and a variety of other topics such as family relations and travel.

You are reading from the blog:  www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit of a teacher in a foreign country is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

More People Working After Age 65

Our concept of retirement has changed drastically over the past few years.  In fact, some people don't seem to be retiring at all ... and certainly not at the traditional age of 65.  The local newspaper for our retirement community, "The Laguna Woods Globe," reported this week that by 2019 approximately one in five seniors will be working either full or part-time after the age of 65.  Already, the number of workers in that age group has increased from 4.5 million to 7.5 million in the past ten years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  That's a whopping 60% increase in a decade!

Reasons Why Seniors are Working Longer

The article in "The Laguna Woods Globe" listed several reasons for this increase in the number of senior citizens who are still working, and I have added a few more reasons we have heard from some of the retirees we know who still work.

First, many Baby Boomers have not done a good job of retirement planning.  As a result, they are unable to survive on their low Social Security benefits, yet they have no savings to provide additional income.  Their only solution is to keep working as long as they possibly can.  The extra years of work also increases the size of their Social Security payments, so the benefits from working longer can help in several ways.

Second, even when people have saved some money towards their retirement, they may not have expected to enjoy such a long life expectancy after retirement.   When I was young, we were told that the average life expectancy was 72, which meant we only anticipated living a decade or less after we retired.  As I got older, life expectancy increased to 78.  Now that I am in my 60's, I have read that the average life expectancy can be as high as age 88 for people who are healthy at age 65.  That means you may need enough savings to last 25 to 30 years after retirement ... and even more if there is a lot of longevity in your family.  Many people who thought they were prepared for retirement are discovering that they failed to save enough.

Third, a number of companies that used to provide pensions to their employees have reduced or eliminated this benefit.  People who thought they would be able to live off the combination of their pension and Social Security may have much less retirement income than they expected.

Fourth, boredom is another reason for continuing to work past the traditional retirement age.  Some people use this time of life to pursue a career that they always dreamed of ... like becoming a blogger!  Others may continue to work part-time in their former careers, such as becoming a substitute teacher or business consultant. 

Fifth, many Baby Boomers are still healthy and they simply do not want to sit at home.  They would rather work and use the extra money to travel and have fun.  As one person in my local newspaper said, she doesn't need the money, but it sure "comes in handy."

Finally, sometimes seniors are involved in meaningful careers that they do not want to give up.  Many actors and religious leaders, such as the priests in the above picture, continue to work long past the traditional retirement age.  A nun I know is almost 80, yet she still travels all over the world leading spiritual retreats.  I have attended a few of her retreats, and she is still very energetic and a dynamic speaker.  One of the women in my bookclub is married to a physician.  She says he intends to work as long as he possibly can, because he believes that what he is doing contributes to society and he enjoys it.  Isn't that the best reason of all to keep working past age 65?  My own husband is still working, even though he is almost 69.  He really loves his job!

If you plan to work past age 65, I would love to hear the reason you made that decision.  Please feel free to mention it in the comments section of this article.

Meanwhile, if you are doing your retirement planning, you may be interested in reading some of the other articles from this blog.  They are listed alphabetically by topic with links in the the index articles listed below:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of elderly priests is courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Source of Statistics:

"Working Late," Laguna Woods Globe by the Orange County Register, August 29, 2013.

Popular Part-time Jobs For Retirees

One way to stretch our retirement income is with a part-time job.  Not only does it help retirees afford a higher quality of life, but it is also a pleasant way to stay connected to other people.  Because part-time work is becoming so common,  AARP recently came out with their list of five great part-time jobs for retirees.

As you may remember, I have written other blog posts about part-time jobs for retirees.  With Social Security benefits so low and retirement savings inadequate for at least half of all people who will be retiring soon, working after retirement is often not simply a matter of enjoyment, but of necessity.

