Author Topic: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs  (Read 30707 times)

bwall

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #50 on: December 21, 2015, 10:00:58 PM »
Most car dealerships need drivers to move cars for them, for whatever reason. They need honest reliable people with flexible schedules who aren't looking to make a ton of money for a day's work. Retirees (and early retirees at that) make for a good fit.

Pay may vary by region and dealership.

Perks: You get to drive new or almost new cars and make a bit of a day trip.

thriftyc

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #51 on: January 01, 2016, 06:56:53 PM »
I plan on semi FIRE'ing within the next month or two.  I will be working PT for sure for the first few years as part of my margin of safety plan.   One idea I had was a "HandyMan" business.   Billable rates approach $75/hour in my area for such services.  Not bad!

turketron

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #52 on: January 03, 2016, 01:01:13 PM »
Most car dealerships need drivers to move cars for them, for whatever reason. They need honest reliable people with flexible schedules who aren't looking to make a ton of money for a day's work. Retirees (and early retirees at that) make for a good fit.

Pay may vary by region and dealership.

Perks: You get to drive new or almost new cars and make a bit of a day trip.

I'm nowhere near FIRE but this actually sounds pretty awesome to me. I avoid driving as much as possible for the obvious mustachian reasons, but I actually really enjoy it. A job where I get to drive fun new cars around and listen to music and podcasts while doing so sounds great.

andystkilda

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #53 on: January 04, 2016, 06:37:05 PM »
Dog-sitting or even set up a small boarding kennel.
Freelance work online - i.e. anything you're capable of doing on the likes of Freelancer/Upwork that pays more than $15/hour.

MVal

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #54 on: February 09, 2016, 02:21:51 PM »
A good friend of mine owns a dog walking, boarding and behavioral training business. He works an average of 25-30 hours/week. He recently told me he made $120k last year, more than many tech jobs pay, for far fewer hours. He's now looking for people to help as he is at capacity, and will be paying $25/hour for part-time work. I still don't feel like doing any work at all, but post this because I had no idea it could be so lucrative on so few hours.

That sounds so great! I can't believe it is so few hours for the business owner. He must have several employees. $25/hr sounds amazing for part time work!

YK-Phil

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #55 on: February 09, 2016, 02:50:06 PM »
Mine should obviously be to consult in my field (environmental science), which pays very well. My going rate would be around $175 per billable hour, or more. Many of my peers actually earn more money as consultants after they retire (on top of their pension) than they did when they worked full time. However, I have no interest whatsoever to do anything remotely connected to this kind of work. Ever again.

Where I plan to spend most of the year (6-8 months), I will probably look for a part-time gig to walk or board dogs, house-sitting, haul junk to the dump and do odd non-specialized repair jobs, yard cleaning and general labour, grocery store clerk, etc. Substitute teacher has some potential and pays relatively well but I am not sure I feel like spending a lot of time in a classroom with turbulent kids. We plan to spend our winter months overseas and I will definitely teach or tutor English, French or Spanish as a Second Language, or work as a SCUBA divemaster in a dive resort, both part-time.

I'm curious, what sort of work do you do in environmental science? I'd love to know what sorts of profitable jobs are available in this field.

My apologies for the late reply. My job went from doing field work for a few years, to environmental management, and quickly into management, thanks to wanting to be at the time at the right place (the Arctic) at the right time. I am at the end of my career and my past experience gave me the luxury of being able to chose a job based on my personal ethics rather than remuneration, and I am very thankful. I am now the CEO of a multi-party independent agency whose mandate is to monitor the environmental impacts of a diamond mine in the Canadian Arctic.

Job prospects in all environmental fields in North America and abroad, especially scientific fields such as water and waste treatment and disposal, pollution control and abatement, and green energy development, are excellent and will continue to improve rapidly over the next 20 years as our societies move toward sustainable development. My own preference is environmental impact assessment of large projects (pipelines, mines, power projects, etc.) as it allows for multi- and pluri-disciplinary teamwork where physical and biological science interacts with social, cultural and economic facets. You might find some interesting information about the profession on this webpage.

http://www.environmentalscience.org/careers

Fishindude

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #56 on: February 09, 2016, 02:53:35 PM »
Good friend of mine makes what he calls his "beer and gambling" money cutting grass and plowing snow.
Takes on enough that it gives him a few days work each week, but not too much.

