Cities in Northern California saw more severe drops in population during the pandemic than those in Southern California, new census data show, with Bay Area communities hit particularly hard.
The same data show that many of the cities that grew the most between July 2020 and July 2022 were in Southern California.
Experts said that several factors might explain the north-south divide. But one likely reason is the Bay Area’s tech-rich economy. Many tech companies allowed employees to work from home and it is likely that “remote work has impacted the Bay Area more,” leading to an exodus of workers in Northern California, said Dowell Myers, a professor of policy, planning and demography at USC.
San Francisco has generated headlines recently due to its dramatic population loss over the last two years, but other Bay Area cities were also ranked as having some of the biggest population losses.
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San Jose lost almost 40,000 residents and dropped out of the top 10 list of the nation’s most populous cities.
Highest rate of population loss among big cities
San Francisco, -7.1%
Daly City, -4.4%
Berkeley, -4.2%
San Mateo, -4.1%
San Jose, -3.8%
Experts expect population loss in major cities to slow as the pandemic recedes into the past, but they say the state’s housing crisis — another driving factor — won’t be going away anytime soon.
The lion’s share of the cities that gained the most people between July 2020 and July 2022 was in suburban and exurban areas across the state. A Times analysis showed that these areas, largely in the Central Valley, also led the way in housing gains.
Northern California cities were also likely affected by “less construction and higher prices” for housing, Myers said.
The census data underscore some trends that have been seen during the COVID-19 crisis. Urban centers such as downtown San Francisco emptied out as tech workers stopped coming in to work, causing local economic distress. Some more far-flung areas such as Placer County and the Lake Tahoe region saw an influx of people from cities who were able to work remotely.
High housing costs were another key factor in the population shift, experts say. With housing costs rising, some Californians used the pandemic as an excuse to sell and move to cheaper areas. But the real estate price boom made it harder for others to move in.
“Hundreds of thousands more people would desire to live in the Bay Area — if not millions — and Southern California,” said Michael Lens, a professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA, “if we made it easier to accommodate those people through more housing units and presumably more affordable housing.”
Of the 30 cities, counties and unincorporated areas in California that shrank the most, only two were in the southern part of the state, in Kern County: Taft, which lost 5.8% of its population, and Tehachapi, which lost 4.6%.
Cities and counties in metropolitan Southern California were absent from the top 30 list, with the cities of Commerce and Cerritos each losing about 4% and placing 36th and 41st, respectively, in that ranking.
Among cities with populations of more than 100,000, three of the five cities with the highest rate of increase were in Southern California, with the other two in the Sacramento and Fresno exurbs.
Highest rate of population increase among big cities
Menifee, 6.0%
Roseville, 4.3%
Clovis, 3.2%
Murrieta, 2.2%
Jurupa Valley, 2.2%
Menifee, which added over 4,500 homes between 2019 and 2022, has been intentional about its growth, city manager Armando Villa told The Times in March.
Meanwhile, a number of smaller cities with populations under 100,000 — many in Northern California — saw similar losses.
Susanville lost more than 15% of its population in the two-year span, but that was likely due to the 2021 Dixie fire, which burned more than a million acres and destroyed over 1,400 homes and other structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The town is also expected to lose one of its biggest employers, with the impending closure of the California Correctional Center.
Fire was also a likely factor in the city with the highest rate of population increase in that stretch — Paradise.
The city showed some signs of rebuilding after the 2018 Camp fire, gaining nearly 2,000 people after losing some 20,000 — almost 85% of its total residents — after the deadliest conflagration in state history.
But Lens said an increase in population — often connected to a boost in housing — is “not what we would hope” for in less dense areas.
Though growth in less dense areas isn’t necessarily a bad thing, he explained, the areas that need housing the most and can grow more efficiently are the major cities.
In a housing crisis, places such as Lathrop or Calimesa are “not where the demand is strongest,” so new housing may not be as direly needed, and the rural zones seeing growth are “not the most economically productive areas of the state,” he said.
Also, from a climate perspective, Lens noted that less densely populated areas lead to longer commutes and are “not the ideal places to put housing.”
Nothing says summer quite like the first day at the pool. The sun is beaming down, the air is hot and the water is sparkling and blue. You can almost feel yourself taking the plunge and emerging from the crisp water feeling refreshed and energized.
You don’t need to be a member of a fancy club to enjoy the perks of swimming pools. In fact, you can have access to the pool every day (or as weather permits) if your apartment complex has a pool on-site.
If this piques your interest, here are some additional benefits to consider when hunting for apartments with pools. Soon, you could be sitting poolside in the comfort of your own home. You’re just a lease away. With that, let’s dive into the perks of apartments with pools.
11 reasons to consider apartments with pools
If having a pool on-site isn’t an immediate dealbreaker, then it’s our job to convince you that apartments with pools are the best. Here’s why.
1. Opportunities to socialize
When you live in an apartment, the apartment itself might be too small to host larger parties or social gatherings. However, when you have a community pool, you instantly have access to more space to throw a party poolside. Apartments with pools provide you with built-in opportunities to throw a summer barbecue, a birthday party or an apartment neighborhood social.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to host, you can mix and mingle with fellow swimmers at the pool and meet new friends within your own community.
2. Low-impact exercise close by
Swimming is a great exercise for people to consider. It’s low-impact, which means it isn’t strenuous on your joints but you are sure to burn calories and stay fit. Swim a few laps and call this your form of exercise for the day!
3. Save money on gym memberships
If you don’t have a pool at your apartment, you may need to purchase a gym membership to have access to a lap pool. However, when you look for apartments with pools, you immediately have access to the pool so you can start exercising in this low-impact, high-result manner. Think of it this way — apartments with pools are like automatic gym memberships.
4. It’s a reprieve from the heat
Summer is hot. And there is nothing like cannonballing into the pool to cool off. When your apartment comes with a pool, you can take a dip every day to cool down and enjoy the heat in a more comfortable fashion.
5. An inexpensive way to entertain friends
Life is expensive, even for many high earners. Sometimes, going out for dinner and drinks or catching a movie is just too expensive on a regular basis.
That’s when apartments with pools come in handy. When your apartment is equipped with a pool, you can invite your friends over for free, or at a relatively low cost. Keep in mind that some apartment complexes charge for a day pass, but that will vary by apartment.
Either way, it’s an inexpensive way to entertain friends on a budget. Plus, it’s always a crowd-pleaser so you won’t have to argue about where to eat or which movie to see.
6. Great place to take a break
Are you feeling cramped in your apartment and need out? Well, take 30 minutes to swim laps or read a book by the pool to get out of your space. And, if you work from home, spend your lunch break swimming or catching up with emails in the shade of an umbrella.
7. Indoor pools can be used all year long
If you’re lucky enough to find a place with an indoor pool, you can enjoy it year-round. Likewise, if you live in a city with 365 days of sun, you have access to entertainment all year long.
8. Enjoy the outside
We don’t go outside enough and apartments with pools provide the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy the sun. When you have a pool as an apartment amenity, it’s a great way to ensure you stay active and get outside.
9. Keep your kids entertained
Summer break can be long for parents. Why not take the kids to the pool several days a week this summer? Apartments with pools are a great way to keep kids (and parents!) entertained during the dog days of summer.
10. You don’t need to travel to stay entertained
Summer vacations can be expensive and if you have kids, you mostly want to be by water anyway. So, when have an apartment with a pool, it’s like you’re on vacation all summer long but at a fraction of the cost!
11. Meet new friends
Community gathering centers, like an on-site pool, are a great way to meet your neighbors and make new friends. If you’re new to an apartment or city, you can socialize with fellow swimmers, start conversations and make new friends. Soon enough you’ll be scheduling regular pool dates with your new bestie.
Things to consider when looking for apartments with pools
Are you convinced you need to find apartments with pools for your next home? Well, we do need to outline some other things to consider before you sign the lease.
Apartments with pools cost more
Pools are an added luxury and so you’ll pay more to have that amenity. The cost can vary. Sometimes, it’s included in your rent and other times it’s an additional fee or annual purchase you can add on. While the benefits of a pool are vast, you do pay more to have access. Keep this in mind when budgeting and when you’re searching for apartments with pools.
Apartments with pools may be in higher demand
If you live in a city that is notoriously hot — think Phoenix or Orlando— pools are in higher demand. So, it may be more difficult to even find an available apartment with a pool. Likewise, families who are looking for apartments may be more inclined to find a place with a pool, so this can impact the market.
Pools can be dangerous
While swimming is a blast, it also can be dangerous. When you rent an apartment with a pool, you need to understand that there is inherent risk when you live near water, especially if you have young children. Be sure to understand these risks and take proper precautions before finding apartments with pools.
How to stay safe when poolside
Staying safe when swimming is the number one priority. When you live near a pool, you must be vigilant about practicing pool safety, especially if you have children. Here are some of the most critical things to think about to stay safe when living near a pool.
Always keep an eye on your children, even if they know how to swim
Never let children go unsupervised by the pool
Wear flotation devices if you don’t know how to swim
Don’t swim if you’re drowsy or under the influence
Wear sunscreen
Don’t dive into shallow water
Sign your kids up for swimming lessons
Pools are fun but can be dangerous so stay on your guard if your apartment complex has a pool.
Find your perfect next apartment with a pool
Now that you know some of the pros and cons of renting an apartment with a pool, you can begin your apartment search in any state and filter by amenity to ensure this feature is included. Happy swimming and house hunting!
It’s almost mid-December, which means it is time for another round of mortgage and real estate predictions for the upcoming year.
I think it’s safe to say that 2021 has been another stellar year for both the mortgage industry and the housing market.
But it’s going to be hard to top or even match what we’ve experienced this year in terms of mortgage origination volume and home price gains.
However, the party might not be over yet, with additional home price gains on the horizon due to similar factors in play.
Let’s see what 2022 might have in store as we once again look into the crystal ball.
1. Mortgage rates will go up, but only slightly.
Experts have been calling this for years to no avail. We have been told year in and year out that the low mortgage rates are leaving the station.
But year after year, they remain. In 2022, I do expect them to rise somewhat, but not by a meaningful amount.
Sure, your 30-year fixed rate may go from 3% to 3.5%, but that’s not a huge jump. And any 30-year fixed in the 3s is generally very favorable.
It will put pressure on prospective home buyers who also have to grapple with rising home prices and a lack of inventory.
And it will certainly dent mortgage refinance demand, as most existing homeowners have already locked in a lower rate.
However, as I said in my 2022 mortgage rate predictions post, there will likely be opportunities during the year to snag a very low mortgage rate.
Why? Because the economy continues to be a bit of a mess and we’re still sorting out COVID. Until we put that stuff behind us, interest rates could swing in both directions.
2. Home prices will continue to rise a lot
Don’t be fooled by the old mortgage rates up, home prices down fallacy. There’s not a negative correlation, despite what everyone plainly assumes.
Both can go up at the same time, and that’s exactly what I expect to happen in 2022. Granted, mortgage rates will probably only rise slightly, while home prices will continue to surge.
For some reason, a new year gives folks new hope that a trend will simply come to an end.
But why would home prices just stop going up because it’s a new calendar year? The answer is they won’t.
As I’ve said before, the same fundamentals that have been at play for some time, continue to be in play.
There’s a severe lack of inventory and a surplus of would-be home buyers out there. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happens with prices.
When there’s a shortage of something people want/need, a premium must be paid until production ramps up.
Unfortunately, production (new home building) is still way behind and won’t catch up for a while.
In the meantime, expect more of the same, and higher 2022 home prices across the board.
The only difference is that estimates are all over the place, with some calling for just a 2.5% increase (CoreLogic) and others saying 11% (Zillow) or even 16% (Goldman Sachs) .
Personally, I’m bullish and going with the higher figures out there, but recognize gains will probably be lower in 2022 than they were this year.
3. Cash out refinances will finally get hot
Housing pundits have been talking about the massive pile of collective home equity we’ve been sitting on for years now.
And it has only grown even larger since then, with equity levels the highest on record.
In short, American homeowners have a ton of equity in their properties that is ripe for tapping via a cash out refinance or a second mortgage, such as a HELOC.
But we have yet to see a massive cash out boom like the one experienced in the early 2000s housing market.
I expect cash out refis and HELOCs to have their day in the sun in 2022 as more and more homeowners realize how much their properties have appreciated.
Per Freddie Mac, about 42% of refinances resulted in cash out this year, which is up a bit from prior years, but nowhere close to the 80%+ share seen in 2006 and 2007.
Despite slightly higher mortgage rates, it may still be worth unlocking this valuable equity to pay for upgrades, college tuition, and other expenses.
After all, a 3% 30-year fixed rate is still phenomenal, and many homeowners can take out a large sum of money while keeping their loan-to-value (LTV) ratio very low.
And you can expect mortgage lenders to aggressively pitch this product now that rate and term refinances have mostly been exhausted.
4. The bidding wars will remain (and may even worsen)
It won’t get any easier buying a home next year. Even if mortgage rates are slightly higher, this won’t “bring prices down to earth.”
I keep hearing that line and it just doesn’t make any sense. Financing has never been the problem here. It’s always been a lack of supply.
And there will continue to be a lack of supply well into 2022, so why should competition be any less?
If anything, I could see more desperation fueled by these expected higher interest rates as buyers won’t want to miss out on their low rate too.
If you think about the last few years, at least mortgage rates were rock bottom. Now that you’ve got to worry about a rising rate and finding a home, the panic could be even more pronounced.
As always, prepare yourself adequately, start looking for a home immediately, and be aggressive if you want to win the bidding war.