There are many possible occupations for retirees.  Before you even browse through the AARP suggestions below, you should consider continuing to work in the same field where you have earned a living in the past, by asking for a lighter schedule.  You will not need to get more training and you may be able to earn at the top of the pay scale for that occupation.  For example, many retired teachers continue to work periodically as substitute teachers.  Other people may fill in for vacationing employees at their old company, or cover for someone who goes on maternity leave.  However, if you want to consider additional options for part-time retirement jobs, here are the AARP ideas:

Library Assistant or Aide

If you love to work around books, you might apply for a job at your local library.  You could work behind the desk answering questions and checking out books, or you might spend the time re-shelving books and sending out notices.  You could work a wide variety of hours, since many libraries are open late and on weekends.  In fact, if there is a university near you, some libraries stay open 24 hours of day!  Of course, that does not mean you would necessarily be expected to work in the middle of the night.   If you find a library position, you can expect to be paid anywhere from the minimum wage to as much as $17 or $18 an hour, depending on your experience and education.

In order to get a part-time job doing this, you may need to have prior experience working in a library or have a degree in library science.  Even having experience as a library volunteer may be helpful.  In addition, it could help you secure a library job if you worked in an office in the past and you can point out that you are able to do data entry or word processing on a computer, keep good records and you are knowledgeable about how a library works.

Bookkeeper

If you have a background in bookkeeping, this can be a fabulous part-time occupation after you retire.  Many small businesses hire part-time bookkeepers because they do not need a full-time one. You may only need one or two local clients to keep you busy and help you earn a little extra money.  Clients will expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $25 an hour, and sometimes as much as $50 an hour if you have extensive experience and training. It is possible that you will work at the business establishment that hires you.  However, many bookkeepers also perform this service from their own homes, which is appealing to many Baby Boomers who want to work their own hours. 

If you are looking for clients, it will be helpful to have experience in this field.  If you do not, you could complete a bookkeeping course at at local community college.  You will have to be familiar with accounts payable and receivable, maintaining bank accounts, producing financial reports, overseeing audits and maintaining computer systems.  Of course it is also important for you to be detail oriented.

You also need to be willing to contact local companies to find one that needs your services.  In other words, you have to have the ability to sell yourself and your skills.

Personal or Home-Care Aide

If you are healthy and active, you may be able to work as a home health aide during the first few years after you retire.  In this job you will take care of people who are much older than you.  Your duties would include companionship, grocery shopping, preparing meals, dispensing medications, and helping them with bathing and dressing.  It is common for home-care aides to only work a few hours a day, two or three days a week, so it is a perfect part-time job.  You can expect to be paid anywhere from the minimum wage to about $12 or $13 an hour.

There are training programs required for most jobs as a home care aide, but the programs only take a few weeks to complete.  Agencies often provide the training and then they will help place you in a job. If you have physical limitations, such as the inability to lift someone who has fallen, you need to let the agency know so that you are assigned to jobs that will not cause you harm.

As our population ages, the demand for home-care aides has become greater.  You do not need to have any prior experience in order to work part-time in this field, and it can be a welcome change from those high pressure jobs you may have had in the past.

Handyman

When I sold real estate, one of the most desirable people to know was the local handyman.  If you are adept at making minor repairs around the house, you will be able to find all the part-time jobs you can handle.  In fact, if you live in an area where there are many retirees, you are sure to get a lot of calls.  The types of jobs you will be asked to do include minor carpentry jobs, plumbing, basic electrical work, painting and similar minor home improvement projects.

You can charge $10 to $20 an hour, and sometimes more for larger or more complicated jobs.  You can work your own hours and decide which jobs you want to take.  In most states you will need to have a license to perform handyman services and you may need to carry liability insurance.  It is also necessary for you to have your own tools, as well as a desire to be helpful to others.

Medical Assistant

If you have experience working in a hospital or medical office, you may be able to find part-time work in this field after you retire.  The types of jobs you could do include working in the front office, billing insurance companies, scheduling appointments, etc.  Depending on your experience, you may also have additional duties.  Your pay can range from $10 to $20, or more, depending on your experience.

The medical field is an area that is growing rapidly.  If you do not have experience, however, it may be impossible to find a job in this area.  If you are inexperienced but have a strong desire to work in the medical field, you may decide to go through a certificate program at a local community college.  Some of these programs only take nine months to complete in order to be qualified to work in a variety of medical assisting occupations.


In addition to these jobs recommended by AARP, you will want to check out my other articles about jobs for retiring Baby Boomers.  You will find links to them in the index article "Money and Financial Planning for Baby Boomers."