AdrianC

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #57 on: February 10, 2016, 07:57:23 AM »
Following this out of interest.  Substitute teaching is on the potential list for me.

In our school district subs get $80/day, which is less than the bus drivers make.

Here it's got to be something you want to do anyway (for the kids), with the pay being icing on the cake.

arizonawildcats

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #58 on: February 10, 2016, 08:57:44 PM »
If you have time on your hands, try dabbling with selling on eBay and/or Amazon.   The key is doing research and testing until you land on products that have strong profit margins and sell through rates.   It’s definitely an additional revenue stream for our family.     

MayDay

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #59 on: February 11, 2016, 07:16:37 AM »
I sub now.  I have young kids so the schedule works.  Here is my experience:

-Some subs do it every single day they can, which is basically full time (except for the first week or 2 of the school year). 
-Our district pays 90/day, the neighboring, poorer one pays 100.
-In Ohio, you need a 4 year degree and some online training, and a background check.  If you have enough credits in subject areas, you can take long term sub jobs, like maternity leaves, which pay twice as much.
-In Ohio, you have to participate in the teachers retirement program.  I can ~10% of my paycheck deducted for a 401k-like plan, and the district matches.  I have to stay 5 years to keep that match, but I can roll over my contribution at any time.  Since I am not actually retired yet, I like this.
-You can sub as an aide, school nurse, secretary, or bus aide for ~8$/hour. 
-The nurse and secretary jobs are super easy, I read my book half the day.  Well worth the lower pay. 
-Aide jobs are hit or miss- they are fun for the little kids, but a MS or HS student with an aide typically means they have some pretty severe needs.  They can be hard to manage.
-Subbing for a whole class is realllllllly hard, even in my high performing wealthy district with minimal behavior problems.  I cannot even imagine subbing for whole classes in a low income district.
-I love the special ed jobs because you are working with 1 to 5 kids- this is manageable as a sub. 
-I often teach HS classes in my area of knowledge (math/science).  This is fun, as I get to actually "teach".  Subbing higher level classes not in your area of knowledge is often mainly about keeping the noise level down and people on task while they do independent work that they know full well won't be graded for credit. 
-You will discover certain classes are a total nightmare.  You will learn over time to never sub for those teachers.  But to learn that, you have to suffer through it first!

Overall, as an introvert, subbing is pretty challenging.  I do it about 2 days a week and that is plenty!  But I keep doing it because I love that I can work whenever I want.  I don't take jobs if there is good weather, or I make plans, or I have a sick kid, etc. 

effigy98

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #60 on: February 12, 2016, 02:35:29 PM »
Probably just keep programming as a contractor. Fetch upwards for $300/hr depending on job. Keeps skills up to date and I can work on it without deadlines, just a meet a few people who do not want to hire you full time but need work on the side (like many small businesses).

jkitiara

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #61 on: February 16, 2016, 02:43:35 PM »
This is an awesome thread. A lot of these things sound like awful full time jobs, but fun and flexible to do part time once I'm FIRE.

I actually really loved a lot of my old retail jobs, so I wouldn't mind doing some of that, if I could find somewhere that let me set my own hours. Plus I got lots of free books or food from them, depending on where I was working!

I have often thought of switching my career to teaching, so I think once my kids are in school, I might test the waters with subbing. I suspect it's a bad career switch, so subbing might help convince me of that ;)

CindyBS

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #62 on: February 16, 2016, 09:08:45 PM »
I currently work with kids with disabilities (and love it) and have a child with a disability. 

When I am FIRE, I plan to babysit kids with a focus on kids with disabilities as a side gig - just weekend nights type stuff, no in home or regular schedule.  After all, parents can't leave a 3 year old with severe autism with the 14 year old neighbor with no experience. 

