Whether you want to start a side job for extra money for retirement, or you just need the extra cash, Side Jobs After 50 is here to help.
You can find articles and resources to help you get started with something on the side. And maybe even turn it into your dream job or dream business.
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8 Recession-Proof Side Jobs After 50 – And You Can Start With Little To No Money
Do you need some extra money for travel? Or just to provide a little extra cushion for your retirement fund? A side job could be the answer and you can start with little to no money. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the “gig economy” has been taking off, leaving a wealth of opportunities for those who need to earn a little extra money on the side. These are some of the best side jobs for people over the age of 50. And one of them may be a perfect fit for you. Tutoring Put your years of experience to good use by tutoring students in your area of expertise. You could tutor science, math, or even give music lessons. This side job comes with many perks including very little need for training and the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a young person. All you need is your own knowledge and your love of young people, and you’re good to go. Tutors earn an average of about $25 an hour, depending on where you live. In some states, you can earn an hourly rate of as much as $55. And you get the flexibility of choosing your own hours. To get started, check out the tutoring jobs available on sites like SimplyHired, VarsityTutors.com, Tutors.com and even Indeed. Pet Sitting If you enjoy spending time with fur babies, this is the perfect gig for you. Best of all, it leaves you plenty of flexibility to do other things during the day. As long as the pets in your car are fed, walked, and cared for, you are free to do what you like the rest of the time. You also have the flexibility to choose whether you’ll take care of pets in your own home, or visit them in theirs. To get started, check out a site like Fetch, Rover, or Care.com to compare their terms and conditions, as well as the pay rate you can expect. If you really enjoy spending time with pets, consider offering your services as a dog walker, too. Selling Crafts Do you have a special gift for crafting garden decorations or crocheting baby clothes? Maybe you enjoy drawing greeting cards or making jewelry. Channel your creative passion into profit by starting your own online shop. Another great way to sell your creations is by posting them on Etsy. Your only time commitment (besides creating) is spending a few hours each week filling orders and shipping them out. This gives you the opportunity to do something you love while generating some income at the same time. Another perk is that this side job is very easy to do in company with a like-minded friend. You can hold each other accountable for keeping the business going and even split the cost for displaying your items at local fairs. Renting Out Your Home By now, everyone knows about the success of sites like AirBnB where you can rent a home to stay in when traveling. But AirBnB is a great place to generate some extra income, too. You can rent out a room or a part of your home that you’re not using. Or, if you’re going away on vacation, you can rent out your entire home. This can be a great solution if travel is a big piece of your retirement plan, but you don’t quite have the cash to pull it off. While the prospect of renting out your home may seem daunting at first, it’s an easy way to earn some extra cash. The pay varies, but generally you can set your own rate. AirBnB, as well as its main competitor Vrbo, both offer handy calculator apps to help. Before starting, join some Facebook groups with members who can advise you based on their own experiences. Content Writing If you have the creativity and skill to work as a freelance content writer, this can be an amazing source of income for you. The demand for freelance writing continues to grow exponentially. In fact, statistics project that the majority of the global workforce will be freelancers by 2027! Thousands of writing jobs are posted every day on platforms like FlexJobs, iWriter, Upwork and TextBroker. The only skill required is a knack for writing and for telling a good story, which you will generally have to demonstrate by writing a short sample piece. You can earn anything from about $50 to $1500 per long-form article, but most writers charge around $250. Ride-Share Driving You can explore the Lyft app to find out what the requirements are to become a Lyft driver. Chances are, as long as your car is big enough and is in decent condition, you can use it to earn extra income by ridesharing. Additionally, you’ll need a valid driver’s license, the ability to pass a criminal background check, and a clean driving record. Once you’ve passed all these hurdles, you are free to take on customers easily through the app. The average pay, depending on what city you live in, is about $25 per hour. To do it, you will need your phone screen to be easily visible while driving, so consider upgrading to a tablet with a larger screen if you foresee this being a problem. Offer Gardening Services If you have a passion for gardening, and people compliment you about how beautiful your garden is, you may consider doing this for other people. There are plenty of people in neighborhoods who would love to have a beautiful garden but just don’t have the time to do it, or don’t have that green thumb (that would be me). And they are willing to pay for this service! If this is something you would be interested in, simply list the services you offer and your contact information in a local ad. Once you start getting customers, word of mouth will be your best form of advertising after that. Working Events Working at a