Oh, and make sure you use an experienced real estate agent who knows how to get the job done.
5. Home sales volume will be flat or even lower next year
While Redfin believes new listings will hit a 10-year high next year, I’m not so sure.
As much as there is motivation to sell a home due to sky-high asking prices, there remains the dilemma of where to go next.
Sure, you might be able to move to a different state, but those “cheap states” aren’t so cheap anymore.
At the same time, supply chain issues and a lack of workers is making it hard for home builders to ramp up supply of new homes.
Collectively, this will make it difficult for home sales to increase next year, as much as we all want to make a mint selling our homes.
This also reinforces the idea that home prices will continue to go up, and that the housing market will remain super competitive.
That being said, it will be a very lively housing market in 2022, just not one that necessarily sees a lot of growth.
6. Home buyers will continue to flock to new states
Yes, the cheap states aren’t so cheap anymore. But that won’t stop people from getting out of town.
Many young, prospective home buyers have been priced out of their local markets in California and other hot spots.
This, combined with the work-from-home new normal (sprinkle in some politics), will fuel a continuation of migration seen in recent years.
This means more folks from the Golden State will make the move to nearby states such as Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.
While more affordable for them, it will exacerbate those local markets and make them more expensive for the people who already rent there.
Some of the hottest housing markets of 2022 include Salt Lake City, Utah, Boise, Idaho, Spokane, Washington, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio.
Basically any metropolitan area that was/is considered cheap and desirable will be less so next year as the out-of-state home buyers storm in.
So no matter where you happen to be, expect a fierce seller’s market.
7. First-time home buyers will purchase a second home or investment property (first)
This is an interesting one that I’m borrowing from Zillow because it’s seemingly odd, yet kind of savvy. And so 2021 and beyond.
Typically, a first-time home buyer will purchase a home to live in nearby where they work.
But because the real estate market is so hot and in such short supply, high-earning, cash-rich Millennials and Gen Zers may actually buy a second home or investment property instead.
The thinking is that they can get in on the real estate market by making an investment, even if it’s not in their overpriced backyard.
For example, a well-earning Gen Zer who lives in Santa Monica that may be priced out there could purchase a more affordable second home in Phoenix, Arizona, or an investment property in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Of course, this isn’t necessarily for the faint of heart, and this is exactly the type of thing that leads to trouble down the road.
But as long as mortgage lenders don’t get too careless with underwriting standards, it doesn’t signal the start of a housing crisis.
It does tell you just how crazy real estate has gotten though.
8. Home buyers will return to the city
While the suburbs have been hot in our post-COVID-19 world, I do believe more buyers will start to consider the city life again.
We will get through this pandemic, and once life returns to mostly normal, lots of folks will wish they owned in an urban center.
Prices in many once-hot areas close to lots of cool restaurants, bars, etc. have been deflated, but I expect that to reverse course in 2022.
The urban living trend isn’t going to disappear, even if more people work from home, or desire abundant outdoor space.
So look out for condo prices to see more price gains in 2022 and beyond, and play catch up with single-family residence gains.
There’s already proof in data here – Redfin noted that users filtered searches to single-family homes only (excluding condos/townhomes) in just 28% of searches in September.
That was down from a high of 37% in July 2020, when living in a city seemed unthinkable.
Condos also tend to appreciate the most at the tail end of a housing boom, which we could be approaching, so it all kind of makes sense.
9. There will be more layoffs, closures, and mergers
While there is some hope that cash out refis and home purchase loans will keep mortgage volumes afloat, it won’t be enough for all mortgage lenders out there.
For example, Freddie Mac is forecasting $2.1 trillion in home purchase origination in 2022, up from $1.9 trillion this year.
But also expects refinance origination volume to fall from $2.5 trillion to $995 billion. That’s gonna be a problem for the shops that specialize in refinances.
Ultimately, total volume dropping from $4.5 billion to $3 billion will be an issue and there’s no way around it.
As a result, you can expect more mortgage layoffs, similar to the Better.com layoffs, along with some outright closures.
I also believe there will be more consolidation in the fragmented mortgage market, with bigger banks and lenders swallowing up smaller ones.
10. The housing market won’t crash in 2022
I already said home prices will go up, but I’ll reiterate that the housing market won’t crash in 2022, either.
There is a large group of people who believe the housing market is due for a correction, mostly just because home prices have gone up a ton.
Sure, it’s easy to raise eyebrows these days when looking up what your house is worth, or your neighbor’s.
But that alone isn’t enough to make them reverse course, especially when there is a continued, historic lack of supply.
Additionally, mortgage lenders have yet to return to the loose underwriting that dominated the space in the early 2000s, and ultimately created the mortgage crisis.
For me, that means another year of strong housing appreciation, and another year without a housing market crash.
At the same time, it does mean we will be one year closer to a crash, which as history tells us, is inevitable.
Here on Making Sense of Cents, I talk a lot about different ways to make money on the side and the many great side hustle ideas. I do this because I truly believe that making money on the side can change a person’s life.
After all, learning about different ways to make money on the side changed my life.
My main side hustle a few years ago mainly consisted of me blogging here on Making Sense of Cents. Then, it quickly grew, my income matched and then exceeded my day job income, and I actually made the decision to leave my day job in order to pursue my side hustle full-time.
As you can probably tell, starting a side hustle significantly improved my life and it’s something I will ALWAYS be extremely happy about. My side hustle income allowed me to pay off my debt quickly, leave the job I disliked, start working towards my passion, and travel extensively.
Taking part in the many different ways to make money on the side can allow you to:
Pay off your debt;
Save for things such as a vacation;
Stop living paycheck to paycheck;
Reach retirement sooner;
Not feel as stuck at your job;
Become more diversified.
Many others believe in the amazing power of side hustle income as well. I recently interviewed many side hustlers, freelancers, business owners, and more about the different ways they’ve made money on the side and compiled them into one extremely informative blog post to help all of you. Plus, they share their tips on how to manage side jobs better so that you can make money on the side while not going crazy.
Below are over 40 different side hustle ideas and tips from the experts. There are many different ways to make money on the side and I’m sure you’ll find one below.
Related articles on side hustle ideas:
Here are over 40 ways to make money on the side:
Start a blog.
Blogging is how I make a living and just a few years ago I never thought it would be possible. I now make a great living online, I travel full-time, and I enjoy the work I do.
I made over $300,000 last year by blogging and will make more than that in 2016 (I’m hoping to double my income this year).
There are many ways to make money on the side and one of the top ways I recommend is to start a blog. You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $3.49 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial.
Become a Brand Ambassador.
“A side hustle that I absolutely love is being a Brand Ambassador. A Brand Ambassador quite simply shares talking points and usually free swag with the public in order to build brand awareness. Brand Ambassadors typically work on the weekends at different events so the trick is to manage family time if you have a family. For more information on how to become a brand ambassador check out the following post: How To Become a Brand Ambassador.” – Michelle Jackson
“Love meeting new people? Many cities have active brand ambassador Facebook groups that are constantly looking for product demonstrators, trade show spokespeople, tour managers, and more! And brand ambassadors can expect to earn $15-20 per hour.” – Kate Dore
Related: Become A Brand Ambassador And Make Extra Money
Write a book.
“Self-publish a book on Amazon that focuses on a topic at the intersection of 3 things: 1. your passion; 2. your expertise; 3. a need in the marketplace How much a person could make would be based on how much they want to charge for the book, but I would say you could make anywhere from $50 – $300 / month, depending on your book content / audience.” – John Lee Dumas
“Anyone can be a self-published author now and it is one of my favorite side hustles. Whether you want to share tips on how to do something or want to write a fictional story, any topic can be published. How much you make depends a lot on how much competition there is for the same type of book. I make between $300 and $500 a month for a crowdfunding book I wrote last year while my investing books make between $100 and $250 a month. The best thing is that, once published, they will keep making money year after year.” – Joseph Hogue
“Publish a book. It is easier than it used to be. You can self publish or if you have a platform such as a blog with associated social media you can pitch to publishers and generate interest there. Publishing a book increases credibility and leads to other opportunities such as speaking, course, freelance writing, judging, presenting awards, launching events and a lot of media exposure. Depending on how you do, what niche it is, how well you market it you can make anywhere from nothing right through to millions. Personally, getting asked to publish a book back in 2010 changed everything and was a pivotal turning point for me. Quite a few friends of mine earn a few hundred thousand a year from their books and associated content, others a couple of million. Most authors only make a few thousand if they are lucky though. It is all in how you market and how much of a following/community or tribe you have.” – Kylie Travers
Become a virtual assistant.
There are many ways to make money on the side online, and one of them is by becoming a virtual assistant.
“My favorite way for someone to make extra money from home (and what I would personally do if I needed extra money FAST is to be a virtual assistant. Specifically, I would be a VA to bloggers. There are so many ways to do this, including assistant with social media, creating images, writing content, etc. There are lots of Facebook groups set up specifically for people to sell content to bloggers. Really your income is only limited to the time you want to invest in it. Some VAs charge per hour and some charge per project/post. With a few hours per day, I’d say you could easily make $50-$100 extra per day.” – Lena Gott
“I’ve made most of my money by working as a VA and blog manager for busy blog owners. I fit my side hustle in alongside my full-time job by reminding myself that I was making a temporary sacrifice of sleep and free time in order to build my business to the point I could quit my job. I now make over $5,000/month online with my business.” – Kayla Sloan
A virtual assistant helps a business run more smoothly. You can be contracted for one project (such as collecting data for research) or it can be a continuing job such as replying to e-mails and comments. Virtual assistant work can range widely. There are many, many tasks that people hire virtual assistants for.
Related: How To Become a Virtual Assistant and What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?
Become a coach.
“Coaching is a great way to make side income. It needs practically no monetary investment… just time. Just be mindful of what you charge per hour, as almost everyone starts way smaller than they really should. When pricing your coaching services, if in doubt, double it!” – Chris Ducker – ChrisDucker.com
“One on One coaching is a really simple and fast way to start earning income fast for yourself. While people who’ve been doing this for a while will typically earn around $300, $500 an hour, someone just getting started could expect to earn $50 a $100 an hour. The benefit with this side business is that you can earn more per hour starting out which means you won’t have to work as much to earn as much. Also, consider offering package deals, this will allow you to sell at a higher price point and this gives a definite start and end date to things.” – Chris Holdheide
Sell on eBay or Craigslist.
“I go through twice each year and pick up items I’m not using to sell on craigslist or ebay. I make about $3-400 each time I do it. That’s an extra $800 for something cool!” – Lauren Bowling
“One of my favorite ways to make extra money is to go around my house and find one thing to sell on Craigslist every week (particularly on Fridays right before the weekend when everyone loves to get rid of their money ;)). It not only helps you de-clutter and get rid of stuff that’s no longer important to you, but also make some good side money that you can then bank towards something you do care about! I made over $1,200 doing this last year and it helped fund a Roth IRA. Give it a shot!” – J. Money, BudgetsAreSexy.com / RockstarFinance.com
“One way that a person can make side income is by selling items on eBay. The amount of money varies. It depends on how many items you are selling and also the type of items. I’ve had months where I’ve made $300 (part-time), but I’ve also had months where I’ve only made $50.” – Jason Butler
Whether you have old clothes you want to sell, a car, electronics, or something else, eBay or Craigslist can be a great way to sell many different types of items.
Related: How To Sell On Ebay
Edit for others.
“One way a person can make a side income is to provide edits to authors. The amount they can make depends on the type of edits they provide and the number of projects they take on. I primarily take on larger projects that involve either developmental edits or line edits (or both!) but short story projects can also be a good way to work on brief projects while making a side hustle and break up the monotony of projects that are the same length. How much a person can make can also vary based on how they charge; for example, I charge per word in order to provide a better estimate, but some people charge per page. ” – Megan Harris
Get paid to search online.
Did you know that you can take paid online surveys to make extra money?
Swagbucks is just like using Google to do your online searches, except you get rewarded points called SB for the things you do through their website. You can also earn points by taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping. Then, when you have enough points called SB, you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, and more. You’ll receive a free $5 bonus just for signing up through my link!
InboxDollars is another online rewards website I recommend. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5 for free just for signing up!
Another one you may be interested in related to this one is Nielsen Digital Voice. Digital Voice is a part of Nielsen, which I’m sure you’ve heard of. All you have to do is surf the web and you may be able to start earning money.
Become a proofreader for court reporters.
In 2014, Caitlin made slightly over $43,000 by being a freelance proofreader, while also going on several fun vacations. If you are looking for a way to make money on the side, this may be something you want to look into.
“Court reporters use digital stenography machines in combination with computer-aided transcription software to write verbatim records of various legal proceedings. They report depositions, trials, hearings, arbitrations, case management conferences, compulsory medical examinations, examinations under oath, and pretty much any other type of legal proceeding. Because of the sensitive nature of legal proceedings, it’s imperative that as many errors as possible be eliminated from transcripts — an especially major error could ruin an entire trial! A fresh set of eyes will 99% of the time catch more errors than the same eyes who saw the text from start to finish, too. An excellent proofreader is a huge asset to a court reporter — especially a court reporter who wants to make more money.” – Caitlin Pyle – Make Money Proofreading By Becoming A Freelance Proofreader
Answer surveys.
You can get paid to answer surveys and to test products all from the comfort of your home. Due to this, I think it’s one of the easy ways to make money on the side as you don’t need any experience, skill, inventory, or anything like that.
Survey companies I recommend include VIP Voice, American Consumer Opinion, Survey Junkie, Clear Voice Surveys, Pinecone Research, Opinion Outpost, Survey Spot, Prize Rebel, and Harris Poll Online. They’re free to join and free to use! It’s best to sign up for as many as you can as that way you can receive the most surveys and make the most money.