I have also subbed for educational assistants/aides in the past.  My passion is with kids with disabilities and I frequently subbed in the resource rooms for kids with severe disabilities.  Once they realized my skill, I was in high demand. I loved it, but it is definitely a "niche" type of thing, you either like it or don't.  I only stopped doing it when I got my current job for more pay.

Another very interesting opportunity I'd like to explore is that a few years ago I went to Yellowstone and met a guy who is retired but works for the National Park Service on a part time basis.  He said he basically just helps out in the busy season and got provided lodging with the gig.  Every year he works for a few months in a different park and says he really enjoys working with the people and does a ton of side trips on his days off. 

We are also planning on getting a duplex and renting it out or doing Air bnb. 

mak1277

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #63 on: February 17, 2016, 09:47:58 AM »
In the past I have been paid up to $50/hour to give baseball lessons.  My only qualifications are having played a little college baseball and coached a few years of little league (well, that and doing a lot of research so I know what I'm talking about).  I suspect with the craziness that surrounds youth sports in the US there are a lot of opportunities if you have a background in sports.

MasterStache

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #64 on: February 17, 2016, 10:09:40 AM »
I was just browsing PT gigs in my area after seeing hiring signs at the local park. Park maintenance, golf course employees are widely available. All within biking distance of my home. Pay isn't fantastic. But free golf and free access to all the parks in the park district is. I am a few years from early retirement but these are on my radar. Along with handyman services and possibly teaching golf. My brother coached a High School golf team very part time for a couple months and made $1000 doing it.

dabears847

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #65 on: March 03, 2016, 08:25:40 PM »
I was just browsing PT gigs in my area after seeing hiring signs at the local park. Park maintenance, golf course employees are widely available. All within biking distance of my home. Pay isn't fantastic. But free golf and free access to all the parks in the park district is. I am a few years from early retirement but these are on my radar. Along with handyman services and possibly teaching golf. My brother coached a High School golf team very part time for a couple months and made $1000 doing it.

I may research more on jobs at the private courses around me and see if I get unlimited golf. Might be more like caddyshack though.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #66 on: March 04, 2016, 12:40:30 PM »
I plan on personal training, nutritional consulting, hosting outdoor workout bootcamps, weightlifting programming, posing coaching (physique competition), working at triathlon's/races (volunteering in turn for free races), life coaching, etc etc

dreams_and_discoveries

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #67 on: March 05, 2016, 02:34:03 AM »
Some great ideas there - I've got my eye on a part time gig at a theatre when I retire - a few hours of checking tickets and chatting to people seems worthwhile to get to see free shows.

funcomesfirst

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #68 on: March 06, 2016, 08:42:40 PM »
My part-time dream job is to work for a baseball team during Spring Training.  Warm weather + Baseball = Happy FunComesFirst! :)

Telecaster

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #69 on: March 10, 2016, 12:55:16 PM »
If you like researching local history and live in a touristy area you can give walking tours.

Benefits:
(1) Exercise while getting paid (about 2 hours walking)

(2) No upfront costs or certifications (as far as I know)

(3) Can be lucrative on an hourly basis. Where I live they charge 10.00 per person, for up to about 20 people and many people tip so you could make 250$ for 2 hours work. Of course it wouldn't be reliable income and if you're part of a company they'd take a cut.

I would definitely consider it in retirement. I have done a couple where the guides looked to be in their 70s.

I've often considered doing this.   I wonder how hard it would be to start a business?


wkumtrider

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #70 on: March 10, 2016, 01:34:58 PM »
Posting to follow.  Lots of good ideas here.

plainjane

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #71 on: March 11, 2016, 12:13:56 PM »
If you like researching local history and live in a touristy area you can give walking tours.

Benefits:
(1) Exercise while getting paid (about 2 hours walking)

(2) No upfront costs or certifications (as far as I know)

(3) Can be lucrative on an hourly basis. Where I live they charge 10.00 per person, for up to about 20 people and many people tip so you could make 250$ for 2 hours work. Of course it wouldn't be reliable income and if you're part of a company they'd take a cut.

I would definitely consider it in retirement. I have done a couple where the guides looked to be in their 70s.
I've often considered doing this.   I wonder how hard it would be to start a business?