How To Sell Printables On Etsy – A Step-By-Step Guide
We all know that Etsy is a great place to find unique handmade objects for sale. But did you know that you can also generate passive income on Etsy by selling printables? With minimal overhead or upfront costs, this is an ideal and profitable side hustle for anyone who is creative and resourceful. So how do you do it? Here’s everything you need to know about selling printables on Etsy. “Affiliate Disclosure: This page has affiliate links. If you choose to follow one of these links and make a purchase, I will earn a commission paid to me by the company, at no cost to you. The commission I make from affiliate sales helps me run my website. Thank you for your support.” What Are Printables? A printable is a digital product which customers can purchase, download and print for themselves. Printables can take the form of art, drawings, and various kinds of templates. Printables are easy to sell on Etsy because all you need to do is create the product. The platform takes care of just about everything else. However, you do need to pay a small fee to Etsy for the service. They will charge you $0.20 per listing and take 5% off each sale. How To Create Printables Creating printables to sell on Etsy is amazingly easy. That’s because a variety of cheap or free tools exist which can help you. In some cases, as long as you honor the terms of a commercial use license, you can even purchase pre-made printables and sell them in your Etsy store. One of the most popular sites for creating printables is Canva. Canva is what I use for all my graphics and I love it. It’s easy to learn and it’s so much fun to use. The site is free to use and offers a wonderful variety of design elements that you can use in creative ways. I have the pro version only because I use Canva for everything and you get more choices with the pro version. But you don’t have to stick with Canva. Here’s a couple more suggestions: Adobe Illustrator – I have never used this because I have always read that it can be quite challenging to learn. And they don’t have a free version but they do have a free trial. Adobe Photoshop – This is probably one of the most popular and well-known photo and graphics design editing software. Photoshop is easy to start but will take time and practice to master. Kittl – Kittl is similar to Canva and it also is a free program with the choice to upgrade for a monthly fee. I follow Sandra Di on her You Tube channel and she has a video promoting Kittl and Kittl also has their own You Tube learning channel. Best-Selling Printables Before you start creating and selling printables on Etsy, it’s helpful to know what kinds of printables tend to sell the best. Most of these are fairly easy to design with minimal knowledge or expertise. If you don’t feel confident that you have all the skills needed to create printables that will sell, you might want to consider partnering with an expert to help. Another great option, in addition to those listed here, is selling your own digital art in your Etsy store. Here are some other ideas. Wedding-Related Wedding-related printables are a sure winner on Etsy. They will almost always bring in plenty of profit. Customers are eager to find and download just about everything wedding-themed including: Games for the wedding shower and/or bachelorette party Wedding favors Wedding planners and checklists Table numbers Advice cards for the happy couple Invitations and guest books There is so much planning and excitement that goes into a wedding so feel free to be creative when deciding what kinds of products you can offer. Baby-Related A plethora of printable products can help new parents celebrate the birth of a new baby. Consider selling items that are in demand, such as: Baby shower games, lists, invitations, signs and favors Birth plans Pregnancy journals Advice and prediction cards First birthday photo display templates Wish/prayer for baby cards Astrology birth charts Baby memory books When designing baby-related printables, think about what would be most helpful to new parents or parents-to-be. And of course, the cuteness factor is important, too. Planners While many of us now rely on digital calendars, there is still a need for hands-on, paper planners. And once downloaded, your printable can be reprinted and reused by your customers on an ongoing basis. These planners can serve a variety of functions. Customers can use them to plan daily activities or set reminders for chores. They can even function as handy meal planners. Monthly calendars and daily agenda-style planners will never go out of style, and they are sure to find a solid target market on Etsy. Coloring Pages How many of us have wonderful childhood memories of enjoying our favorite coloring book? It’s a time-honored activity, encouraging quiet and creativity. Young moms often seek out easily accessible coloring pages to keep their children occupied. And because it helps to ease symptoms of stress, this activity now appeals to adults, too. If you’re skilled at creating coloring pages, you can sell them on Etsy for $1-$2 apiece. This might not sound like a good income, but remember that once you’ve created and listed your coloring page printables, there is very little more that you need to do. The coloring pages will earn money for you. Opening Your Etsy Store Make sure that you set aside plenty of time in your schedule for the task of opening your Etsy store. Although it’s a simple enough process, it can be time-consuming. Before opening your store, first make sure that your
Foolproof Blogging Tips For Beginners
