You retired folks, do you have a side hustle?
 

I’m about 10 years from retirement but I think about life after work constantly. Am I going to go nuts because there’s no more structure? Will I need to supplement my retirement nest egg so I can continue enjoying my hobbies? When my folks retired, both went back to work as consultants for a few years because they were getting on each other’s nerves!

It took me about a year to get 'into the retirement thing'
After that...all has been good.
No extra job..just wake up each day and decide what to do...love it. :)

Sort of. I'm 6 credits away from my BA in music. When done I'm planning on getting into the local school system as a TA in the music dept. I'll likely be unpaid and that's fine but I'm tired of seeing the Arts suffer from cutbacks.

We're retired. We both hate structure, so we are lifelong serial entrepreneurs.
Maybe a business that keeps you occupied and maybe brings in some income would work for you.

I like resales...buy low sell high...

You make your own hours, you make your own structure..the freedom, it is a challenge the more you put into it the more you get out including learning curve, you meet interesting people, the profit margin can be stellar.

This is not a guaranteed job/paycheck..you are on your own. I find itr to be challenging and fun..

Perfect for retiree and or student.

That has bin my job for 32 years..

I'm doing some work for my old company. It's just two or three short days a week; 'the boss' called me up out of the blue, and I went in and chatted with him for a while. It's kind of fun because I can come and go as I please, and they're so short handed that they're just happy for anything I can give them. They even gave me holiday pay on Memorial day, which was unexpected.....

Pretty much how I handled it.

any work would get in the way of retirement mid day naps.

Big decisions coming for tomorrow.

Nice weather...where to bike for the morning?
Where to eat lunch?
Should I mow the lawn?
What and where for dinner?

Not easy being retired.

I officially retired my business 2 years ago. But still have a handful properties I maintain. By myself. No employees = no headaches. Longtime clients. Places I landscaped originally so they are very easy to maintain.

Here's one......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1623624767.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1623624767.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1623624767.JPG

Maybe you can teach a gun safety class as well? The NJ schools will love it.

sort of

When I was approaching retirement, the school district asked if I would work part time. I told them I was going to make a 180 degree change in my life. That was sixteen or seventeen years ago. I worked six days a week for two & a half years building my home, plus additional time working on things that needed attending to after move in. Since that time I take care of things around the house/property, support my wife who still works and plan our free time activities. I don't miss being accountable to any organization or people.

Retirement gigs, let's see: this morning I finished cutting the grass and weeds under a half mile of fence. Then I teddered a small field of hay. A shower before lunch kept the family from locking me out of the house. Then I took my grand daughter sailing, watched her in the pool for an hour, then raked a small part of the field so we could bale it after supper.
Oh yes, supper. I made pasta with cream sauce. It didn't take long to get that small bit of hay baled and into the mow. Another shower and it was time to read to the little one and get her settled for bed.
I think I have my retirement gig.

Best
Les

I had seriously considered RSO training but they weren't too excited about my mostly crippled right hand. NRA safety instruction is probably doable.

Baz, that property is ADORABLE.

FB, good for you. I am a musician who does not sight-read. Just a nightclub bass player. But I also know that music is the hardest thing my mind can work on (and my mind is a busy thing). The importance of The Arts and music for brains young and old cannot be overstated.

Cantdrv55, if you think you have enough money for retirement then you do. When you do retire, all options are open for all reasons. Extra income. Something to do. Whatever you want.

I will retire within the next 18 months. If my employer asks me to consult by contract or if another employer wants me to manage or direct something, the answer will be no. I will likely do some outside consulting, but my fee will be high. I plan to enjoy my retirement, and everything I have learned suggests that feeling will grow in the months and years after I walk away.

I retired last year (semi-voluntarily) and have the possibility of several consulting gigs, but I wanted to focus on my family, house, volunteer work and hobbies for awhile. I finally have the time to fix everything around the house (and with my 911) that I couldn't get to when I was working a 12+ hour day 6-7 days/week. Heck, I even designed and built some furniture we needed. I also spent quite a bit of time helping a close friend get his house ready for sale, as I like (and am good at) that kind of work.

It's nice to know I have options, but setting my own hours and priorities is really, really nice. People tell me I've become a much nicer guy since I retired. Btw, I know several others who have recently left (or are in the process of leaving) my former employer, so the timing of my departure was good.

I'd been fully retired 10 years when my friend got himself elected County Coroner. He was a one man band and getting no sleep. I offered to be his Deputy Coroner until he got organized. That was 6 and half years ago and still doing it.

