17 Ways to Make Extra Income in Retirement

Retirement is something of a catch-22 in our modern economic climate.

On one hand, it’s the freedom from the grind that we all dream of during our working years. On the other hand, now you’re forced to survive on a fixed income, which limits you somewhat from that unrestrained freedom.

Due to this situation, many retirees look for ways to earn supplemental income.

After all, one of the benefits of the Information Age economy is that you don’t always need a punch-clock to get paid. Freelance and entrepreneurial opportunities are spilling out of the woodwork, and there’s no better time than retirement to make the most of it.

How to Make Extra Money in Retirement

Here, I’ll provide a list of some great ideas to make supplemental income for those who have had enough of the traditionally structured workday.

1. Gardening

Let’s kick off with this one, as it is an art that only becomes more valuable with time. That’s right, the act of growing and gardening is as old as humanity itself, and the savvy gardener can easily make some money doing it.

There are two ways to approach it:

1. Grow your own garden, and then sell the excess either at a farmer’s market, to friends, or in a roadside stall.
2. Or, advertise yourself as a gardening service. People are more interested in fresh veggies now than they ever were before. Strike while the iron is hot, and get your own gardening service going! This isn’t landscaping-gardening, but rather food-based gardening. Advertise healthy, fresh foods, and you can bet that people are going to be interested.

2. Rent a Grandma

I was pretty surprised when I first heard about this service.

It seems a bit questionable, doesn’t it?

Well, fear not, because the intentions are as pure as they come: this is a service that connects grandmas to customers who want someone time-tested and reliable to take care of tasks like pet sitting and babysitting.

Grandmas can bring their wealth of experience to the table and enrich others while they supervise. Despite the somewhat questionable name, this is a service of honor: make a profile and share your wisdom with willing customers.

3. Campsite and RV work

Some retirees like to set up in an RV and hit the road. It’s a great way to spend time feeling your freest, but you can actually find a little bit of work along the way if you’re willing.

There are many RV sites that are willing to offer free parking or hookups in return for doing a bit of work such as site patrol, housekeeping, or a little bit of desk help.

If you are already planning to set up in a campsite, definitely check out these kinds of opportunities.

4. Blogging

Now, you might consider me a bit of a biased source here, but I think that blogging is a fantastic way to connect with the world. Especially when you’ve got lots of free time and a head full of wisdom, blogging can go from being a ‘good’ option to a ‘great’ one.

Embrace those passions and let them take the form of words—chances are, people will want to listen!

The only hard part is getting people to know your blog exists at all. Here is a beginner’s guide on starting a blog for free.

5. Tutoring

In the vein of sharing your wisdom, tutoring is also a fantastic option for those with a relatively free schedule and brains chock-full of knowledge.

Tutoring is the sort of work that knows no age boundaries—everyone from high school students to the retired can get in on it, and that’s a great thing. Furthermore, you can adjust the amount of tutoring you do to suit the amount of supplementary income that you’re trying to make.

A few of the biggest tutoring hub sites include AtHomeTutoringServices and Tutor.com, but that doesn’t mean that you’re limited to just them. There are many other sites that pay you to teach online and from home.

6. Focus Groups

A simple-as-it-comes option for making extra money.

You just look up “Paid Focus Groups” and Google will provide a handful of companies who are willing to compensate you for your time.

Generally, you’ll be making about $50 or $100 for a few hours of focus testing on something like a product or a service. Quick, easy, lucrative. The only issue is that they are one-off opportunities.

7. Become a Tour Guide

If you’ve never heard of a service such as TourHQ and ToursByLocals, they’re essentially platforms that allow out-of-towners to connect with locals who can show them the city like only a local could.

This is a perfect opportunity for retirees, especially those who have lived in one area for a long time.

If you know the best hole-in-the-wall shops, the best street vendors, and the best hangout spots—your knowledge is worth money, and people are willing to pay you to show them!

Now, you don’t need to use these intermediary services to get started as a tour guide. If there are any local tourist attractions that you’re well-acquainted with, you could always try to become a part-time tour guide there. Many retirees have mastered the gift of gab and are perfect candidates for something like tour guiding.

Social retirees need look no further than this kind of opportunity.

8. Rent Space

OK, retirees, you want an easy way to make money? How about the ultimate in ease: making use of your unused space.

If you have a spare room in your home that you’d like to rent, you can use a service like VRBO to make the most of it by renting to people who are looking for short- or long-term lodging.

Renting space is a pretty wide category of income opportunities that can extend in several different ways:

• You can run a mini-hotel in your space by using a service like AirBnB.
• You can offer lodging services for pets.
• You can rent out your driveway.
• You can even rent out your car!

If you have stuff to rent out, chances are there’s a service for it. Just Google “rent my ___,” and you’re bound to find something that fits.

9. Participate in Medical Studies

Now, while I do think that this is a valid opportunity for retirees to make some extra income easily, I recommend it with caution: if you are in frail health, this is NOT the opportunity for you!

That said, those with certain medical conditions may find benefit and money in return for participating in clinical trials.

Who knows? You might even help pave the way for a groundbreaking medication that addresses your condition!

Do beware, though, of potential side effects; you’ve done very well to survive to retirement, and you might not want to start taking risks now.