Foolproof Blogging Tips For Beginners Do you love writing? Do you have a passion about a particular topic, and long to share your knowledge? If so, then you might want to consider blogging. It’s a fun hobby which can easily be transformed into a profitable side hustle, or even a full-time gig. If you’ve never blogged before, you might wonder how this is all possible. Here are some tips to get you started. Keep Your Audience In Mind If you’ve ever worked in sales, then you’re probably familiar with the idea of a “persona.” This is an imaginary person who represents your customers or, in this case, your readers. Successful salespeople come up with detailed information about their buyer persona: what their needs and challenges are. In the same way, you need to come up with a reader “persona.” Who are you writing this blog for? And what would motivate them to interact with you, or to click on your CTAs? When you begin writing, keep that persona at the forefront of your mind. If you do this, then your readers will feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Optimize With Keywords Start with some keyword research to find out what words or phrases your readers are looking for, and then incorporate these keywords in your writing. By including relevant keywords in your main title and the article text, you make it easier for search engines to find your article when bringing up results. But don’t stop there. It’s a good idea to also include keywords in your meta title, which is the blue title that shows up in the clickable search results. And of course, include them in the article URL, too. Schedule Posts With an Editorial Calendar To find success as a blogger, it’s essential that you keep to a regular blogging schedule. Choose a day of the week when you want to publish on an ongoing basis, and stick to that religiously. Make sure you structure the rest of your calendar for the week to include time for researching, writing and proofreading your posts. Do not try to set a goal of publishing a post every day. If you’re rushing to write a blog post each day, the quality of your writing will suffer. Instead, try for one high-quality post every week. Use a Structured Outline We get it; you have this great, exciting idea for a blog post and you just want to channel that excitement into one long stream of consciousness. But this is a recipe for failure. Statistics show that 79% of online readers don’t actually “read” at all; instead, they scan. This means that if your writing is not well-organized, only a small percentage of readers will pay attention to what you have to say. To avoid that, come up with a solid outline. Structure it based on the type of post you want to write: a how-to, a listicle, a newsjacking post, or something else. Include Data No matter what you’re writing about, it’s essential to back up any statements you make with factual information. This will make your article more interesting to read, and also boosts the chance of earning backlinks from people who find the post helpful. Even better, such backlinks can boost your blog a bit higher in the search engine results. Whenever you want to make a point about something, take the time to dig up some research that supports it. For example, let’s say you’re writing a piece about declining mental health in America. It’s much more persuasive to say that rates of anxiety and depression have increased 25% in the last 70 years, than just to remark that “more people than ever seem to be anxious and depressed.” Don’t Rely On Text Alone While your written content does matter, it simply won’t attract attention if you neglect images. In fact, the statistics show that blogs containing at least seven images get 116% more organic traffic than those that do not. So you really can’t afford to ignore the power of visual media. And it’s really not as difficult as you think. You can use a free site like FreeImages or Unsplash. Just make sure to properly cite any images that you download from these sites. Or, if you’re confident of your photography skills, you can even take photos yourself. Don’t Forget CTAs As much as you enjoy writing, you’re not just doing it to kill time, right? You have a specific purpose, something you want your readers to do. It may be subscribing to a newsletter, clicking through to your online store, or purchasing an Ebook. But most importantly, you want your readers to keep coming back. And the best way to make sure that happens is to ask, simply and clearly. So be sure to add a CTA (Call to Action) button on your page. This could take the form of a simple contact form near the top of the page. Update Evergreen Content For long-term success, you’ll want to start off writing about topics that are “evergreen.” This means that they will always be relevant no matter how much time has passed. But no matter how “evergreen” it might be, you still need to revisit the post on a regular basis to give a refresh to any outdated information. Each post will differ in how much of a refresh it needs. In some cases, you may just need to tweak a few minor details, while others might require a full-scale rewrite. Promote Your Blog On Multiple Channels Once you’ve published your blog, you’ll need to put in some extra effort to make sure that people actually see it. One easy and free way to do this is by sharing your blog on social media. Nowadays, everyone uses some form of social media, so this is really the best way to get your blog out where people can easily find it. It’s also a good
Rock-Solid Affiliate Marketing Tips For Beginners