I retired at the age of 45 (well, fired actually...) and that was 17 years ago. I'd bought and paid off a few properties, so I get plenty of rent money. About twice the money that I got working, so not much point in me busting my arse at a real job. I just do minor property maintenance at my places or have a project such as building a shed or doing a makeover.

I didn't take the paid job thing as seriously as the other boys as I figured out I could add value to a property and increase my net wealth faster than I could by working and paying income tax on that.

If I need some folding stuff I sell some stocks, so life is pretty easy as a retiree.

That sounds like heaven. What a life!

Hear, hear!

You know the funny thing? A few months ago I saw that Statistics Canada was looking for part-time field workers to help collect surveys from non_responding households, so I applied, did the training, signed the confidentiality agreement and worked just over a week. I enjoyed the work. Then I came to the realization the time commitment was too much. Duhh.
One evening a month gigging is a better fit for me.
It is a wise man who knows when he is well off. Apparently I am not that smart.

Best
Les

I've always had a "side hustle" that I plan of doing for the rest of my life.

Basically I build/repair wheels and old bicycles. I've done a few classic steel framed mountain bikes of late.
I've always made a little bit of money but nothing Earth shattering.

But since Covid the local bike shops have been super busy so some of the local "MAMILS" have been bringing their bikes to me instead.

Good stuff :)

I really admire the folks here that can retire/retire.

As I have written before, we use retired folks all the time as 1099 employees/consultants.

Their talent level is off the charts in their specific area and they are as reliable as a hammer.

There are a few "consortium's" in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Yorktown area that are organized to help retirees find short term gigs (especially if a clearance of any kind is needed) but we have had good luck just using the old folks informal network.

All short term efforts without a lot of dedicated hours per week.

Works for all!

I still have 8 years to go, but will likely work on/restore mowers/garden tractors as a hobby that makes money. The one thing I have learned is to refuse working on other people's motorized stuff...they want it the next day, for a fee that barely covers the parts cost, let alone my labor, and they expect me to work miracles with their junker.

If you make your hobby a job you will need to find a new hobby.

I retired 3 years ago with the intent to have a part time job . Been working a part time job for over 2 years now . It provides a little structure and helps keep the mind sharp . It's only 1-2 days a week and they are VERY flexible to my schedule. I am busy all the time , I do hope I get to a point of being " caught up " and then do some volunteer work . Retiring was one of the best things I have ever done .

I have 6small rental properties, 4 of them house, one an Edwardian town house that I have had converted into three flats, and a small commercial building used by a vinyl sticker printer. Most of the day to day management is handled by my son-in-law who does the same for dozens of other landlords but I have to get involved once or twice a week on something regulatory or maintenance decisions.

I have about 5 years left before I retire. My sister who is 10 years older than me and was put out to pasture by her company at about 58 years old gave me a word of advice. She said stay as long as you can where you are and when you do retire look for some to do to stay active. Which is what all you are saying here.

I was waiting for that or I was going to post it. A side hustle is no longer on the side when retired. Like Baz, I go out on a very few jobs for regular customers that I like. The ones I didn't care for I let go.

Repairing and restoring antiques is keeping me busy whenever I have time.
(I care for my ill wife first.)

About the only service work I do is on doors and windows that leak or stick. I'm no longer interested nor can I pound nails due to my failed shoulder. Gonna go see about that this morning so I may be laid up for awhile if approved for a 2nd replacement.

The my hustle will be home care and PT. Antiques will have to wait. But guess what? Antiques do that.

In my experience you have to be ready to accept change in your preferences just like you (most likely) have over the course of your life. What sort of activity attracted you in your 30s may not be your preference in your 50s, 60s, or 70s. It's actually opportunity to explore new things.

I retired end of Dec 2020. I’m a former military pilot, also an FAA licensed drone pilot, with a few other skills (SOF) from military service. Not planning to work or side-hussle unless Seahawk-Paul offers a gig (but he couldn’t afford me, ha!) It’s time to be a vagabond.

I keep getting offered house painting/fence making/gate making/building jobs.

I'm flattered to have their approval and admiration of the jobs I'm doing. But PLEASE it's bad enough doing this sort of hard work for myself or GF's houses, let alone someone else.

when you retire, isnt the side hustle the main hustle?

Yeah but you're not supposed to 'hustle'. ;):D

...and they figure that you included a lifetime warranty as well!

Just let me know.

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no side hustle for me.

i will learn piano, speak Spanish (fluently, beyond ordering food and cussing), and hone my long ass range rifle skills..build up a 6.5 creedmore to hit distant steel plates. :D

find a hot young piano teacher, that speaks Spanish. hahha