Clean homes.
“One great way for a person to start making some side hustle income is to clean houses. It’s a chore that’s always in demand (I personally hate having to clean), and it’s pretty easy to get into. You can make anywhere from $100 a job and up, all depending on the time and level of cleaning you do.” – Glen Craig
Find a part-time job.
There are many, many part-time jobs out there that may be able to work along with your schedule at your full-time job. You can find a job on sites such as Snagajob, Craigslist (yes, I’ve found a legitimate job through there before), Monster, and so on.
Start an e-commerce store.
“A great way to make a side income is with an e-commerce store. Unlike a blog or an info site which does not actually sell anything, an online store allows you to quickly scale and generate revenue immediately after launch. My wife and I made over 100K in profit in our first year with our shop.” – Steve Chou
Drive a taxi or become an Uber driver.
“Drive a taxi at night. I’m reliably told that on Friday and Saturday a taxi driver who owns his/her car can make up to $300 per night. Nothing to be sniffed at! But what you decide to do as ‘side hustle’ depends on what you like to do and what you are really good at. If you like dogs, start a dog walking/sitting hustle.” – Maria Nedeva
“I’m always looking for new ways to make a few bucks so that I can then share the results with my readers. I wanted to test out Uber so that I could see if it was worth it. I drove part-time (weekends and evenings). The first week of driving generated me $651.60. Since the article went live, many of my readers have started driving on the side. You won’t get rich, but the extra money adds up. The other positive is that you save money by not going out. This side hustle will help you pay off debt and save up for your major goals. Good luck on the road and cheers to your new friendships that you’re going to create.” – Martin Dasko
Related: How To Become An Uber Driver
Write online.
“Freelance writing is an excellent side hustle because you can commit your time “per article,” and work at any time of the day or night. Most people can expect to make $50 per article and up. However, a lot of people – including myself – make considerably more as a professional freelancer.” – Holly Johnson
Test websites.
“One cool way to earn money on the side is by testing websites. There are a number of sites out there, but UserTesting.com is the best. You get paid $10 for testing websites and apps and following their instructions. It’s simple, easy, and you can earn about $30/hour with this. The work is not guaranteed, but it’s a great way to maximize any of your downtime with earning extra cash.” – Grayson Bell
Prepare taxes.
“One great side hustle most people can easily learn is preparing taxes. If you start your own tax preparation firm, your potential is unlimited. However, if you’re just learning, try getting a part time job at a place like Liberty Tax or H&R Block or a local CPA firm. At the big brands, like Liberty Tax or H&R block, you can probably expect to make between $10 to $15 per hour depending on your location and experience. This job is generally only seasonal, so it allows you to have summers and the holidays off from your side hustle.” – Lance Cothern
Become a photographer.
“Photography! Most people only think to hire a photographer for big events like weddings and baby announcements because photographers are expensive. Charge $100-$200 for an hour package at a local park, and in one weekend by booking your friends and family, you can easily make $2k with just family portraits. With the popularity of photo cards from sites like Shutterfly, you can be a saving grace for families on a budget and you’d be surprised at how many folks you know who would hire a photographer in budget!” – Shannyn Allan
Create a website.
“I’ve created several simple websites about apps and websites that I like and use. I write about how the apps work, pros/cons, other similar apps, etc. Some of the apps or websites give me credits or money when I get new users to sign up or use their service. I’ve made about $4,500 over the last three years, and I haven’t spent more than a few hours working on the sites during the last two years. I’d say overall I only put in 20-30 hours.” – Louis DeNicola at Saveful.com
Become an online tutor.
Online tutoring has become an open market place for the gig economy. This is a great option to make money on the side, or even convert it to full-time. Studypool provides a great platform for tutors to simply answer student’s question and get paid (no video chat required). You can earn up to $500/week tutoring part time or potentially up to $60,000 a year tutoring.
Take part in research studies.
“If you live in a city, or near a university or teaching hospital, you can make money participating in research studies that need human subjects. Just go to craigslist, click on “volunteers”, and type in “research”. There are a wide variety of studies out there: some are medical (if you’re generally healthy, you can often be a control subject), and some are more about psychology or other related disciplines. You can make anywhere from $10-$20 for a short, one-time study to hundreds or even thousands of dollars for longer, more involved studies. Another benefit is that you get to learn about the research that’s being done, which is often fascinating.” – Sarah from The Yachtless
Make money online.
“The best way that I know how to make side income is online. Specifically, by freelance writing and blogging. The amount of make you can make online is unlimited. If you’re just starting, maybe you’ll make $500/month. But over time, you can increase your earnings to $5,000/month and before long even more than that. I don’t know another side gig where the income growth potential is so high.” – Natalie Bacon
Film weddings.
“One way that my wife and I made $5,000 in the past year on side income has been filming weddings. A year and a half ago we had no video experience. Once we bought a camera and posting videos, we’ve had friends and friends of friends start asking us to film their weddings. Most everything we learned about video came from asking other film peeps to show us the ropes or looking up “how-to” videos on Youtube. Since weddings are typically on the weekends, they really are an ideal side hustle. They don’t get in the way of our typical work week at all and they pay high margin. Once you have some film experience under your belt, you can charge $3-5k per wedding film, easily. If you’re interested in getting started filming weddings, I would recommend tagging along with an experienced shooter. From my experience, they are always looking for good help if you’ve got an eye for good shots and can work well under a little stress (there will be brides after all). This past fall we apprenticed and was well worth the long weekend shoots. We learned so much about shooting good wedding film and made a good amount of money in the process.” – Heath Padgett
Create a product to sell.
“I’m biased, but I think creating an online product and selling it is one of the best side hustles a person can do. But people shouldn’t be scared for the term “product”. A product can be anything – an idea or content, a course, a widget, a downloadable printout, anything! And there are so many different avenues to sell today: create a blog, start an Etsy shop, sell on eBay or Amazon. The great thing about the Internet is that there is somebody out there that is looking for something and everything. If you’re a teacher, sell your classroom notes. If you’re an engineer, share your though processes. Anything can be turned into content, and anything can be packaged and sold.” – Robert Farrington
“The ways to make a side income are really endless. I’ve encountered so many ways entrepreneurs are able to make a side income. Although blogging has been the most lucrative way for me to make a side income, my favorite way is creating courses. Creating a piece of content showcasing your expertise in a specific are and people paying you for it is a great and rewarding feeling.” – Jeff Rose
Manage databases, apps, and more.
“Managing, designing or configuring cloud-based apps- ranging from social media and content management systems (like WordPress) to databases. I learned to administer salesforce.com databases for nonprofits and last year made $6,000-$15,000/month pretty consistently working from home. (The going rate for these services is $50-$200/hour) What helped me was going through a self-study course on the platform, getting a couple of certifications, doing some spec work, then going out and asking clients if they needed my services. I call it “Learn, Slay It, Sell It.” Find out about growing trends, get up to speed then see if people will pay you to do it. If you become enough of an expert at it, they will! The nice thing is that it doesn’t have to be anything you studied in school, just something you studied on your own and mastered enough to be marketable.” – Aja McClanahan
Build websites.
“One way to make side income is to build websites for people and for businesses. The first website I ever built I charged $1200. Even if you dont know programming, it is easy to learn by watching free tutorials on Youtube. I think it would be very realistic to make $2,000 – $3,000 on the side building websites.” – Deacon Hayes
Become an alcohol demonstrator.
“Back in college, I made extra money on side side pouring alcohol samples for people in grocery stores. It was easy and paid well, considering how I don’t even know how to open a wine bottle (If I wasn’t using a product in a bottle that had a twist top, I asked someone else to help open it). The job paid $20 to $25 per hour and I could choose when I’d like to work and what job opportunities I’d like to accept. If you like to talk to people and prefer a laid back and good paying side job, being an alcohol demonstrator is definitely worth looking into.” – Chonce at My Debt Epiphany
Become a consultant.
“Become a consultant in your spare time doing some of the same work you might do in your full time gig. This works best with white collar office type roles where you can do your work at home at your computer. Just make sure you don’t compete with your current employer.” – Jim Wang
Tips from the experts on ways to make money on the side.
Along with the many different ways to make money on the side above, I also asked experts for their top tips when it comes to managing a side hustle.
“One of the best ways to think about how to make extra money is to identify what people are already paying for. I, for example, recently hired someone to manage my Pinterest account. That’s a great hustle you can master through a course or ebook, then execute from anywhere on your own time. Make someone else’s overwhelm your opportunity.” – Stefanie O’Connell
“Set boundaries. If you don’t you will get pulled in every direction and your health, personal life, finances, everything will suffer. Set boundaries for times you will work on your side hustle, what you are willing to do and stick to it. Don’t let checking social media creep into time you are watching your kids play sport or time you were going to work out. No money makes up for lost relationships or lost health. ” – Kylie Travers
“To accommodate a side hustle that makes a serious second income one ought to re-organise their life. I’d say that keeping a time/task diary helps. For a week write down all you do and how long you do it for. Analyse it and decide to stop doing anything that is: a) not productive; and/or b) doesn’t give you a lot of pleasure. You’d carve up a lot of time. You can also start looking for activities that you can combine to save time; e.g. running and commuting to work.”- Maria Nedeva
“My favorite (and least-favorite at the same time) way to manage everything (four kids & four blogs) is to work when our kids go to sleep. I will do some things during the day, but nothing that will require my attention for more than just a few minutes. My husband and I work from home, on our blogs, so we spend around 4 or more hours every night working side by side on them. We also try to squeeze in two hours during the preschool hours. This allows us to spend our time with our kids during the day and work together at night. While we might be a little more tired than usual right now (haha!) we figure that we can make up this time when our kids are older and in school. 😉 It is all about balance and finding time when we can. We can’t give 100% of ourselves to everything at the exact same time, so setting aside time for family and time for working is what works best for us – so we can give 100% to our family during the day and then 100% to our blogs in the evenings.” – Becky Mansfield
“My best tip for finding time to make extra money on the side is to give up watching tv. I used to watch one or two shows each evening, and now I spend that time working on my blog. I also stay up a little later than usual some evenings to get work done so I can spend my days with my kids. I’ve found that if you make it a priority, you will find time.” – Lena Gott
“You can make extra income in many ways – the only real limit is the limit you put on yourself. If you’re technically inclined, you can monetize that in your “off” hours. If you’re knowledgable about a certain topic you can freelance write in that area. Even if you have no skills, which I don’t believe, you can do something as simple as work around your neighborhood to walking/sitting for dogs while people are away from home. The opportunities really are endless to make extra income, you just need to want it and think outside the box.” – John Schmoll
“As someone who works full time and runs a blog on the side, I am a master at time management and planning. The best advice I have to managing both a job and a side hustle is to prioritize. If your job is number one and your side hustle is number two, then you may have to say no to anything that interferes with these two priorities (e.g. events with friends or family). Personally, prioritizing my goals and creating a plan to achieve them, have been the two most important factors to succeeding with a job and a side hustle.” – Natalie Bacon
“Organization of your time. I work a 9-5 job, I come home and walk my dog, then cook dinner. As you can imagine that doesn’t leave a ton of time for your side hustle. It means organizing your time for your side hustle. After I finish eating dinner, I budget an hour to my side hustle. Now that doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you do it every weekday that adds up to 5 hours you spent on your side hustle. You might have missed “Making a Murderer” but you added $100 to your pocket.” – Even Steven Money
“Because I was writing for my full-time job and also freelance writing/blogging as a side hustle, the last thing I wanted to do after an 8-hour day was come home and grind out more copy. Because of this, I leaned heavily on my weekends and my evenings became sacred. Every Sunday evening from 4-8 I’d work on my blog or any projects I had in the pipeline. Writing on Sunday evenings became so routine I find myself doing it now even though I work for myself full time and can write whenever I want! So that’s my advice: pick out a chunk of time that’s just for you and keep the date with yourself religiously. No one ever likes to hear it, but the truth of the matter is that it takes sacrificing in other areas of your life to truly side hustle and make it worth your time.” – Lauren Bowling
“Top tip: manage your time smarter. Managing your time has everything to do with FOCUS. Tasks will expand to the time you allot them, so schedule the things that are important to you, and stick to that schedule. It’s not about finding more time, it’s about leveraging the same 24 hours we all have in a day, and focusing on ONE goal at a time for your side income will help you accomplish that goal. Better yet, The Freedom Journal will guide you through setting and accomplishing your #1 goal in 100 days, so my top tip would be to grab The Freedom Journal and start taking action! :)” – John Lee Dumas
“The best way to find more time for side hustles is to eliminate things you thoughtlessly do that add no value. Consider how often you look at the same news feed updates on Facebook over and over again. If you just check Facebook once per day, you’ll get the same info and save a bunch of time.” – Lance Cothern
“My top tip for managing a side hustle is to be very organized. Every week, I have a “planning night” where I put actionable items on my calendar and then I follow through with them. I also use Trello to manage projects and outline what “steps” they are in and keep checklists in Trello so I make sure I don’t miss anything. A person can find more time for side income pretty easily – devote half an hour over lunch, or take time away from your favorite TV show to look for ideas, and then do them!” – Megan Harris
“The number one thing you can do to manage your life and your side hustle is to simply schedule time for it and have your family hold you accountable to it. You can make time for anything you set your mind to. You somehow manage to watch your favorite show each week, make dinner as a family, etc. Well, if making extra money is important, you’ll find the time. Maybe it’s before work or after the kids are asleep? There’s always time. The trick is, set a designated time, ask your spouse and tell your kids that this is what the time is for, and then use that time to make things happen!” – Robert Farrington