Imagine for a moment that your blog, website or social media page becomes your primary source of income…even if you only put in a few hours a week. This vision is a reality for bloggers and social media influencers all over the world, thanks to the wonders of affiliate marketing. “Affiliate Disclosure: This page has affiliate links. If you choose to follow one of these links and make a purchase, I will earn a commission paid to me by the company, at no cost to you. The commission I make from affiliate sales helps me run my website. Thank you for your support.” So What Is Affiliate Marketing? To put it in simple terms, affiliate marketing is promoting products from other people or businesses. You’re paid a commission when someone clicks on your affiliate link that takes them to the site you’re advertising for, and makes a purchase or fulfills whatever the conversion is for that particular advertiser (like signing up for their email list). You can get paid in different ways, with the three most common being: Pay Per Sale Pay Per Lead Pay Per Click This is determined by the product owner and is discussed in their affiliate programs. Benefits of Affiliate Marketing While it may take time and effort initially, affiliate marketing can be an amazing way to earn passive income. What’s passive income, you ask? It’s money that comes your way on an ongoing basis with minimal effort on your part. While you might think it’s too good to be true, statistics show that individuals and businesses continue to find profit and success every day simply by posting content containing affiliate links. And now for the most exciting news of all. You too can cash in on affiliate marketing by promoting products on your blog or website. It’s amazingly easy to do. Here are some pointers to get you started. Focus On Your Niche This may be the most important piece of advice you get and should guide all other decisions around affiliate marketing. While it might seem more effective to cast a wide net and appeal to as wide an audience as possible, the reality is that the opposite is true. Targeting a highly specific audience allows you to narrow your scope and establish yourself as an expert. And expertise is your biggest asset if you want to build a relationship of trust with your audience. When you write in a niche that you’re familiar with, you’re in a position to write about products that you actually use in your day-to-day life. This gives you more credibility. Finding the right micro-niche also boosts your performance in search results. With more relevant results, you have a better chance of ranking highly in Bing or Google. To go along with your micro-niche, you’ll need strong, specific content that appeals to your audience. More on that later. Use Multiple Channels Along With SEO Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most effective tools in your repertoire to ensure that web searchers find and read your content, and click through to your affiliate links. But relying on SEO alone is a mistake. Remember that your goal is to build a community around your site. To accomplish this, you’ll need to use multiple channels to attract repeat visitors. Try a variety of approaches until you discover what works for you. Experiment with Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and/or Facebook. Consider repurposing old and new content to share via email and social media in addition to just posting on your website. Again, this helps establish you as an expert since it allows your knowledge to be shared across a variety of platforms and reach more people. Build Trust With Your Audience If you want to earn money through affiliate marketing, you need an audience. And not just a passive audience; an audience that is willing to take action by clicking on the links for the products you promote. And the best way to grow an active audience is by building a relationship of trust with your visitors. By communicating an authoritative knowledge of your niche, you are showing that you’re a reliable expert. Visitors will become comfortable seeking your advice. This way, when you make recommendations about specific products, your visitors will trust your judgment, increasing the likelihood that they’ll click on those affiliate links. Once you’ve gained that trust, treat it with care and authenticity. Avoid recommending anything unless you’re sure that you would be willing to purchase and use it yourself. Only recommend brands that you know and like. And if possible, take the time to test the product yourself before recommending it. Choose the Right Affiliate Program Not all affiliate marketing programs are alike. It’s essential that you take the time to consider what your overall goals and needs are, and choose a program that’s a good fit for what you’re trying to achieve. Your instinct might be to choose the program that pays out the most, but this is not necessarily the best decision. For your purpose, it’s much more important to consider how a particular program will work with your niche and your target audience. First and foremost, you’ll want to look into the program’s reputation. A reliable and trustworthy program can connect you with reputable companies and merchants. Clickbank and ShareASale are among the most reputable programs out there, but you shouldn’t confine yourself to these. Of course, you’ll want to check on the commission rate that the program offers. These can vary widely from one program to another. And finally, any program you use should be compatible with your niche, offering access to merchants and products likely to appeal to your target audience. Add Value To Your Content Value is almost like the Holy Grail of marketing. Everyone seeks it; but there are not many places where they really find it. Make your site a place where visitors find value, and you can be sure they’ll
The Best Remote Jobs From Home
