You are not alone.
You are not alone. According to Pew Research, roughly 29% of females 50-64 are single. The factors are having never been married, divorce or widowhood. If you belong to one of these groups retirement can be daunting especially if you are not ready financially or mentally to take the plunge.
Staying at your job can offer comradery and a social life but if it is not fulfilling it can drain your energy and zest for life. But if you have a dream of how retirement should look some introspection can bring the clarity of exactly what might bring that dream to life. Let’s look at a few ideas that allow you to step into retirement with greater confidence and ease.
Do You Have an Extra Room in Your Home?
Recently while traveling alone, I found a great situation on AirBNB with a single woman renting a bedroom in her home. It was perfect for my one-night stay. I connected with someone who knew the area and she was in a great location to walk to a great restaurant and shops. her spare bedroom had an adjoining bathroom, so I had privacy and it was a great experience.
If you have a similar situation in your home, first consider this carefully to first make sure you are safe and comfortable with the idea. Find the right platform to advertise your availability and be sure it will help you generate passive income. You may find that this is a great way to meet people, while taking advantage of the sharing economy and also to connect travelers or short-term renters to your area.
Do You Have Extra Room in Your Driveway?
In my neighborhood, there are many families with young drivers and way too many cars for their driveway and garage. If you have an empty driveway you can sign up to rent it out on a website called JustPark.com. You get paid every time someone needs a parking spot. It is a win-win for everyone. For neighbors with multiple vehicles, it’s a better option than street parking where they may be ticketed and cars are vulnerable to being vandalized.
Turn Your Career Knowledge into Income
We all acquire valuable skills along our long career paths. Leveraging these skills after retirement to work as a consultant can be lucrative and fulfilling.
Whether it’s writing, graphic design, consulting, tutoring, or event planning, there are numerous online platforms and local networks where you can market your services. Freelancing allows you to work on your terms, while providing an additional income stream and keeping your mind sharp.
Spend some time taking stock of all your accomplishments over the years and see where your experience may best benefit someone in your community. Join professional groups to network or use social media sites like Linkedin to connect with past contacts. You never know, who knows someone who needs your expertise.
Have Fun Selling Online
Turn your hobby or passion into a business. I am sure this isn’t the first time you’ve heard that, but I am driving the thought home to you. It truly works to take something you love and turn it into a business. It may take some new knowledge, skills and tools but the rewards are great. Setting up a website on Shopify or setting up a store on Etsy or EBay can be a little daunting but you can hire some help to get you started. These are great platforms for selling handmade crafts, vintage items, or unique products.
Pet Sitting or Dog Walking
Are you a dog or cat lover? Dog walking kills a couple of birds with one stone. Get paid to get some exercise!
There is so much need for this service and it is probably right in your backyard. Platforms like Care.com, Rover.com or Wag.com give you the exposure and peace of mind that you are working with legitimate individuals who are looking for someone they can trust with their pets. You get some great companionship and a nice little income to supplement your budget.
Teaching and Tutoring
There is a wealth of opportunity to tutor or teach online. If the Pandemic left us with anything good, it taught all of who were not internet savvy how to use it to communicate and stay in touch with everyone. Now you can turn that into a opportunity to teach or tutor. A simple internet search will help you find a tutoring platform that allows you to teach whatever skill you want to share with others.
You can help with music lessons, teach English as a second language, help with math or general studies. Here are just a few sites for you to explore if tutoring and teaching interest you.
- skooli.com
- peardeck.com
- tutor.com
- yup.com
- VIPkid.com
Start a New Online Business
Retirement doesn’t have to be about endless vacations, or countless hours of TV watching. Retirement is an ideal time to start a business. Are you a great cook? Start a catering business. Do you love looking for beautiful and unique clothing? Open a boutique or a thrift shop. Are you a passionate gardener? Start a gardening blog or learn how to post videos on Youtube and social media to create a following.
Starting an online business offers the freedom to be your own boss and pursue your dreams. Research niches that interest you, observe what others are doing an determine how your interests and skills can be of service to someone else. Seek advice from others who have succeeded and look to education yourself on how to launch your dream business.
Make Retirement More Than You Ever Imagined
Mindset is everything. Spend some time reflecting on what your skills are and see where you can be of service to the world around you or on a more global scale by matching your skills to someone in need over the internet.
The world is your oyster as they say, and a little time in reflection, research and action may bring you a whole new beautiful world you never imagined possible.
Take some time to reflect on all the decades of your life and what you have accomplished so far. Find pride in those milestones while pulling out some ideas on how they can assist you in retirement.
Stay tuned to PowerDame.com for more in-depth tips on building the life of your dreams in your 60’s and beyond.