10. Get Crafty

Artists of all ages long for a time when they can settle into their craft and create for hours—there’s no time like retirement to rekindle those interests and make some money while you do it.

You’re no doubt familiar with the service known as Etsy, a massive online storefront for in-home craftsmen everywhere who are looking to sell their handmade wares.

If you’ve got skills in creation, this is the place for you! Everything from clothes, tapestries, miniatures—you name it, and you can sell it on Etsy.

And Etsy isn’t the only option. There are tons of other sites like Etsy that can be used to sell handmade goods.

It’s a great way to combine passion with economics.

11. Connect with Nature

By the time you reach retirement age, you’ve probably had enough of the hustle and bustle. So, what if I told you that you can connect with nature and get paid while you do it?

A company called Bold Earth connects youth with outdoor opportunities that include everything from biking across Europe to farming in South America.

For the young at heart and stout of spirit, Bold Earth is a fantastic opportunity to get out there and do what you love. Don’t be discouraged by the youth-centric nature of their presentation; they’re most definitely looking for experienced employees to guide the younger members.

12. Freelancing

If you thought retirement was a bad time to become self-employed, think again!

Freelancing is the career path of the 21st century, and it’s not hard to see why: you make your own hours, find your own clients, and generally control the scope of your business.

If you’ve built up marketable skills—and I know you have—then you can put them to use in the realm of freelance.

Think you don’t have traditionally ‘freelanceable’ skills?

Reconsider that stance. Freelancing is the quintessential example of creating your own supply and demand. Even if you’ve only got experience in a very niche field, market yourself to others in that same niche and make it work for you. Having faith in yourself is the number one factor in successful freelancing, and there’s every chance you can make it happen.

Here is a list of sites you can use to make money with your skills as a freelancer.

13. Upcycling

OK, we’ve all heard of re-cycling, but what about up-cycling?

That’s right, retouching and refurnishing are the new hot topics of the day, as recycling becomes cooler and more widespread.

Use your skills of finesse to find less-than-prime goods and turn them into something beautiful.

Whether you’re touching up old furniture, reimagining old paintings, or giving new life to old clothes, upcycling is an awesome way to make the most of preexisting goods and turn them into something amazing.

14. Become an Encore Fellow

This is a fantastic service that I’ll try to encapsulate in a few sentences.

Basically, Encore is an organization that connects experienced professionals with organizations in need of their expertise—it’s that simple.

If you have high-level managerial experience in a specific field, you might find a business that could benefit greatly from your guidance to steer them on the right path.

Technically, you’ll be hosted by the company in question, which might include being away from home for six months to a year. While it’s not the typical picture of retirement, it’s an exciting opportunity, and I definitely recommend it for the curious.

15. Mystery Shopping

There are few things that sound more unbelievable than the idea of getting paid to shop—but believe me, it’s a real thing.

This is mystery shopping—essentially, posing as a customer while you discreetly evaluate a business. You’ll get paid a relatively small sum, somewhere between $10 and $50, and in turn, you’ll purchase items, have a meal, or see a movie. You secretly evaluate the business, much like a health inspector, and then report back to your mystery shopping service about customer service and other aspects.

It’s essentially like being a secret agent for customers, and that’s a pretty cool opportunity.

Google “Mystery Shopping” to find opportunities in your area. But be cautious—there are many scams associated with mystery shopping jobs. Legitimate mystery shopping companies typically don’t charge sign-up fees and are free to join. Steer clear of any company that asks for payment upfront.

Intrigued?

Check out this list of over 200 legitimate secret shopper jobs.

Here is a link to an article with a list of 100+ legitimate and free mystery shopping companies, along with tips and tricks on how to avoid scams and make more money.

16. Serve in an Online Jury

It’s often said that as we grow, our sense of duty to the community at large becomes stronger.

If this resonates with you, consider serving on an online jury, where you can provide input on cases and assist in consultations for court proceedings.

eJury is a platform that connects jurors with prosecutors and legal professionals who need feedback on ongoing cases.

Whether or not you’re serving on a mock jury or a real jury is sometimes unclear, but it can be safely assumed that you’re serving on a mock jury most of the time.

You register just like you would for a regular jury, requiring a clean criminal record and a ‘clean moral slate,’ as well as a county-specific registration. You give your feedback and, in return, get paid—sometimes as little as $5 but often more, depending on the duration of the session.

It’s one of many ways to make money nowadays without even standing up!

17. Sell Stuff

I’ll conclude with the most basic and obvious option: selling things.

While selling things can be a bit of a drag, it doesn’t have to be unpleasant.

Clear out only the items you no longer like or use, and you might find yourself with some much-needed extra cash. If you’re attached to your belongings, don’t sell them!

There are plenty of options on this list, but clearing out your closet rarely hurts, and you might be glad you did.

Looking to sell your stuff hassle-free? Consider checking out the Amazon Trade-In program.

Final Words

We all want to retire someday, but that doesn’t mean you need to go without cash once you do. Thanks to the modern age and the internet, you now have limitless options for making money in nontraditional ways—and you don’t have to do anything you don’t enjoy.

Retirement, as some say, is the real prime of your life: you’re free and full of knowledge! So, make the most of it and earn some extra money while doing what you love. It’s rewarding in more ways than one.