Are you a retiree who has plenty of knowledge and passion to share? You’re not alone. Statistics show that 72% of Americans want to continue working after retirement. And why not? Your experience and wisdom are still very much needed in the workplace. However, starting all over again with an office job is unappealing, to say the least. Covid-19 and other illnesses remain on our radar. Plus, after years of working for other people, you’ve more than earned the right to some flexibility in your work schedule. That’s why a remote job might be just what you’re craving right now. One of the few positives to come out of the pandemic is that there are plenty of work-from-home opportunities. And these are not just for millennials and Gen-Zers. In fact, it’s a pretty good bet that one of these remote careers is just perfect for you. Here’s a list of some of the best remote jobs from home right now. “Affiliate Disclosure: This page has affiliate links. If you choose to follow one of these links and make a purchase, I will earn a commission paid to me by the company, at no cost to you. The commission I make from affiliate sales helps me run my website. Thank you for your support.” Proofreading If you’re the type of person who automatically corrects spelling and grammar, then this job is for you. And because of all the new written content published online on a daily basis, the demand for this skill is greater than ever. Proofreaders can easily work from home and make their own schedule. Unlike editors, who are responsible for the revision and rewriting of written content, proofreaders are responsible only for the review of grammar, spelling and syntax. And you can earn an average of around $40,000 a year. Blogging This may surprise you, but it really is possible to earn good money by blogging. In fact, we know of a few people who were able to quit their full-time jobs because of the money they were able to earn through blogging. And it really is unmatched in terms of comfort and flexibility, as you can enjoy setting your own schedule from the comfort of your own home. Once you find a niche – writing about a topic you’re knowledgeable about – you’ll be good to go. Bookkeeping Are you a numbers whiz? Businesses need skilled bookkeepers to keep track of accounts and to manage payroll. You can choose either part-time or full-time work depending on your needs and your schedule. To succeed, you need to be organized, detail-oriented and knowledgeable about relevant computer programs like QuickBooks and Excel. Previous career experience in accounting and/or auditing is a huge asset to this job. It usually pays about $20 an hour. Writing If you enjoy writing, you’ll find a plethora of opportunities that allow you to use this skill in different ways. As a freelance writer, you get to create the articles which are published either in print or online. You can work as a researcher, providing assistance to academic writers. Or you can find work as a copywriter, generating copy for ads and social media posts. The possibilities are truly limitless and it’s easy to find a niche that fits your skills and interests. Working As a Virtual Assistant As a remote virtual assistant, you can generate plenty of income while still enjoying the freedom of a flexible schedule. In this role, you simply provide administrative assistance to professionals or small businesses. As a virtual assistant, you may have a wide variety of responsibilities. Your role might include managing social media, editing/proofreading, web development and/or responding to customer service requests via email. In terms of pay, there’s a wide range of possibilities. Some virtual assistants can earn as much as $150,000 per year, but this isn’t really the norm. Tutoring If you have a teaching degree or experience as an educator, online tutoring could be the perfect remote job for you. There are a number of reputable websites and teaching platforms which you can use to get started. The hourly rate depends upon the areas in which you are qualified to teach. In general, those who can tutor STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) can command a higher hourly wage than others. Career Coaching If you found success in your previous career, then others who may just be starting out need your guidance and expertise. As a career coach, you will work with individuals to help them clarify their career goals and work towards these goals effectively. You might coach them on how to ace an interview, or you might provide feedback on how to improve their resumes. You might also support them as they develop the skills they need to succeed in their chosen profession. Transcribing Are you a fast and accurate typist? Then working as a transcriptionist may be the perfect remote job. And it’s amazingly simple; all you have to do is listen to some audio files and type what you hear. Job growth for transcriptionists is steadily rising, especially for those in the legal field, or those who can transcribe in multiple languages. You can get started by taking a reputable transcription course on Udemy or on the site Transcribe Anywhere. Graphic Designing Do you love nothing better than creating unique designs with various computer programs? Then you should think about finding virtual work as a graphic designer. Content creators are always seeking skilled designers to come up with infographics for websites and blogs, or to help with layout. To get started, you will need training and certification, which can be done fairly easily online. You’ll also want to create a portfolio to show potential clients. Crafting If you’re the creative type, you may enjoy designing, creating and selling your artistic handiwork online. Whether it’s quilts or doll clothes, canvas paintings or ceramic pots, you may be able to find
Hi, I’m Mary Jean
And my goal is to help women earn extra money for retirement – or for just every day living. There are so many ways to earn extra money online (and some women are making HUGE amounts of money with online businesses) and that’s why Side Jobs After 50 was born. This is also my journey on making extra money online. So here’s to us Ladies!!!
