However you define it, you still can make money once you've retired. One way is through your investments. If you have invested your money wisely, it will continue to grow regardless of your work status.
But if you are the type who likes to stay active, why not also earn some spending money while doing what you enjoy?
Volunteer Now, Get Paid Later
You may be able to parlay your volunteer efforts into a paying gig. If you're great at planning events, raising funds, obtaining new members, updating databases or other tasks, you could use those skills to snag a paying job.
For the Young at Heart
If you don't have any grandchildren, your grandchildren live far away or you simply love kids, you could work at a daycare, preschool or camp. If your career was in education, consider working a few hours a week as a tutor.
Earn Extra Money? No Sweat!
Now is the perfect time to get (or stay) in shape. If you're serious about it, you could get paid for exercising! Personal trainers who focus on the senior population are in high demand.
You also can specialize in exercise formats that cater to the older generation: Zumba Gold, Silver Sneakers or the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program. Water aerobics or other water-based programs are easy on the joints and worth a look.
Yoga is also becoming very popular among seniors due to its numerous benefits to the body, mind and spirit. Expand your mind and your exercise routine and learn why yoga is perfect for older adults.
Have a Hobby?
Do you love sports? If so, you could find work as a coach or referee for a community youth league. Love to dance? Knit? Enjoy mah jongg or cards? Create artwork? Play an instrument?
You could teach an adult education course through a local community college or other venue. Senior centers and adult communities usually offer a variety of activities, and these may be great places to start teaching.
Lifelong Learning
If you're eager to continue learning, take a class to brush up on a topic or acquire a new skill. Once you reach a certain level of proficiency, you could be teaching a course! Remember, many colleges and universities allow seniors to audit courses. That means you can take a course but will receive no homework, no exams and no credit.
Know the SCORE
Those retiring from a career in business may want to become involved with Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), run by the Small Business Administration.
SCORE volunteers are trained to serve as counselors, advisors and mentors to aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. Once you receive your training, you may decide to branch out on your own as a consultant to small business owners.
Social Security Issues
Working after you retire can bring in some extra bucks, but it can be at the expense of your Social Security Income (SSI) if you're not careful. If you do it right, however, it could actually mean a higher benefit for you down the road.
The good news is that if you wait to work until the month you reach full retirement age, your earnings will not reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn.
According to the government's Social Security website, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, your earnings may reduce your benefit amount.
What's full retirement age? It's 66 for people born from 1943 to 1954. Starting with 1955, add two months for every birth year until 1960 and beyond, when the full retirement age is 67.
Jobs with Benefits
Of course, many seniors work not for the additional income but for the health insurance that comes with the job. These industries are more inclined to offer part-time benefit programs: healthcare, blue collar (unionized), military, government and retail.
The following are several companies that are said to offer health benefits to part-time employees: Costco, Lowe's, REI, Starbucks, UPS, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
If your job does not offer health benefits, you may want to learn more about continuing care retirement communities. CCRC’s offer lifestyle accommodations that range from independent living to assisted living and skilled nursing care, and your monthly fee will never increase solely based on the need for a higher level of care.
Retirement doesn't mean you have to give up contributing to society and the economy. It's never too late to pursue a passion... a dream... or just pocket a few extra dollars.