“Managing a side hustle is like any other aspect of your life. If you want to succeed at it, you need to prioritize it. So, allot the time, work through the time, make your side income and then get back to the other aspects of your life.” – Chris Ducker – ChrisDucker.com
“I’d suggest starting small with just a few hours a week. It’s easy to look at your free time outside of your job and think you can easily add 20+ hours of work per week. This can easily lead to burnout, and which might kill any motivation you had for side gigs.” – Jeffrey Trull
“One of the best things you can do for your goals is to wake up an hour early and *only* spend time working on what’s truly important to you. Sure you can watch less TV at night or hustle on your lunch breaks, but I find a single hour in the morning when everyone else is sleeping to be much more productive. And then you’ve started the day off with a major accomplishment no matter what else happens the rest of the day! It’s a beautiful thing!” – J. Money, BudgetsAreSexy.com / RockstarFinance.com
“Find something you enjoy doing that you don’t normally get to do otherwise. Turning it into a side hustle will offer incentive to make time for it. For instance, if you love pets and aren’t currently a pet owner, you can sign up with Rover and dogsit, or maybe work as a dog walker. That way you’re killing two birds with one stone.” – Jackie Lam
“The best way to make time for a side hustle is to learn to manage your time better. If you’re watching three hours of television each night, for example, you may need to give that up to work on your side hustle instead. If you’re still too busy, consider getting up at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. I did that for over a year before I was able to quit my 9-5 job to pursue my side hustle full-time.” – Holly Johnson
“You need to make time for your side hustle. I would work on it during lunch, at morning before I went to work. Sometimes I would do it when on nights and weekends. I think most people could find 1 – 3 hours per day to work on a side gig.” – Deacon Hayes
“First, make a weekly calendar of all the events in your life. On that same calendar, enter in the blocks of time you plan on working on your side hustle. Treat those times like anything else that is important on your calendar. If you schedule time from 8-9pmon Wednesday and you forgot your favorite show is on, no excuses! Commit to these times and don’t let anything interfere that isn’t a family emergency.” – Jeff Rose
“My top tip for managing a side hustle is work at a scheduled pace. Set aside a certain number of hours every week and make sure that you make consistent progress. To find more time, I’ve replaced television and YouTube surfing for more productive activities.” – Steve Chou
“I used to struggle with finding extra time outside of my work and family life. The one tip I recommend is use your down-time more effectively. Instead of watching an hour of TV, take that hour and work on a side hustle. If you’re a night owl, use that when everyone else is asleep to create a business or develop a product. We don’t use all time effectively, but just taking chunks here and there and building a side hustle can change your life.” – Grayson Bell
“Choose your side hustle wisely. Choose to market your skills and talents instead of just looking at it from a financial standpoint. Earning a lot of extra money sounds nice, but if you don’t enjoy what you are doing, you will start to dread it quickly and it will take up more of your time. I’m able to work quickly and efficiently on side projects I enjoy so I can make the most of my time. I also try to cut out mindless tasks that take up time like binge watching television or browsing aimlessly through social media.” – Chonce
“The opportunities to earn extra money are endless. But your time and energy are finite. Prioritize a health diet, exercise, socializing, and relaxation. You will be rewarded with extra energy for a side hustle on top of your day job.” – Kate Dore
“You don’t have to make it a part-time job. Make it a hobby first and don’t stress out about getting it done immediately. Find five hours a week to work on the book. Spend a couple of months learning everything you can about the subject or developing the characters/idea. Books can be as short as 40 or 50 pages or as long as you want to write them.” – Joseph Hogue
“If you really see a future in what you are doing, invest in your “side-hustle” by creating systems and ways to duplicate yourself i.e. subcontracting work when possible. Since we are a debt free family, our “personal burn rate” was low enough where I didn’t have to pocket all the business revenue. I eventually began to subcontract workers to fulfill client requests. It was a huge time saver for me and kept it a part-time gig for me that was relatively stress-free.” – Aja McClanahan
“Choose a side hustle that you also get some sort of personal benefit out of, in addition to the extra cash. For example, you might choose a side hustle that helps you get more exercise, or that gives you the chance to earn a new skill, or that allows you to meet new people, or just something you find really interesting. You’ll be more likely to stick with it if there are multiple benefits.” – Sarah Noelle
“You need to make it a priority. The best way to make it a priority is to understand why you need this extra income – pay off debt? Save more for retirement? That goal will drive you. Then make sure you list all the non-essential tasks you do and rank them, your side hustle will be above some tasks… make sure you hustle before you do those tasks.” – Jim Wang
Hope you enjoyed this expert roundup on different ways to make money on the side. Do you want to make side hustle income? Why or why not?
Inside: Many jobs are available in the early morning hours. This is an opportunity to make a bit of extra money before your 9-5 or when kids are at school with early morning jobs.
It’s a commonly held belief that working the early shift is not worth it. If you’re waking up at 4 am every day for work, your earnings will be drastically lower than if you worked a regular 8-hour day.
The idea of this article is to show why it could actually be worth waking up before sunrise and trying to earn more money by doing these “early” jobs in earnest.
For me, many of my jobs have always followed the non-traditional hours of a 9-5 job. Personally, that works great for me as it frees up my day for other things, pursuits, and kids.
The funniest part is I’m not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination! Yet, I make my money early in the day consistently.
So, if you are thinking, early morning jobs are not for me – wait until you actually give it a try.
In this article, you will find a list of jobs that are available for people who love working early hours as I do and want more money!
Hint, hint… It is the allure of making money that gets me motivated and out of bed!
How can I make money early in the morning?
There are a variety of early morning jobs that you can do in order to make some extra money.
You just need to find one that is a good fit for your lifestyle and personality. It’s important to pick an early morning job that you feel comfortable doing so that you don’t dread waking up early every day.
Additionally, many employers are willing to pay a premium for employees who are willing to work the early shift.
Making money early in the morning is easy if you put your mind to it.
How early is an early morning shift?
An early morning shift jobs start between 3 and 6 am and typically ends late morning or early afternoon.
This gives people the opportunity to work during the daytime and still have time for other activities in the evening.
Most start work at 5 am.
Why morning jobs are better?
Working the early shift has its perks.
For one, you’re done working by the afternoon and can run errands, schedule appointments, and socialize. Secondly, many employers are willing to pay a higher wage for employees who are willing to work during the morning hours.
Additionally, many people opt for an earlier start who want to avoid the rush hour traffic or those who have children they need to care for once the school day is over.
Plus some people work early morning hours because they want a flexible schedule, while others do it because they need the extra money. No matter your reason, there are plenty of opportunities to make money in the early hours of the day.
The 10 Best Early Morning Jobs
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The most common are shift work jobs, which require employees to work during hours that are not typically considered “normal” working hours. This can include the night shift, early morning shift, or swing shift.
There are many different types of early morning jobs. The most popular type is a full-time job, but there is also part-time, temporary, and freelance work available. Each type of job has its own advantages and disadvantages.
1. Warehouse Worker
Warehouse workers are responsible for ensuring that goods are unloaded from trucks, inspected for any damage or defects, and sorted and placed in the correct locations in warehouses or stores. They may also be responsible for preparing goods for shipment to customers.
Most of these positions are for early morning hours.
This can be a great opportunity for people who are looking for work and would prefer to work during the earlier hours of the day.
2. Barista
Barista is the term used to describe a person who performs coffee-related tasks, such as preparing and serving espresso drinks. Ideally, baristas serve beverages in establishments that offer coffee or other hot beverages.
Baristas are in high demand and typically have flexible hours. They can earn up to $15 per hour, depending on their level of experience.
Plus you have the flexibility of afternoons off after the morning rush.
3. Stock Trader
For those who want to work from their own home and have flexibility in their schedule, then you want to learn how to become a successful stock trader. Someone who buys and sells stocks to make income.
This is a highly lucrative side hustle for many people. In fact, how fast can you make money in stocks?
Personally, this is what I choose for my early morning job.
Stock Trading can be a full-time career opportunity if you have the ambition and patience to make it through the ups and downs.
Many people start trading with the hope of generating supplemental income, but it can become more than that with hard work and consistent effort.
Nowadays, the barrier of entry is very low to start trading stocks. However, you need to take the best online investing classes first.
4. Personal Trainer
Personal trainers typically offer their services at early morning hours, before most people go to work.
They help people achieve their fitness goals, whether it be weight loss, toning up, or building muscle. Personal trainers are responsible for creating workout routines and helping their clients stay on track.
Personal trainers are in high demand and the median salary is around $40,000 per year. If you have the time and availability, you can build a client base and the earning potential is endless.
5. Package Delivery
Another morning job hiring near me is package delivery drivers. These workers are responsible for the delivery of a shipment of goods from one place to another.
This position offers consistent and part-time morning hours. You will be responsible for package delivery in the area. Pay normally starts at $21 an hour plus.
6. Online Seller/Flipper
Side hustles are becoming more and more popular as people look for ways to make extra money.
One way to make some extra cash is by selling items online.
You could also get these items at local yardsales, estate sales, or donation stores and sell your items on Etsy, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace.
If this is something you are serious about, then check out Flea Market Flippers.
7. Freelancing
Freelancing is a great option for people who want to work on their own schedule. You can choose when you want to work and how much you want to work, which is great for people who want to get an early start on their day.
Freelancing can be a great way to utilize your skills and make some extra money on the side, but it’s important to keep in mind that freelancing is a business.
In fact, many people start freelancing as a side hustle in order to make some extra money but it may turn into a full-time career. In fact, according to recent studies, 1 in 3 Americans are now freelancing. This number is only going to grow in the years to come so don’t be afraid to start freelancing yourself. It may just lead to a more fulfilling career.
Learn how to earn money writing.
8. Baker
Bakers are often some of the first people to arrive at a bakery or shop. This is because many bakeries and shops open early in the morning.
Bakers are responsible for baking bread, pastries, and other items. They are required to have a fundamental understanding of baking as well as the ability to work in early morning shifts and afternoon shifts. They must also be able to handle flexible hours.
Bakers typically earn an hourly wage of around $14 an hour, but with experience and additional skills (like cake decoration), that number can go up to $20 an hour or more.
9. Online English Tutor
There are many opportunities for online English teachers to make money. One great opportunity is for early risers who want to work from home in the morning. There are many students looking for online classes at this time of day.
There are a number of companies that offer English teaching jobs to those who are certified in teaching English as a second language. The majority of these positions have you teaching students in China, Korea, or Taiwan. However, there are also opportunities to teach business professionals and executives in other countries.
If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, becoming an English tutor for international students is a great option. You can typically expect to earn around $14-$22 per hour, depending on your experience and qualifications.
10. Flight Attendant
Flight attendants are responsible for the safety and comfort of passengers on an airplane. They must attend to passengers’ needs, provide information about flights, and ensure that all safety regulations are followed.
Flight attendants typically work long hours, often including overnight shifts, and earn an average salary of over $75,000 per year.
However, with more experience, they can make more money. Some ticket counters open as early as 4 am in order to prepare for morning departures.
Other Types of Early Morning Jobs
Those are not the only type of early morning jobs. There are plenty more morning jobs near me. You can find both part-time and full-time.
Here are more jobs to pursue.
1. Store Stocker
A store stocker is a person who stocks shelves in a grocery store. The stores they work at are typically open 24 hours and the job entails cleaning, restocking items that run out of stock, and making sure the shelves are neat.
This is typically an entry-level position in a grocery store or department store.
2. Childcare Related Jobs
Have you ever asked what are morning jobs hiring near me, then consider working with children. There are always plenty of open jobs to look after kids.
Here are some positional childcare related jobs:
Preschool teacher
Paraeducator
Substitute teacher
Daycare teacher
Nanny
Before and after-school programs
In all honestly, this can be one of the most rewarding morning jobs because kids will always make sure you laugh and smile.
3. Rideshare Driver
Yes, driving for Uber or Lyft can be a great way to make some extra money early in the morning. The hours are flexible and you can often make good money during those times.
The most popular route is heading to the airport.
Since many people book these types of rides in advance, you can earn a steady stream of income.
4. School Bus Driver
School bus drivers are responsible for transporting children to and from school. They ensure the safety of students on their bus as well as have a number of other responsibilities such as making sure all students are wearing their seatbelts and that the bus is clean.
Right now, we are facing a severe school bus driver shortage, which is affecting how children must get to school.
In many areas, you can find starting hourly wages for school bus drivers at $19 an hour.
5. Dog Walker
There are many ways to make money through Rover. You can provide pet care, pet sitting, dog walking, and more. You can also choose to offer services like delivery or house sitting. The options are endless!
This is one of the easiest ways to make money.
6. Truck Driver
A truck driver drives a semi-trailer truck loaded with freight. They drive the freight to its destination and unload it when they arrive.
For truck drivers who want to save money on fuel or have good mileage, the best time to drive is during the early morning hours. This is when there is less traffic and you can avoid rush hour.
Truck drivers can make a lot of money. In fact, they can earn up to $35 an hour. That’s a lot of money for early morning work.
Don’t want to drive? Then, become the middleman. Learn the exact freight broker salary.
7. Landscaper (Yard Work)
If you’re an early riser and you’re looking for a job that gets you outside, landscaping is a great option. It’s hard work, but it can be very rewarding.
It might be hard to get your services as there are already established landscapers in the area. If you don’t have a business, see if there is a business that needs lawn work done and if so, offer your services. You can also go door-to-door asking people if they need their yards done; just make sure you have a good sales pitch ready!