If you are planning to retire soon, you may also be interested in checking out the index articles below.  Each one contains an introduction and a links to a variety of articles on those topics.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Baby Boomers


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of carpenter courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Part-time Retirement Jobs for Baby Boomers

As 10,000 Baby Boomers a day turn 65, many of them are concerned about how to make ends meet after retirement.  If your Social Security benefits will not provide all the income you need, and your savings have been depleted because of stock market losses or high medical bills, one post-retirement option is to get a part-time job.

Part-Time Jobs Can Make Retirement Easier

Most retirees hope to relax, enjoy their retirement years, and have fun once they begin to collect Social Security. This does not mean that you can't have a part-time job at the same time.  In fact, if you find a retirement job that you enjoy, you will see it as one more way to keep involved with the outside world and have fun in your retirement years.  The extra money will also reduce your financial stress and make it easier for you to travel or indulge yourself in other ways.

After Your Full Retirement Age You Can Work and Collect Social Security Simultaneously!

The good news about working after retirement is that, once you reach your full retirement age of about age 66 to 67, you can collect your full Social Security benefits AND work at the same time, without a reduction in your benefits.  For many people, this means that the combination of a part-time job with their Social Security benefits will earn them an income equal to what they had been earning by working full-time before they retired.  In this way, you will not need to reduce your standard of living, even though you cut back on the amount of hours you spend working each week!  How's that for a cheerful thought?

In addition, if you had some low-earning years in the past 35 years that you worked, your new job could actually replace those low-earning years in your Social Security calculations, resulting in higher Social Security benefits!

What Type of Part-Time Job Should You Get?

One way to choose a part-time job is to look carefully at what you are doing now.  Would you enjoy your current job more if you were able to cut back your hours and only work part-time?  Many people chose their current careers because they found them interesting.  However, as they have gotten older, the physical and emotional toll of working full-time may be too much for people in their 60's.  If your present employer will allow you to work part-time in your current position or a similar one, you may have found a great way to ease the transition into retirement.

If this is not acceptable to your current employer, you might be able to go to work for a similar company in your area.  Your experience could be of benefit to many smaller companies that cannot afford many full-time employees.

Why Not Try Something New?

On the other hand, you may want to do something entirely different.  Perhaps you have always dreamed of working in a little clothing boutique, an art gallery, a flower shop or a hardware store.  If so, this is the time in your life when you can indulge those dreams. Contact some businesses in your area, and apply for jobs.  If you have been working most of your life, you may have skills that small business owners will really appreciate.  Many companies appreciate responsible employees with a consistent job record and lots of experience.

AARP Suggestions for Jobs That are in Demand

If you aren't sure what kind of part-time job would work best for you, you may want to look at this list of suggestions from AARP.com.  According to them, these are examples of the best part-time job for workers over the age of 50:

Library Assistants
Bookkeepers
Home Care Aides
Handymen
Medical Assistants
Teacher's Aides
Bloggers
Youth Coaches / Umpires / Referees
Tour Guides and Tour Bus Drivers
Convention Center Jobs

As I looked over this list, I realized that I have actually held two of the part-time jobs after I reached full retirement age.  I worked for several years as a Special Education Teacher's Aide.  In addition, I am a blogger, and plan to continue blogging as long as I can move my fingers over the keyboard!  It's good to know that AARP considers these both good examples of post-retirement jobs.

More Ideas for Retirement Jobs

I recently wrote another article based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and their suggestions for jobs that will be in high demand in the coming decade.  It also contains ideas for how to use the talents and experience you already have to supplement your income.  Here is a link to that supplemental article:

Second Careers for Baby Boomers

If you are looking for a part-time retirement job or ideas for a second career, you will definitely want to read this article.

How to Find Retirement Jobs

Ask around among your friends and neighbors.  Our retirement community, for example, hires many of the residents to work as gate guards, office workers, bus drivers and security people.  Most of them only work two to four shifts a week, with each shift about four to six hours long.  These part-time jobs get residents out of their homes and gives them something to look forward to.  They earn an extra $500 - $1000 a month while getting to know their neighbors.  In addition, it helps our community, which has been listed as one of the safest small towns in our state!  When our community hires its own residents, it is a win-win situation for everyone.