The main challenge would just be making sure people know about it by advertising in all the right places.

Also making sure that you get good customer feedback on online review sites.

There is a guy in my neighbourhood who does restaurant tours, where you stop in at cafes, fish monger, bakery, and the cheese shop for small tastings.  I'm guessing he gets a cut of anything extra spent in the stores.

retiringearly

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #72 on: March 19, 2016, 09:43:39 PM »
In for later

Villanelle

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #73 on: March 19, 2016, 11:22:25 PM »
If you like researching local history and live in a touristy area you can give walking tours.

Benefits:
(1) Exercise while getting paid (about 2 hours walking)

(2) No upfront costs or certifications (as far as I know)

(3) Can be lucrative on an hourly basis. Where I live they charge 10.00 per person, for up to about 20 people and many people tip so you could make 250$ for 2 hours work. Of course it wouldn't be reliable income and if you're part of a company they'd take a cut.

I would definitely consider it in retirement. I have done a couple where the guides looked to be in their 70s.
I've often considered doing this.   I wonder how hard it would be to start a business?

The main challenge would just be making sure people know about it by advertising in all the right places.

Also making sure that you get good customer feedback on online review sites.

There is a guy in my neighbourhood who does restaurant tours, where you stop in at cafes, fish monger, bakery, and the cheese shop for small tastings.  I'm guessing he gets a cut of anything extra spent in the stores.

I've done tours like this in several cities around Europe.  I never had to pay specifically for the food, so I don't think the guide made money on a cut of the expenditures.  Everything was always pre-ordered, and I paid a flat fee to the guide.  I'd guess the guide got some sort of discount from the restaurants (or bars, coffee stands, street vendors, market stalls whatever) and then he probably added a healthy % to whatever he was paying for the food.  The good tours were with guides who explained local cuisine and history, and who took use to places well off the beaten path, where a local might go and a tourist might have trouble finding.  And they also had decent pallets, generally, and were able to pair food and wine well when appropriate, though some of the tours were more street-food focused, while others were a bit fancier with food and wine.  And they often took use by small points of interest along the route, where we might stop for a minute or two to get some info on the site, on the way to the next food stop. 

retired?

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #74 on: March 31, 2016, 10:20:37 AM »

Following this out of interest.  Substitute teaching is on the potential list for me.

My wife did that last fall as a way to re-enter counseling.  It only required 60 credits.  She was able to work 3-4 days a week and it led to a long-term sub position (pays about double, but does require a degree....and maybe certification).

Lots of flexibility and once started, the school's would contact her directly, prior to posting in the system, to see if she was available.  Seemed like a decent gig, but did pay about $80-100 daily.

One benefit, her day started and ended at fixed times.  No staying late for meetings.

As for me, I am trying tutoring.  Pay is better on an hourly basis and it is generally more flexible.

zephyr911

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #75 on: March 31, 2016, 10:48:11 AM »
Well, I'm gonna keep my ANG job for several years after I quit FT work. I'm a field-grade officer so my TH is several hundred a month for a weekend of work, and close to $300 a day for my 15 days of annual training with travel pay. Total net, $15-20K depending on locations and extra gigs.

I also plan on keeping my real estate license and doing a casual business supporting 1) my own rental company, and 2) friends/family. I won't market myself much or try to grow the business, because current business alone, plus drill pay, is already about equal to my spending.

rahby1us

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Re: Semi-Retirement Part Time Gigs
« Reply #76 on: March 31, 2016, 10:56:29 AM »
Zephyr, i strongly considered ANG, but i worry about the flexible aspect of it. Once in FIRE, I'm really hoping to do some travel, long slow multi month deals across central Am., S. Am. and maybe through Asia. call it geo arbitrage or just backpacker budget but i'm really looking forward to it!

The appealing aspects though are the steady income, the physical fitness, discounted health ins. and the camaraderie of what i'm guessing would be some cool guys. All of those things are almost precisely what I'd hope to have post work. I've heard mixed things on the training weekend schedule. Are the weekends scheduled well in advance? How often do changes arise? Any other benefits/drawbacks to mention to someone considering that route?