This seasonal job is great to do in the morning because it tends to be cooler and there’s more daylight. The pay usually ranges from $10 to $20 an hour, so it’s a good way to make some extra money.
8. Chef
Chefs are some of the most hard-working professionals in the culinary industry.
They often start their day at 4 am, preparing for the onslaught of orders and tasks that come with a busy kitchen.
While many chefs have formal training from culinary schools, there are also many ways to learn the trade. Some chefs start out as dishwashers and work their way up the ladder, while others may take online courses or watch cooking shows to learn new techniques.
The average salary for a chef is just over $50,000 a year.
9. Mail Carrier
Mail carrier and other postal worker jobs are excellent for early risers because there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes before delivering mail.
These types of jobs offer some excellent benefits that can be harder to find these days.
Mail carriers are nearly always employed by the United States Postal Service, but they can also be hired independently.
10. Factory Worker
Factory work can be a great option for people who are looking for full-time or part-time work. The hours are usually regular, and the job doesn’t require many if any formal qualifications. However, you may need some experience in the field and a high school diploma.
However, if you have practical skills such as forklift driving, you can earn more by picking up shifts in the mornings, nights, or weekends. The work is physically demanding so you’ll need to be in shape and stand or sit in one position all day long.
Working the early shift at a factory can be tough, but it also has its benefits. The pay can vary a great deal depending on the company, so it’s important to do your research. However, if you’re looking for work and don’t mind getting up early, then this might be the perfect opportunity for you.
11. Part-time Retail Employee – Early Morning
Part-time Retail employees working early morning shifts will be paid for their time. There are always companies looking to hire for early morning jobs.
These are great for stay-at-home moms. In fact, the employee discount can be a nice bonus for working there.
This is a perfect low stress job after retirement.
12. Gig Worker
Gig work is a term used for short-term, contract-based work. It can be a great way to have more control over your schedule and to make some extra money on the side. There are many different types of gig work available, so you’re sure to find something that suits your skills and interests.
Those who need to run errands or get an early start on their day may use gig work apps like Grubhub, Postmates, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. Additionally, you can increase your chances of getting gigs by downloading all the relevant apps and clicking on the one that seems to produce the best results.
13. Farm Worker
As you can imagine, farm work can be difficult, but if you’re someone who loves working outdoors and enjoys physical labor, then this may be a great career for you.
Farm workers are typically hired based on their qualifications and experience.
If you can offer the help local farmers need, you should be a great fit for the position. Farm work is often physical labor, so make sure you’re physically prepared for the job before applying.
14. Morning Radio DJ
Morning radio DJs reflect the lives of their listeners, who may be early risers or working professionals. The job involves playing music and talking about topics that are important to the listener in order to help them wake up and start the day.
The main goal of morning show DJs is to keep listeners tuned into their station while providing a fair amount of entertainment.
Starting out your career in radio can be a great way to get started in the industry. Many DJs start their careers at small community or college radio stations and then move on to bigger stations as they gain more experience. The morning time slot is from 6 AM to Noon, which is a great opportunity to reach a large audience.
15. Cleaner
There is a high demand for cleaning services and cleaners can earn up to $22 per hour, plus tips. Some of the highest earners are making over $1000 a week.
This is one type of service that is not going away and the barriers to entry are extremely low. The average cost a house cleaner charges are $50-90 for two hours of work.
16. Online Surveys
That’s the beauty of online surveys – you can do them at any time of the day that works for you.
You don’t need to focus too much on taking them, either; in most cases, you can do other things while completing the survey. This means that they’re a great way to make some extra money without having to put in a lot of effort.
The best surveys are normally released first thing in the morning and only available for a limited time. That’s why it’s important to do online surveys as soon as they’re available. This will give you the best chance of getting rewarded for your efforts.
Best Online Survey Companies:
Where to find morning jobs near me?
Some tips for finding early morning jobs include using job search engines, checking job boards, and networking with friends and family. It is also important to be prepared for the interview and to have a strong resume.
If you’re looking for a job that starts early in the morning, you’re in luck! There are many jobs available that start at 5 am, 6 am, 7 am or 8 am. You can find these jobs by searching online or by going to your local job center.
It’s never too early to start looking for a job.
In fact, many people start their job search well before they’re actually ready to start working. This is because it can take some time to find the right job for you. And remember, it’s important to keep learning and earning money so you can be happy!
The best way to find an early morning job is to search online.
What to do when you land an early morning job
So you’ve landed an early morning job. Congratulations! This can be a challenging but rewarding experience when you first start out.
Prepare what your days will look like with your early morning job.
If you are adding a second job, make sure you are fully rested to take on both jobs.
Tips for surviving the early shift
When you start your early morning job, the most important thing is to get a good night’s sleep.
In fact, most of the early birds actually follow the billionaire morning routine to get in their flow.
Here are a few tips to help make the most of it:
Get plenty of rest the night before. It’s important to be well-rested for those early morning shifts.
Arrive on time. Punctuality is key in any profession, especially so when working the early shift.
Stay focused and work hard. Those early hours can be tough, but it’s important to stay productive and get the job done right.
Take breaks as needed. It’s important to stay hydrated and quick breaks to recharge your batteries.
Enjoy your free time wisely. The evening hours are precious, so make sure to use them wisely and enjoy your time off responsibly.
What morning time jobs interest You?
Early morning jobs are a great opportunity for those looking to make a bit of extra money.
They are also a great way to get your foot in the door with a company you are interested in working for.
Plus you don’t have to debate is a business degree worth it as many of these jobs don’t require one. In fact, find low-stress jobs that pay well without a degree now.
In the post, we detailed plenty of early morning jobs. Since you are getting up earlier than most people prefer, make sure you pick an interest that can become a life-long career.
You want to be passionate about what you are doing early in the morning!
Especially because you don’t want to start only to say… “I don’t want to work anymore.”
Be sure to dress for success, be punctual, and be prepared to work hard and you will be sure to land an early morning job.
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Inside: Learn how much your 80k salary is hourly. Plus find tips to make more money and live the lifestyle you want.
Retirement can be a scary word to those who are not wealthy or afraid of having too much time on their hands.
People in the workforce often don’t know what they will do when their retirement comes around, but it doesn’t have to be that way after all.
For most retirees, there are many reasons they want to work after retirement. And that is 100% okay!
Low stress jobs after retirement make for great part-time careers while still providing enough flexibility to enjoy your personal life. Plus a little extra money is always helpful!
While there is no one “right” answer on which job for you, we compiled a list of 30 great options to consider. All of these jobs offer relatively low stress levels and plenty of opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment.
But before you jump on the first one that comes along, you want to consider which will work best and help ease your transition into the world of retirement.
When you retire, you want to find a job that is low stress and enjoyable. That’s why finding a good retirement job is so important!
The benefits of having a low stress job after retirement
After years of hard work, retirement is a time to relax and enjoy life.
However, for some retirees, working part-time or as a side job can provide additional earnings and a sense of purpose. The following jobs are perfect for seniors over 55, or those post-retirement. They have lower stress levels than the average job and offer many opportunities for growth.
Many retirees below starting a second career after retirement would be difficult and are looking for a job that has fewer strings attached. This may be due to the fact that many retirees feel they have reached the pinnacle of their careers and want more time freedom.
This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.
Fortunately, there are many available jobs with increasing demand and most even have lower stress levels than average.
Retirement is a good time to consider additional earnings. This can provide a stream of money for people who want to enjoy life longer and need an additional income. In addition, working can help retirees stay mentally and physically healthy.
Jobs to Do after Retirement
The list is composed of jobs that are perfect for seniors over 55, or even post-retirement. They have lower stress levels than the average job and offer many opportunities for growth.
Some retirees prefer to work part time or as a side job; others want to find a full-time position that will keep them busy and engaged in their community. Whatever your preference, know that there are plenty of great options out there!
Retiring means starting a new life, so it is important to consider this change as the beginning of a new life and not the end of an old one.
So go ahead and take the plunge into retirement! It’s a new beginning full of endless possibilities.
There are plenty of good jobs for retirees!
What are fun jobs after retirement?
There are many fun retirement jobs that pay a small fortune! And what your personality prefers!
Some people choose to continue working in the same field, but in a more relaxed or part-time capacity. Other people choose to use their retirement to try something new and exciting, such as starting their own business, traveling, or taking up a new hobby.
What can I do after retirement to make money?
Now that you’re retired, you may be looking for ways to make some extra money. Luckily, there are plenty of options to make money in retirement available to you!
You could start a business, become a consultant, or tutor students. In addition, you could also look into working from home opportunities or start a blog.
Maybe you want one of the best part time jobs in retirement.
Whatever you choose, make sure you do your research and find something you enjoy so you don’t get bored!
Tips to Making Money in Retirement
The best fun jobs after retirement include working at a theme park, house sitting permanently on a beach or something crazy you never dreamed yourself to do!
One great way to make some money is by selling your skills and experience. For example, interior decorating is a low-stress field that often requires past experience. Alternatively, you could become a real estate agent. Both of these opportunities allow you to use the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired over the years.
Another great option for retirees is to take advantage of the growing gig economy. There are a host of jobs available through online platforms like Uber or Lyft that don’t require a lot of physical activity or travel time. Plus, they typically offer higher pay rates than traditional employment opportunities.
If you’re looking for something a little more relaxing, consider joining one of the many survey sites out there. These sites reward you with a small amount of money for each survey you complete. It may not be much, but it can add up over time!
Finally, if you’re looking for an easy way to make some money, consider something easy like greeting people. This is a great option because it’s so easy and doesn’t require any special skills or knowledge.
Which job is stress free and high paying?
There is no such job that is stress free and high paying. All jobs have their own unique stressors and rewards. It is important to find a job that is rewarding to you and that you find manageable levels of stress.
There are many jobs that are considered “stress free” after retirement.
For example, many seniors are now looking into jobs such as being a consultant or working in customer service. These positions offer a more relaxed work schedule and usually don’t require extensive training.
In addition, the amount of money one earns from a job is directly related to how much work one put into it. If you’re willing to put in the extra effort, you can make significantly more money than those who don’t.
Really Focused on less stress?
Many seniors are also looking for jobs that don’t involve stress or concern. Proofreading is one such position that meets these qualifications. The job requires native-level English proficiency and an excellent understanding of grammar to succeed. In order to be successful in this field, you have to proofread documents that contain no grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, or syntactic flubs.
You need to find a job that feeds your soul and doesn’t seem like work.
Plus it is fun to tell others what do you do for a living.
Best low stress jobs after retirement
Some people want to use their retirement as a vehicle to start their side hustle and be more relaxed than they were during work hours. This is a great way to spend your retirement! Most cool retirement jobs require little-to-no experience, but some do.
At the end of the day, you must decide if you want to work for yourself and start your own company with a higher earning potential. Or work for someone else with less strings attached and lower pay.
In many cases, you might be stuck working because you didn’t save for retirement, so here are a few jobs that are perfect for seniors over 55 years old, or even after retirement:
1. Freelance writing
Freelance writing can be a good source of income when one has the skills and experience to do so. The best part? You get to set your own hours and take on as much or as little work as you want!
This may not sound like a low-stress job at first, but it’s actually an excellent low-stress job! Being your own boss offers incredible benefits. Best of all, you can do it in a completely stress-free environment by deciding in advance exactly how many hours you want to work.
In fact, my friend over at More Time to Travel does freelance writing for Forbes.
Freelance writing is a great way to make money from home. Be sure to have a strong portfolio and excellent writing skills to land quality freelance writing jobs. Here is a great freelance writing course.
2. Tour guide
This is perfect for someone who loves people and to discuss their worldly knowledge.
A tour guide is someone who accompanies tourists and provides information about the areas they are visiting. They are usually seniors because no special certifications or degrees are required. However, it can be a fun job for anyone who loves meeting people and has a lot of knowledge about their area. Some tour guide jobs offer tips and the opportunity to travel.
A good tour guide will have a deep knowledge of the areas they are touring and will be able to answer any questions the tourists may have. Plus cash tips are always a perk!
3. House Sitter
You can house sit for someone you know, or use a site like Mind My House to find paying gigs. Rates vary depending on the city, but typically you can expect to earn $25-50/day as a house sitter.
It allows you to live in new places without having to commit to long-term leases, and it gives you an opportunity to meet new people and explore new neighborhoods. Plus, it’s a great way to make some extra money on the side as well as lowering your monthly expenses!
If this is something you are seriously considering, then check out this book to learn how to housesit from an expert.
4. Librarian
Librarians are responsible for organizing and managing library collections, helping patrons find information and materials, and providing instruction on how to use library resources. They typically work regular hours in a library setting, and their work is relatively active.
They also need excellent research skills and the ability to stay up-to-date on new technologies.
However, job prospects are good to work in this quiet environment.
5. Customer Service Representative
Jobs in customer service usually don’t require a lot of experience or special training, so they can be a great way to ease into retirement. And since most customer service positions are in the service industry, you’ll likely get to meet new people and help them solve problems every day.
They may work in call centers, retail stores, banks, or insurance companies. In some cases, they may also work remotely from their homes. Customer service reps typically need strong communication and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to stay calm under pressure.
6. Craft seller
Many people don’t have time for their crafts like they wanted when working full-time and raising kids. So, retirement is a perfect time to become an artisans who make and sell their own products.
You can set your own hours, work from home and sell whatever you like. There are many online marketplaces that cater to craft sellers, so you can find a platform that fits your style and interests. In addition, you can attend craft fairs and other events to sell their work in person.
