Many people who enter retirement age recognize that they get fulfillment from staying active and engaged in their communities. Others recognize that there are sometimes economic needs that could benefit from more income than their budgets provide. Still, others just want to get a little extra spending cash here and there. Regardless of your motivation, there are plenty of extra income opportunities you can pursue in your retirement, many of which involve driving — an ideal option for those who may have mobility limitations.
Car-Based Job Opportunities
Thanks to smartphones, app-based gig opportunities involving cars have taken off dramatically. Looking at 2024, two of the biggest gigs are delivering products and delivering people.
Ride Services
The quintessential services are Uber and Lyft, which have been around the longest and have the largest market penetration. Both offer similar rates to drivers and also offer similar working experiences. The market in your area may favor one service or the other, but many drivers have found that it’s effective to work with both services to secure a more consistent workflow.
Delivery Services
The most common services in this category are food-based and include apps like DoorDash, GrubHub, and Uber Eats. Generally, DoorDash is the most popular of these services, as it commands roughly 2/3 of the market, according to Bloomberg Second Measure. Pay for food delivery is heavily influenced by customers’ voluntary tips, so there’s a significant element of luck involved. Further impacting pay rates is the fact that some orders may be small and only have a single item, whereas others may be lunches for an entire office.
Both styles of service can cost you in the form of gas and wear on your vehicle. You’ll need to keep it in working condition and properly insure it, and there’s always the possibility of an accident. Nevertheless, as long as you’re comfortable on the road, you can make some money on your own terms — you can accept or reject any ride or delivery for any reason.
Other Retirement Gig Opportunities
Whether you don’t have a car or don’t want to use your car for work, there’s still a plethora of opportunities for short-term and gig work. Some of these opportunities fill a specific niche that’s only available to you based on experience in that industry. For example, if you were an office manager prior to retirement, some companies may be in need of your skills as a consultant. If your field doesn’t offer that kind of opportunity or you just want some more variety, there are still ample gigs available to suit you.
Pet Care
Dog walkers, cat sitters, and other services are becoming more frequently needed as people get busier and have fewer friends. USA Today notes that, even before the pandemic, U.S. adults were maintaining fewer and fewer friendships, meaning that they turn to hired services to help care for pets when they’re going out of town.
Tutoring
Both online and in-person, tutoring and ad hoc teaching needs are as important as ever. Parents want to give their children the best opportunities, and college students want to have the best chance to turn their time and money into useful degrees to start their careers.
Seasonal Work
Particularly in retail and restaurant work, there may be seasonal opportunities near you. If you live in an area that’s a popular vacation spot during the summer, you can probably fill a few extra hours each week by helping out during the busy season. Likewise, Christmas villages, Halloween haunted houses, and other seasonal attractions can be great sources of temporary, part-time work.
Ultimately, working in retirement doesn’t have to be a dull return to the “nine to five” that you left. Instead, it can be an opportunity to get some new experiences, meet new people, and help others in low-stress work environments that often let you control when and how much you work. The going rates for these services vary depending on your location and the time of year, so you can’t predict exactly what you’ll earn from these gigs. Nevertheless, the added income can be great if you want to treat yourself to something that wasn’t in your budget or just want to add a bit more security to your retirement.
Resource Links
“Which Company Is Winning the Restaurant Food Delivery War?” via Bloomberg Second Measure
“Uber vs. Lyft: Which Is Best to Drive For?” via The Ride Share Guy
“Why Are We Losing Friends? The Pandemic Isn’t Fully at Fault.” via USA Today