LIFE & TRENDS Smith is part of a growing number FOUR for Baby Boomers
Bored with retirement? Here’s how to earn extra cash and reengage with the community. ::
BY BECCA BLOND W
hen betty smith retired from her job as an elementary school teacher a few years
ago, she was looking forward to her next chapter. She had saved enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life and wasn’t worried about supporting herself. But what she hadn’t expected was the boredom retirement brought. “There was only so much
gardening and traveling and spending time with the grandkids I could do,” Smith, who is in her late 60s, said. “I found myself feeling lonely and
bored. That was when my daughter suggested I get a side gig.” Smith enjoys driving and making
small talk, so she decided to give driving for Uber a try. “It gave me a whole new lease on
life,” Smith said. “Suddenly, I had a purpose to get
up in the mornings again. I didn’t really need the money, but I didn’t not need it. With this extra income I’m able to contribute to a college fund for my grandchildren. “I’m not making a fortune, but I
feel good about myself again. And I get to engage with people when I’m driving. That is huge for me.”
of Americans reentering the job force post retirement through the gig economy. According to an AARP survey, over
a quarter of Americans age 50 and older are doing freelance or gig work. Not only do gig economy jobs offer financial rewards and flexibility to work only when you want to, but they also offer retirees a chance to reengage with their community. So, whether you need
to add to your retirement savings, pay for unexpected expenses, or just are looking for something to do, here are four side gigs for retirees to investigate.
PET SITTER/DOG WALKER If you love animals, one of the easiest and most rewarding side hustles is to become a pet sitter or dog walker. Websites like Rover and Wag
make it easy to pick up and book clients. You simply create a profile on the site, set your rates and services, pass a safety quiz, complete a background check, and you are good to go. You can choose to watch pets in
your own home or theirs or both. Rover does take a fee for each booking you make, so once you have a relationship with a client, you can ask them about hiring you directly. How much you earn at Rover varies greatly by the part of the country
74 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | MARCH 2024
LETTERING/JOHN KEVIN©ISTOCK / UBER/SALARKO/SHUTTERSTOCK / DOG WALKER/THKASHUTTERSTOCK / TUTUR/JULIYA SHANGAREYSHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