Make sure to price your items competitively and take the time to create an attractive product listing. Plus ship quickly and provide excellent customer service to keep buyers coming back for more!
7. Crossing Guard
It only requires a few hours of work per day, and the pay is decent around $15 an hour.
The job does not require any special skills or training, so it is an ideal way to spend your golden years. Plus you can keep youthful by staying around all of the school-aged children.
8. Blogging
This is a form of expression for most retirees or those thinking about retiring.
It can be a low stress job after retirement, as you can do it from the comfort of your own home and set your own schedule. You don’t need any special qualifications or training to start blogging – all you need is a computer, an internet connection, and something to write about.
Blogging is a great way to create fresh, new content on a regular basis for your website. In fact, my friend over at Tuppennys Fireplace uses blogging to drive extra money to their retirement budget each month.
You can sell advertising space on your blog, use affiliate marketing to promote products and services, or even launch your own product or service. The sky’s the limit when it comes to making money from blogging – so if you have something interesting to say, go for it!
9. Elder Care Services
Services can range from in-home help to full-time nursing care, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
While this may seem odd as a low stress job in retirement, it is a good reminder that you are still youthful in others’ eyes.
These may be simple jobs such as picking up groceries, light cleaning, cooking meals, or companionship during the day. Given the cost of nursing homes and certified nursing assistance, this is an affordable option for families who want extra eyes on their loved ones.
10. Private Island Caretaker
Okay, this is the one I want!
If you are reading this and need a caretaker, I am happy to be the right person for your estate.
A lot of caretaker jobs are in private areas, such as private islands, ski resorts, large estates, and other remote or private areas. This is often because employers need someone they can trust to be on-site full time and take care of things.1) Private Island Caretaker
Caretaker jobs are a great way for retirees to stay engaged and active in their golden years. They can provide a sense of purpose and routine, as well as an opportunity to explore new places and meet new people.
11. Docent or Usher
One low-stress job that retirees can consider is becoming an usher at their local theater or sporting area. This job does not require much training and typically pays minimum wage, but it can be a great way to meet people and see new shows and watch sports.
A docent is someone who has expert knowledge about a certain subject and can teach people about it through guided tours and lectures. They are often found in museums, art galleries, and other places where people can learn about the arts.
For many retirees, these are the perfect jobs to get paid for enjoying their hobbies and events they didn’t have time to see when working full-time.
12. Work at Disney
Jobs at Disney parks can be both fun and challenging, with plenty of opportunities to make new friends and help guests have a great time. You’ll need to be able to work hard and stay cheerful under pressure, but the rewards are many.
If you’re interested in working at one of the happiest places on earth, visit the Walt Disney Company website to learn more about current openings and how to apply.
Perfect for the retiree to stay youthful!
13. Invest in Various Intiatvies through Crowdfunding
When it comes to investments, there are many options to choose from that can fit any personality type.
Crowdfunding was created to help more people invest in various businesses by pooling resources together. This makes it more affordable and less risky for everyone involved.
For many retirees, this is a great way to impact start-up businesses and maybe even have a great ROI on their money.
14. Tutoring
Tutoring can help students learn in a one-on-one environment, and help them to focus on the material. Tutoring can also help build a student’s confidence, and help them to ask questions they may be too embarrassed to ask in a classroom setting.
It’s a great way to help students who are struggling and give them the support they need to succeed. You also get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping young people achieve their goals. Tutoring can be done in person or online, so it’s a flexible job that you can fit around your schedule.
In today’s society, there are plenty of opportunities to help students achieve faster with tutoring. Most tutors are paid at least $30 an hour.
15. Virtual assistant
There are many low stress jobs that can be found online and Virtual Assistants are one of those jobs.
A virtual assistant is a professional who provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from a remote location. Often, virtual assistants work for multiple clients simultaneously, providing a wide range of services including social media management, email management, bookkeeping, and more.
They provide a service to their client through the internet and This is a great way for someone with retirement to start making money fast because most VAs make between $35 and $50 an hour.
Take free training for becoming a virtual assistant!
16. Personal shopper
A personal shopper may work in a store, helping customers find what they need, or they may work remotely for a customer who gives them a list of items to purchase. Either way, personal shoppers usually charge by the hour.
It also pays well, especially if you work for a high-end retailer. And since you’re working with customers one-on-one, this is a great job for someone who enjoys helping others. Perfect for a retiree to get out and about.
17. Personal organizer
They may work with individuals or groups, in both business and personal settings. Personal organizers usually have excellent time management skills, as well as a thorough understanding of the principles of organization.
This type of position is great to keep you moving as well as help others.
18. Animal shelter worker
They may feed, groom, and exercise the animals, as well as administer medication and vaccinations. They also clean cages and kennels, and may handle adoptions. The work can be physically demanding, but it is also very rewarding to help homeless animals find new homes.
For someone who loves animals, this is a perfect opportunity to make money and help neglected animals.
19. Book store assistant
The work is relatively easy, and there are usually no major deadlines to worry about. Plus, bookstores are typically quiet and calming environments, which can be a nice break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
If you’re looking for a relaxed job after retirement, this could be it!
20. Photographer
Some people take up photography as a hobby, some as an art form, and some as a profession. The beauty of photography is that it can be whatever you want it to be. There are so many different types of photography, based on your taste and choice you can choose which area to focus on first.
In addition, photography is a great low stress job after retirement!
It can be done freelance to supplement your income or on a full-time basis. There are many opportunities for photographers, and the work is generally enjoyable.
21. Life coach
After retirement, there are many low stress jobs that a person can take on. One such option is becoming a life coach.
This job involves helping people work through their problems and achieve their goals.
By becoming a mentor for the next generation, you are able to have a lasting impact and legacy. This allows you to share your wisdom and knowledge while also helping someone else in their career path.
As a life coach, it’s important to be a good listener and have strong communication skills. Additionally, new graduates might be able to offer you fresh perspectives on life that you may not have considered before. It’s easy to become a mentor to coworkers or people in your field; all it takes is some time and effort.
22. Consultant
Consulting is a broad term used to describe an area of work. It encompasses a wide range of activities and can be done by anyone with the appropriate skills and experience.
Many retirees choose to focus on the areas they enjoyed at work and avoid stressful parts, becoming consultants in those fields.
Often, retirees are a great resource for companies looking for short-term or project-based work. If you let your network know that you are available for consulting opportunities, they may be more likely to reach out to you when they have a need. Additionally, the average consultant salary is between $50 and $150 per hour, depending on experience level.
23. Walmart Greeter
Greeters welcome customers, help them find what they need, and provide general information about the store. They may also monitor security cameras and alarms in the store. The position requires little training, and most Walmart greeters are given on-the-job training.
However, greeters must be able to handle stress well, as they are often the first point of contact for customers who are angry or upset. The position also requires being able to work weekends and holidays.
24. Dog walker
Dog walking is a great job for people who love dogs and want to make a difference in the lives of animals. It is also perfect for retirees who want to stay busy and have flexible hours. The work can be enjoyable and rewarding, and it is a low-stress profession.
Dog walkers are typically paid by how many dogs they are watching at any given time, rather than by the hour. There are specific websites where you can find work as a dog walker like Rover and the average pay is $14 an hour.
25. Pet sitter
A pet sitter is a professional who is hired to take care of pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters typically visit the home of the pet owner to feed, water, and exercise the pet. They may also provide additional services such as grooming and medication administration.
For example, many retirees enjoy pet sitting because it allows them to form close relationships with animals while also providing a service to their community.
Find plenty of pet sitting gigs on Rover.
26. Camp Host
After retirement, many people are looking for a low stress job that will allow them to travel, get outside, and see new places. Campground jobs are perfect for this because you can work during the day and explore at night.
Camp hosts are people who work at a campground to provide information and assistance to guests.
Campsites allow for some flexibility in terms of location – you may be able to choose the state or national park you’d like to work in, as well as the dates of your stay. Additionally, many camp hosts have a good deal of control over their schedules, which can be a perk.
They usually work for minimum wage, but can often receive tips from guests.
27. Adjunct Professor
Many retirees take on part-time work as adjunct professors. The position offers a high level of flexibility, good pay, and opportunities for professional development. In addition, adjunct professors often have the opportunity to work with students from diverse backgrounds and help them grow academically.
This can be a great way to share your knowledge and expertise with the next generation of students. Contact your local college and see if they have any openings. Adjunct professors typically earn around $3,000 per class taught.
28. Author
Becoming an author can be a great way to enjoy your retirement years while still earning some extra money on the side. The job doesn’t involve a lot of pressure, and you get to set your own deadlines.
There are a few different ways to get your book published. One option is to work with an agent. However, this may not always be possible, especially if you are writing a non-fiction book. Another option is to self-publish your book. This can be a great way to get your book out there without having to go through a publishing house.
You will finally have time to tell your story from your perspective.
29. Focus group participant
Focus groups are gatherings of people who are brought together to discuss a certain topic. The participants can range from 6 to 12 people, and they are typically held in local hotels or conference centers. During the focus group, the participants will discuss upcoming products, services, trends, and issues.
Focus group participants are typically reimbursed for their time and participation in the discussion. This can be done in a variety of ways but is usually either through cash or gift cards.
30. Furniture flipper
Furniture flipping is a great business for those who want to make some extra money with little stress and no formal education needed. You can do it from the comfort of your own home, as long as you have the necessary tools and space. With a bit of hard work, you could be on your way to making some serious cash.
Furniture flippers are people who buy furniture at a low price and resell it for a profit. They usually start as furniture buyers who love hunting for deals at garage sales or estate auctions. This is a low-stress job that’s also profitable.
For many retirees, it may have been a hobby turned profitable.
31. Delivery driver
Delivery driver is a great job for retirees because it keeps them active and socially engaged. It can be difficult to sit at home all day, so this job is perfect for those who want to be out in the world meeting new people.
Delivering food is a great way to make some extra money in your spare time. It’s a low-stress job because you’re only out of the car for deliveries, and many companies offer drivers up to $20 per hour.
I love Doordash because their sign-up process is so easy–you can be up and running in minutes!
32. Rideshare driver
Ridesharing is a great way for seniors to make some extra money on the side while still having plenty of time for themselves. It’s very flexible, so they can work as much or as little as they want, and it doesn’t require them to take too much time out of their day.
Both Uber and Lyft require relatively little startup capital, and retirees can often make money driving for these companies.
Just make sure you have the proper auto insurance for ridesharing.
33. Taxi Driver
Taxis are in high demand in most cities, so there is always work to be found. In addition, the hours are flexible, so drivers can work as much or as little as they want.
And since driving a taxi is not very demanding physically, it is a good job for those who are no longer able to do strenuous work.
Many people who move to a foreign country find being a taxi driver a highly rewarding and lucrative way to make money.
34. School Bus Driver
There is a severe shortage of school bus drivers across the country.
This may not be a low stress job to many, but you can have a long lasting impact on the students. Right now, our students need positive influences in their lives.
What does the job entail? You must have a valid commercial driver’s license (or find someone who will provide the training) and be clear from moving violations in the last 3 years. In addition, you must pass a background check to work with students.
Many districts are desperate for school bus drivers and providing a signing bonus.
35. Chat moderator
Chat moderators are responsible for monitoring chat rooms and helping to ensure that the conversation remains on topic and respectful. They also work to resolve any disputes that may arise.
They work in a variety of settings, from social media to online gaming platforms.
But for the most part, the job is relatively low-stress, thanks to the ability to take breaks and work flexible hours. Chat moderators also often have the opportunity to learn new technologies and hone their customer service skills.
36. Babysitter & Nanny
Babysitting and nannying is a great way to make some extra money in your spare time. It’s perfect for people who love kids and have a few hours in the afternoon after school lets out. You can help out your neighbors by babysitting their kids or finding families near you who are looking for a nanny.
They offer a lot of flexibility, they’re relatively low stress, and they often come with a set schedule so you know what you’re doing each week. Plus, you can usually work from home, which is a big perk if you want to stay active in your golden years.
The average babysitter in the United States earns a bit less than $15 per hour, but some earn at least $20 an hour. It is easy to find work.
37. Event Staff
Event planning can be a very stressful job, but it can also be a very rewarding one. After retirement, many people look for a flexible job that they can do mostly on the weekends and in the evening. Event staff is a great option for those people.
They may work in a variety of industries, including entertainment, hospitality, marketing or nonprofit organizations.
Event staff often have to wear many hats during an event, handling duties such as coordinating with vendors, setting up event spaces, managing attendees, and serving as liaisons between organizers and other staffers.
This may not be the situation for everyone, but great for someone who likes to be in the action.
38. Research Assistant
After retirement, many people feel lost and without a sense of purpose. A research assistant helps others find information and discover problems to solve. They work with teams or individuals to locate the best information possible and help them use it effectively.
Research assistants are in high demand because they help other people find information and solve problems. They work on a variety of tasks, such as conducting research, organizing data, and writing reports. Their skills are in high demand by companies, governments, and individuals who need help conducting research.
The job is relatively low stress and pays between $18 and $22 per hour. It requires patience, communication skills, and a range of computer skills.
39. Substitute Teacher
A substitute teacher is someone who fills in for a permanent teacher when they are absent. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as paid vacation, maternity leave, or sick leave. It is a great option for retirees because it is one of the most respected and low-stress jobs after retirement.
This is one of the best retirement jobs because you can substitute teach any position within a school.
Substitute teaching can be extremely rewarding, as you are able to help students in need and fill in for teachers who are absent. You may also have the opportunity to work with different age groups and learn new things.