If you are looking for more information to help Baby Boomers with their retirement planning, including where to retire, financial help, common health issues, changing family relationships and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo courtesy of public-domain-photos.com

Second Careers for Baby Boomers

During the 2007 recession, many Baby Boomers were forced into retirement sooner than they had planned.  While the employment picture has improved substantially since that time, a significant number of newly retired Boomers are discovering that it is difficult to survive on Social Security alone. 

As a result, retirees of all ages are frequently open to second careers and new business opportunities.  Going back to work in a new occupation that excites and interests you may be the best way to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, even if you have had to downsize and cut back over the past few years.

Baby Boomers often have experience, training and a history of being responsible that makes us desirable employees in many of the fields where there is still job growth.  We have the ability to compete successfully with new college graduates.  If you are planning to retrain for a second career and need a few ideas, listed below are the areas where you might find good job opportunities, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections:

Retail Sales

There is still a large demand for retail sales people working in businesses that range from department stores to auto dealerships.  In fact, one good item of economic news is that U.S. auto sales are continuing to be strong in 2015.  If you are interested in sales, this can be an excellent choice for experienced Baby Boomers and great job opportunities may be as close as your local mall or auto dealership.  Are you under 65 and need affordable health insurance through an employer that pays most of the cost?  Consider working for Starbucks.  They take pride in the fact that they offer health insurance to any employees that work at least 20 hours a week.

Health Care

You do not need to plan on becoming a doctor or registered nurse in order to benefit from the growth in the health care industry.  By attending a community college or vocational school for one or two years, you can complete a certificate program as a medical assistant, nursing aide, vocational nurse, medical technician or medical secretary.  Home health aides require only a few weeks of training, and many Baby Boomers already have had life experience caring for an elderly person in their home.  This makes them a more desirable employee in many cases than a young adult would be.

Childcare Workers

Because so many women need to work in order to help their families financially, there is a tremendous need for childcare workers.  Some older people have opened childcare services in their homes; others work for preschools; still others have become bonded babysitters, working through a babysitting service.

Accounting or Tax Preparation

A number of people who worked as accountants or bookkeepers before retirement may discover that there are opportunities for them to freelance in these same businesses during a period of semi-retirement. Check with job listings in your area, or approach local businesses and see if they have a need for a part-time bookkeeper or accountant.

If you would like to work part of the year, you can also be trained to be a tax preparer.  Contact H&R Block or other tax preparation companies in your area to find out about their training programs. 

Substitute Teachers

In some states, substitute teachers in public schools are required to have a college degree, but not necessarily in education.  You may have to pass a state examination to get an emergency credential or meet other requirements.  However, this can be a high paying part-time job.

If you are not qualified to work in the public school system in your state, check with private schools or pre-schools, both of which have more freedom in choosing their substitute teachers.

Other School Jobs

Many retirees who have worked in the past in other occupations have found that it is very rewarding to work as school bus drivers or crossing guards.  Others find part-time work as teacher's aides.  If you want to work with children and possibly earn credit towards a small state pension in the future, it could be very beneficial to work at a school in your community.

Pet Groomers and Trainers

Do you have a way with animals?  You might enjoy working part-time as a pet groomer.  Another possibility is to advertise your pet training services in your local newspaper.  Offer classes in pet behavior or provide private training.

Share Your Talent with Others

If you are an artist, enjoy making crafts, sewing or can work with wood, you may be able to make gift items and sell them at local fairs and festivals.  You might also give lessons to others.  In either case, it can be a fun way to earn a little extra money.  

Public Service

If you have spent years doing volunteer work in your community, you may want to check with Encore.org about job opportunities with non-profit organizations in your community and around the world.  Even people in their 70's can join the Peace Corp.  You may also want to work with Teach For America or a wide variety of non-profit organizations in your neighborhood.   The pay may be low when you work for a non-profit, but the emotional rewards can be great.

There are Opportunities all Around You

Although you may have retired sooner than you planned during the "Great Recession," it is possible that you may find a new career that will help you make your Golden Years a little more golden.  Any of these jobs can provide you with a little extra income and could even add to your pension or Social Security benefits.

If you are interested in learning more about financial planning for retirement, where to retire, health issues that could arise and changing family relationships, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional useful articles.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo courtesy of www.morguefile.com