It is now possible to earn around $20 per hour on average as a substitute teacher. In order to become a substitute teacher, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in any academic discipline from an accredited college or university. With the right qualifications, you can enjoy a great deal of flexibility and earning potential while working with children.
40. Airbnb Host
You can earn up to $1,000 per month by listing your home on the site.
It’s also a low-stress job since you don’t have to worry about meeting deadlines or dealing with customers. And, since you’re working from home, you can easily take care of any last-minute changes or emergencies.
If you’re interested in becoming an Airbnb host, check out this guide on how to get started.
41. Proofreading
In this career, you would be reading documents or manuscripts and looking for mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax. You would then mark the errors with a correction symbol and provide a note to the author about the mistake. Proofreading can be done independently or as part of a team.
It is also important to be able to meet deadlines because many publishers require that manuscripts be returned within a certain timeframe.
42. Park Ranger
They enforce park rules, help visitors enjoy their visit, and provide information about the areas they patrol. Park rangers may also conduct educational programs, research projects, and archaeological surveys.
The growing popularity of outdoor recreational activities will lead to more demand for these workers.
Rangers must be able to hike long distances in difficult terrain, often carrying heavy equipment. They also may need to work extended hours, including weekends and holidays, during peak visitor seasons.
43. Voiceover artist
Voiceover artists are people who provide the voice for a character or commercial. They must be able to understand and interpret the script, and then deliver the lines in a way that sounds natural and believable.
Voiceover artists are in high demand for their unique ability to provide a voice for various multimedia productions that requires no formal training. This work can be done from anywhere with a good internet connection, making it an ideal job for retirees or those with flexible hours.
44. Real Estate Agent
The work is often exciting, and you can set your own hours. However, it can also be demanding and require long hours during busy times.
They must be knowledgeable about the current market conditions and have strong negotiating skills. In order to succeed in this career, you’ll need to be able to work well independently and be comfortable networking with potential clients.
You’ll also need to develop a strong marketing strategy to attract new clients.
45. Sports Coach
They may also instruct athletes on the rules and regulations of a sport. Sports coaches typically have a college degree in physical education, kinesiology, or a related field.
Coaches often work long hours during the season and must be able to handle criticism from players and parents. However, for those who love sports and enjoy working with people, sports coaching can be an enjoyable and low-stress job after retirement.
46. Artist
Being an artist is a great job to have after retirement because it doesn’t require a lot of stress and you’re free to create whatever you like. The only requirement for the job is that you have some artistic ability, which most people do.
Working as an artist can be perfect for people who are looking to have more flexibility with their hours and want to work on the go. There are many different types of artist jobs that one can find, and the best way to find out what’s available is to do some research online or talk to other artists in your area.
47. Translator
Translation is a great option for those who want to use their second or third language skills in a professional setting.
Many retirees find themselves with time on their hands after retirement and may enjoy doing something that they are good at and can be successful at. Speaking another language can lead to many opportunities, including working as a translator or in a translation services company, or becoming a consultant in foreign affairs.
Translators must be able to understand the source material fully and then accurately convert it into the target language.
48. Interior decorator
Interior decorators are in high demand because they have an eye for design and can help people make their homes look beautiful. This is a low-stress career choice that allows retirees to work anywhere, which is why it is becoming increasingly popular.
Interior decorators are often retirees who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in interior design. They must build up a portfolio of their clients’ homes before they can become an interior designer and be able to charge more for their services.
Interior decorating is a creative line of work that can earn great money, and it’s often a side hustle for people who want to make more money while still having free time. Satisfying customers is another perk of this career!
49. Handyman Services
If you’re looking for a way to make some money after retirement, and enjoy doing hands-on home repair projects, consider working as a handyman. Handyman work can be done on your own schedule, so it’s a great option if you want more flexibility in your life.
Handyman services are becoming more popular because they allow you to set your own rates and work on your own schedule.
This is beneficial for both the worker and the customer, as it allows the worker to charge a fair price for their services and customers can get work done on their time. Additionally, handymen have a variety of skills and can fix many problems around the home, which makes them a valuable asset.
50. Professional cuddler
Cuddling has become a popular service in recent years. Companies like Cuddle Comfort offer professional cuddlers that will come to your house and provide you with a compassionate, understanding listening ear as well as some quality cuddle time.
Some people make a living from professional cuddling. These cuddlers can earn approximately $40 per hour for just being themselves and giving bear hugs. This is a growing industry with many people finding comfort and satisfaction in human touch.
51. Mediator
To become a mediator, you need to have either legal training or a bachelor’s degree in mediation. This gives you the skills needed to mediate and resolve disputes between two or more parties. Mediators usually have a low-stress job because of their flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere.
Mediators come from a variety of professional backgrounds, but the majority have some form of legal background. More than half of certified mediators work as general mediators, charging $100 to $250 per hour.
52. Data entry specialist
A data entry specialist is somebody who enters data into a computer system. This can be a very low stress job, especially if you have basic computer skills and typing speed and accuracy. The work is relatively easy to find and usually does not require any specific qualifications.
Data entry specialists are paid a modest wage for their work, but the pay is reliable and predictable. The job is also relatively easy to find, making it a great option for people who are looking for additional work during retirement or in their spare time.
Being able to type quickly and accurately in order to be successful in this role.
53. Waiter/ Waitress
If you have a gift of gab and service, then this might be the perfect industry for you. Especially as a bar back!
The work hours are flexible, the tips are usually good, and you get to meet new people all the time. Plus this type of job is fun, as it’s not high-stress and it allows someone who just retired or wants a job with flexible hours to stay active socially while they make money.
If you’re looking for an alternative after retirement, waiter or waitress work is definitely a good option.
54. Cook
Many families are looking for healthy options for dinner. What is better than a home-cooked meal?
While working as a cook for a restaurant, you may often work long hours in a hot, noisy kitchen. However, cooking for local families on a small scale may be the perfect scenario.
55. Become a Transcriber
Transcription is a great way to make some money after retirement. You can typically make around $18-$25/hour, depending on your skill level and experience.
The work is relatively low stress, so it’s a great option for those looking for a relaxing way to make some extra income.
56. Retirement planner
Some retirement planners offer training and certification for their employees. The employer might pay for your training and certificate if they feel confident enough in hiring you as an employee after seeing how well you do these tasks.
This may not be the ideal situation for many, but it pays well.
57. Flip Items
Flipping items for profit is a great way to make some extra cash. You can find deals at garage sales and online, and then turn around and sell them for more.
Be sure to look out for scams, however, as there are many people who try to take advantage of those looking to flip items.
To learn how to flip for a side hustle, check out Flea Market Flippers.
58. Professional Volunteer
Charity work is a great way to give back to the community and help those in need. There are many charities that need help, and by donating your time or money, you can make a big difference in someone’s life.
It can also be a great way to ease into retirement. Many charities are always in need of volunteers, and you can often find opportunities that fit your schedule. You may also be able to find paid positions with certain charities.
You will have the opportunity to help others and make a real difference in their lives. You may also find new friendships and learn new skills.
It keeps you social and busy, and it lets you help out in your community. Plus, many organizations offer volunteer opportunities tailored to retirees’ skills and interests.
In fact, many volunteer opportunities turn into paid jobs.
How to find a job that is low stress and matches your skills?
Which best jobs for retirees do you want?
When you’re looking for a job that is low stress and matches your skills, it’s important to consider a variety of factors. For example, employers want employees who can work independently and are well-organized. They also want employees who can communicate clearly. You should have a basic understanding of the job duties as well.
If you have specific skills, you may not need these things as much.
However, employers still want employees who can complete tasks without any help from others. There are a variety of ways to find out about such jobs, including using search engines or social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Also, whoever says you have to wait for retirement?? Find low-stress jobs that pay well without a degree now.
It’s also important to be aware of the pay structure. Often, employers want employees who will be able to work for them on a long-term basis. The pay structure is often predictable and employers know exactly how much work there will be available for each project. This makes it easier for both parties involved.
One way to find a job that is low stress and matches your skills is by using online platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr. These platforms offer many data entry jobs that are perfect for those looking for an easy way to make some money after retirement. In order to take advantage of these jobs, you’ll have to learn how to type fast.
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
The idea of paying your dues, saving up, investing smart and retiring at some point before the “traditional” retirement age of 65 has a strong pull.
For many, early retirement is something that might even happen in their 40s.
If you are considering how you can retire early, here are 3 ideas that can help you reach an early retirement goal:
1. Disciplined Saving and Investing
One way you can build up a sizable nest egg is to practice disciplined investing. Consider how much you will need in your investment portfolio to create an income stream that you can live off of.
You will have to consider your age, how long you are likely to live, and the asset allocation you will need to provide reasonable growth, but not leave you over-exposed to the vagaries of the market. A long-term approach can help you.
If you are 30, and plan to retire by age 50 or 55, you might be able to amass $522,063.08 if you start with $10,000 and invest $1,000 a month for 20 years, assuming a 6.5% return — compounded quarterly — on your portfolio. (Note, though, that returns will vary according to market conditions, and there is always the risk of loss.) You can end up with more than $1 million if you double that to $2,000.
When you start living off your retirement portfolio, though, you will need to make sure you are not withdrawing so much that your nest egg can’t support you. You can maximize your efforts by investing in tax advantaged accounts and making use of your employer’s company match program. But you need a plan, and you need to be disciplined enough to stick with it if you go this route.
2. Cultivate Multiple Income Streams
Another idea for early retirement planning is to begin cultivating multiple income streams, rather than relying solely on your ability to build up a massive nest egg to get you to retirement. Instead, make a plan to pay down your debt (including your mortgage) by your early retirement target date.
Try to rid yourself of as many obligations as possible, so that you will have fewer expenses during retirement. Make a plan to pay down this debt while preparing for the future. Figure out how much money you will need each month to support your retirement lifestyle and then begin cultivating different income streams to create that income.
While there are rules that allow you to begin withdrawing from an IRA early, you likely won’t have access to Social Security benefits during an early retirement. You can consider your early withdrawal from an IRA if you must, but consider other sources of revenue. You can establish a web site that helps you earn residual income, write a book that results in royalties, start a business that can provide an income stream, or even engage in income investing.
It is, of course, possible to cultivate a number of income streams at once, diversifying your income sources. Start now to develop these streams so that they are established and mostly automatic by the time you are ready for early retirement.
3. Take Mini-Retirements
Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, made the idea of a mini-retirement somewhat popular. If you want to enjoy life now, and aren’t concerned about having a huge chunk of time to try and kill when you are older, you can plan to take mini-retirements, living in a different place for one to six months. You do have to be willing to quit a job — and try to find a new one — in some cases.
An alternative that appeals to me is having a job you can do from anywhere. I work from home as a freelance writer and I could actually whittle my workload down to a couple hours a day for a few months, and take my job on the road. I’d be living in a state of almost retirement, and it would work as long as I had access to the Internet. Consultants and other freelancers, as well as online entrepreneurs, could make this work. After all, if you can manage to work on reduced hours, and have time to do what you want, you won’t need the same size of large nest egg.
Bottom line: There are even more paths to early retirement, and it might be that you combine different efforts to come up with a method that works well for you. The important thing is to decide what you want to do, and then make a realistic plan to accomplish it.
When something appears in three’s it is a trend, or so they say. What does it mean when something pops up everywhere you freakin’ look? I call it a damn good idea. And right now that’s what I’m saying about daybeds!
What was once your grandmother’s decorating idea has gotten the cool girl stamp of approval and personally, I’m into the modern update on this old school idea. Just look at how much you can do with it.
Sure, couches serve their purpose. They’re a requirement for TV watching and the like, but a daybed feels so luxurious. It’s a place to lounge, relax, cozy up. Work from home? Doing so from a day bed suddenly makes the day’s to-do list feel less tedious.
I’m also smitten by the variety of style directions you can take with a daybed. There’s one for virtually every aesthetic out there. You can go modern, clean and crisp (like this one), totally boho (this one is good), or a try a mid century modern vibe (like this). And of course I’m in support of any excuse to add more pillows and throw blankets into the mix. Mudcloth heaven, here I come.
There’s also something overtly feminine about daybeds, don’t you think? Can you envision a guy ever sitting in one? I’m struggling. So go ahead, let him take over the couch and claim this space as your very own.
As we ready ourselves to move into the new house I’m plotting where a daybed could possibly fit. Perhaps the living room? Maybe the guest room? Maybe the nursery?? You’ll have to stay tuned to find out where I put one. Because this is a design idea bandwagon I’m jumping on with both feet!
Need more inspiration. Check out all of our IDEAS TO STEAL.
image 1, 3 by tessa neustadt / 2 by laure joliet / 4 by line klein / 5 / 6 / 7
Debt is a financial obligation that can weigh down your personal
balance sheet. It can also be expensive if you carry a balance and have to pay
interest. If you find yourself carrying too much debt, Leung recommends that
you set up a repayment plan. This can help you get your finances back into
positive territory as soon as possible.
Spend meaningfully
“This movement is not about cutting your own hair and
clipping coupons,” Leung says. Instead, he says that people pursuing FIRE
should spend their money on what they truly value without guilt. They should
divert money away from things that don’t matter to them.
Allen agrees with this principle of the FIRE retirement plan. For example, she says that if you value treating yourself to dinner at nice restaurants, then you can avoid spending money on fast food. Instead, you can prepare inexpensive meals at home during the week. You can then use your extra cash to enjoy a special meal out over the weekend. (There are even ways you can save money eating out at your favorite restaurants.)
Leung and Shen decided that the thousands of dollars they
spent each year on travel was worth it to them. However, having a nice car in a
city like Toronto that has excellent public transit was not.
Learn how to invest in the stock market
Investing wisely is critical for anyone on a FIRE retirement plan, Shen says. “If you learn to invest and build
a portfolio instead of putting everything into a house, for example, then that
portfolio will spin off passive income—not just in capital gains, but in the
form of dividends and interest,” she says.
That recurring dividend income from a substantial investment portfolio must
eventually be large enough to support your living expenses, Leung adds.
To reach that goal of sustained, passive investment income, Allen
recommends “investing early and often. And as much as you can, for as long as you
can.” That’s because the earlier you invest, the sooner you can benefit from
the power of compounding.
Of course, you should always consider your unique financial situation
and goals before making an investment decision.
Get a side hustle
In the FIRE community, retiring early doesn’t necessarily mean that you
aren’t making some extra cash to support your lifestyle. In fact, building a
side hustle is often encouraged as part of a FIRE retirement plan.
“For us, it’s writing,” Leung says. “We run a blog, and we also wrote a
bestselling book.”
There are many reasons you need a side hustle. Leung notes that after “retiring,” a side hustle—even one that generates $5,000 to $10,000 a year—can dramatically enhance your financial position. The extra cash flow can help you limit the amount you need to withdraw from your investments, allowing your nest egg to continue to compound over the years.
If writing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of opportunities to earn
extra money in today’s economy, Allen says. Selling arts and crafts on an
online marketplace or driving for a ride-share company are great ways to boost
the longevity of your financial independence.
Reduce your cost of living
One of the most
effective ways to expedite your FIRE
retirement plan is to keep your living costs down, Shen and Leung say.
That way, you’re able to funnel even more savings into the market, where your
nest egg can grow.
If you’re interested in the retire early movement, you’ll be interested in these two ways to manage your living costs:
Travel can actually keep a lid on costs
Shen and Leung have
always had the travel bug, and they’ve found that traveling has actually helped
them reduce their living expenses in early retirement.
Shen notes that
when they were living in Toronto, they were spending between $40,000 and
$50,000 a year on living expenses.
“But when we
started traveling the world,” Shen says, “we spent $40,000 a year and it hasn’t
gone above that amount for the past five years.”
Leung says that they
no longer pay rent like they did when they were saving for early retirement.
Instead, they typically live out of their backpacks and pay for low-cost
accommodations as they travel the world.
“We’ve found that
not only is travel worth it, it’s actually helped us mitigate our risks in our
portfolio because we were able to control our costs,” Shen says.
Geoarbitrage can improve the gap between income and expenses
Shen admits that globe-trotting isn’t for everyone. For people who
would rather stay in one place as they pursue FIRE, she recommends geographic
arbitrage. It’s also known as “geoarbitrage” for short in the FIRE community.
It’s a simple idea: Live and work in a city with a competitive job
market and command a high salary. Then move to a lower-cost city or
neighborhood while continuing to make the same salary.
You might be able to score a new gig in a lower-cost location without facing
a salary adjustment, or you could commute from a lower-cost area if you’re not
able to change your headquarters. Remote work might also be a possibility.
“One outcome of the pandemic was that more and more people were able to
work from home,” Shen says, which opened up the possibility of remote work and
geoarbitrage to even more people pursuing the retire early movement.
Can a recession alter someone’s FIRE savings plan?
Saving, investing and traveling your way to
financial independence sounds nice in theory. However, a recession can throw a
wrench into your FIRE savings plan.
“If you retire into a down market, you can deplete your portfolio very quickly,” Shen says. Keeping costs down can help, but there are other strategies that can help protect you from a market downturn.
Allen thinks the best approach is to have a healthy store of cash saved up in case a recession hits while in early retirement. She is still working toward her goal of saving $50,000 in an emergency savings account—in addition to her investments—before she’ll feel ready to quit her day job.
Allen notes that many
people in the FIRE community don’t like to hold a lot of cash. This is because
it could be growing faster if it were invested in the stock market.
“I’m a little bit
different on that,” she says. “You never know when the market is going to crash,
so you want to have that financial buffer to be sure that you’re safe.”
Is FIRE right for you?
Achieving financial independence early in life
clearly has its benefits. You no longer have to work a job if you don’t enjoy
it, and you can spend more time doing what you’re passionate about. For Shen and
Leung, that’s traveling, and for Allen, it’s writing. For you, it could be
anything.
But FIRE can have its drawbacks, and sometimes
the benefits of the retire early movement can be achieved in other ways.
The FIRE retirement plan can give you major FOMO
Kali Roberge, now creative director at Beyond Your Hammock, a financial planning firm, found the retire early movement in her early 20s as she struggled to find a promising career path. Roberge graduated into the Great Recession and—like many recent grads at that time—was frustrated by the lack of prospects.
She found FIRE to be a way to sidestep the
traditional rat race. “I felt like if I couldn’t figure out how to make it in
the corporate world with a high-earning job, I needed to make just enough to
get out completely.”
Roberge believes
that achieving financial independence is a worthwhile goal. However, she found
that her intense focus on the
early retirement portion of FIRE resulted in missed experiences and
opportunities. She’d regularly skip movies and other events with friends
to save for the goal of retiring
in her early 30s.
“I really missed a
lot of time that I could have been spending with other people because I
was literally sitting at home to avoid spending money,” she says.
Roberge feels that her commitment to FIRE blinded her to paths that would have enriched her life. “I eventually realized that I could have more freedom and power by exploring ways to earn more rather than just scrimping as much as possible,” she says.
While Roberge realized
that retiring in her 30s wasn’t for her, she now has her sights set on retiring
at the age of 45.
You can be financially independent without retiring early
Shen and Leung have been able to use the FIRE
retirement plan to quit their jobs and follow their passions. But they
emphasize that the “FI” part of FIRE (financial independence) can serve anyone
who wants to take more control over their life.
“You don’t actually have to do the retire
early part,” Leung says. “If you love your job, you can stay there. But
financial independence is all about getting more power back for yourself. Not
being beholden to your boss, not being beholden to debt, not being beholden to
your mortgage.”
Allen echoes this sentiment. “I feel like FIRE should be for everyone,” she says. She also notes that even if you love your job now, that might not always be the case. She believes learning budgeting basics, how to budget your money and investing best practices can help anyone get their financial life in order, while the ethos of following your passions instead of doing what’s expected of you is important for living a fulfilled life.
Whatever you decide, do it with intention,
Roberge recommends. “Make sure you’re committing to this because it’s the right
move for you and your life,” she says. “Money is a valuable resource, but so is
time. We need to make sure we’re leveraging both wisely.”
If retiring early is your goal, consider the money moves you need to make to get there, starting with why you need to make a retirement budget before you actually retire.
Articles may contain information from third-parties. The inclusion of such information does not imply an affiliation with the bank or bank sponsorship, endorsement, or verification regarding the third-party or information.
As landlords struggle to get people back into office buildings that emptied during the pandemic, some are turning to entertainment and other enticements such as yoga classes to woo wary workers.
At the Water Garden office complex in Santa Monica, a dance troupe has taken up residence and puts on free performances and classes for kids. Flower arranging classes are packed and the weekly tenants-only comedy show after work is a hot ticket. Musical performances by local artists are a lunchtime draw.
Farmers markets, concerts, art shows and other attractions for office tenants aren’t completely new, but they have taken on urgency as landlords and executives of companies occupying their buildings strive to get workers enthused about showing up.Some property owners are hiring “tenant experience managers.”
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In most commercial buildings, only about half the workers show up at their offices on weekdays, key-card swipes reveal. Office leasing is also weak: Space rentals declined again last quarter to bring the overall total of unleased space in Los Angeles County to nearly 20%, well above the 12% rate before the pandemic.
To get workers in the office, “you need to find new ways to engage people,” said Bess Wyrick, head of programming at the Water Garden for property manager CBRE.
With daily office attendance not mandatory at many companies, “It’s no longer about trying to create a work-lifestyle balance,” she said. “It’s about creating a hybrid workplace where people are excited to come.”
Hybrid work patterns have spread widely since the pandemic shutdown of 2020. As companies bring workers back together, many have reduced the number of days their employees are required to be in the office, creating flexible combinations of office days and remote work days.
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Cosmetic company L’Oréal Group demands that employees work in the office at least three times a week, on days of their choosing. L’Oréal sweetens the office experience with such comforts as a fitness center, restaurant, juice cafe and a cabana-like bar that serves coffee drinks and, depending on the occasion, alcohol.
Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger recently announced that employees working from home must return to the office Monday through Thursday starting March 1. Fridays are typically the least populated days for offices, research shows, and while most employees toil at home that day, a few companies are taking them off the business calendar altogether and working 32 hours a week.
Landlords are also keen to make offices appealing so tenants will keep renting space in their buildings.
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The campus-like Water Garden was a dreary place after being devoid of occupants during the worst of the pandemic, Wyrick said. While they were gone, nearby businesses and restaurants nearby failed or left for other reasons.
“The area was a ghost town,” she said.
Wyrick’s first move was to arrange live performances by local musicians and dancers in the courtyard. Among the complex’s biggest tenants are retailer Amazon and technology firm Oracle.
One of Wyrick’s goals was to make the Water Garden a place people wanted to visit, including neighbors who could walk over to take in a mid-day concert or see pieces by local artists displayed and for sale in the lobbies of the four office buildings. Getting a buzz of life into the campus could help address a common chicken-and-egg complaint about going back to the office — people don’t want to go there if other people aren’t around.
Paying performers to appear, serving free food to tenants at holiday soirees and other planned events are part of a marketing strategy to get the property occupied, she said.
“We will lose money in the beginning,” she said, “but it drives people to put roots in the space.”
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The key measure of success is leasing, and Water Garden has added tenants over the past 12 months. Its 1.4 million square feet of rental space is 86% leased, up from 72% leased a year ago, Wyrick said.
One of her leaps to enliven the place was to agree to an unusually short lease with a well-known dance company for an expansive first-floor space last occupied by a furniture showroom. In exchange, Jacob Jonas The Company agreed to engage with other tenants through free classes, performances and other events.
The nonprofit dance company has performed at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as with such musical artists as Rosalia, Sia, Elton John and Britney Spears.
For years, the company was based in the Wallace Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. The chance to dance in a working office complex built to the buttoned-down tastes of 1990s business executives holds special appeal to company founder Jacob Jonas, a Santa Monica native who got his start as a street performer on the Venice boardwalk at age 13.
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“Our neighbors are some of the leading corporations in our country. There’s something really validating about that and sharing our work,” he said. “When you have people working behind a desk from 9 to 5 and then being able to expose them to creativity and expose them to art in such a unique setting, that crossover is rather beautiful.”
Workers and visitors at the Water Garden can take workshops in floral design, see weekly comedy shows and attend movie nights.
Nearly a fifth of the L.A. County’s office space was unleased at the end of last year, according to CBRE, and more empty space may hit the market soon as tenants hoping to save money try to sublease unwanted space due to concerns of a constricting economy and potential layoffs. Some are reducing their space because their employees are working remotely.
“The general consensus among most economists is we’re heading into a recession,” said Bradford Ortlund, a research manager at CBRE. Many companies are declining to expand their offices or reducing space as they wait for the economic picture to come into focus.
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The nature of upmarket offices was already shifting before the pandemic as many landlords toned down the dramatic formality of their entrances originally intended to confer status and trustworthiness on the companies inside. As aloofness fell out of favor, owners set out to make their lobbies and courtyards places to linger and enjoy rather than simply pass through in awe.
Their desire to get people working remotely back into offices makes hotel-like hospitality freshly valuable, said the owners of U.S. Bank Tower, the tallest office building in Los Angeles at 72 stories.
It was built to be an imposing corporate cathedral in 1989, but landlord Silverstein Properties is close to completing a $60-million makeover intended to make it feel more like a laid-back hotel where tenants and visitors are invited to kick back. The lobby will include a cocktail and juice bar, a coffee bar, a grab-and-go market of packaged foods, communal tables, a large lounge with plush seating and cabanas to add a resort flair.
Staff will focus on hospitality, said tenant experience manager Melanie Navas. People’s names and birthdays are to be remembered. The 54th floor is a tenants-only lounge with a coffee bar and weekly breakfast spreads to help inspire a sense of community. There are yoga classes at the gym on the 57th floor with views of the city.
“The goal is to get people to feel like they want to come back to work and come back to the building,” she and, “and having them leave happy.”
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Art is a top priority for Brookfield Properties, the largest owner of office space in downtown Los Angeles, which has a longstanding program of engagement with tenants. Permanent and rotating art displays are pleasant — and good for occupancy, said Bert Dezzutti, head of the western region for Brookfield.
“Younger workers are more likely to return to the office if they are around art,” he said, citing a survey Brookfield commissioned in the United Kingdom last year that also found that art and cultural activities improve people’s sense of wellbeing and makes them more productive at the office.
“One positive that has emerged from the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic is a new focus on what makes a ‘happy’ workplace,” the survey report said. Findings suggest that workers want to work in spaces enriched by art, culture and wellness, which they believe promote creativity and contentment.
“The offices of the future must be more than machines for working in,” the report said, “they must cater to the rich inner life that we all possess.”
One youth-friendly program Brookfield puts on in L.A. is an annual music festival that follows the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Acts from the popular desert concert series appear after work on four August nights at a Brookfield office and retail complex near Crypto.com Arena.
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Musicians from the Colburn School perform acoustic sets at another Brookfield property. There are DJ concerts open to all and wellness events for tenants that include skin care classes and meditative sound baths.
“We’re creating opportunities for people to interact,” Dezzutti said. “It’s all about engagement.”