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Old 06-08-2010, 06:35 AM   #41
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I'm still interested in people's real-world experiences. Were you able to find or create the part-time work you wanted after retiring from your main line of work?

I am a retired RN so finding part time work is a snap but I decided to go a different path and start selling on ebay . It required a little trial and error to make it successful but now I have a steady stream of customers and I usually clear $1000 a month which goes into my fun money . I could make a lot more but the amount of time I invest (six hours a week ) is perfect for me plus the ability to take off whenever I want and work in my p.j's is a plus .
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Old 06-08-2010, 08:36 AM   #42
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Originally Posted by Moemg View Post
I am a retired RN so finding part time work is a snap but I decided to go a different path and start selling on ebay . It required a little trial and error to make it successful but now I have a steady stream of customers and I usually clear $1000 a month which goes into my fun money . I could make a lot more but the amount of time I invest (six hours a week ) is perfect for me plus the ability to take off whenever I want and work in my p.j's is a plus .
Interesting! I've thought of doing that. Where/how do you get the merchandise you sell?
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Old 06-08-2010, 09:54 AM   #43
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Interesting! I've thought of doing that. Where/how do you get the merchandise you sell?

There are a lot of sources for merchandise . Garage sales ,estate sales , stores , Thrift stores ,wholesalers , Etc.. It depends on what you want to sell . I started selling by just looking around my house and selling items I no longer wanted . I then branched out to my speciality which is basically clothing for thirty somethings and I 'd tell you my source but then I'd have to kill you so I will not reveal it .
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Old 06-08-2010, 11:26 AM   #44
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There are a lot of sources for merchandise . Garage sales ,estate sales , stores , Thrift stores ,wholesalers , Etc.. It depends on what you want to sell . I started selling by just looking around my house and selling items I no longer wanted . I then branched out to my speciality which is basically clothing for thirty somethings and I 'd tell you my source but then I'd have to kill you so I will not reveal it .
Ahhhh - yes, I prefer to live !

Thanks, this answers my question. I had planned to try getting rid of stuff I owned and didn't want but wasn't sure where to go after that. Clothing is good because it's light weight (less shipping cost). I buy clothes on ebay myself. NOT a thirty-something, however! Garage sales sound interesting and ooooh I'll have time to do them again.
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Old 06-08-2010, 06:58 PM   #45
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I then branched out to my speciality which is basically clothing for thirty somethings and I 'd tell you my source but then I'd have to kill you so I will not reveal it .

OK, so confessing my complete lack of fashion awareness here, are there somewhat distinct fashions for different age groups? In general, do 30-somethings have their own styles that differ from 20-somethings and 40-somethings?

And BTW, I think working in PJs would be GREAT!
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Old 06-11-2010, 02:38 AM   #46
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I'm still interested in people's real-world experiences. Were you able to find or create the part-time work you wanted after retiring from your main line of work?
I'll add another yes and have already told my story on the forum. I did have to create and fine tune my parttime job which is very different from my past career, and it's definitely a work in progress. Also have to keep myself in decent shape to do the job. It's strange but I really like that

On the odd morning I'll ask myself why am I gettin outa bed to do this but when I'm out on the water doin my job I'm absolutely thrilled I didn't decide to sit around the house staring at this stupid computer screen all hours of the day or taking 2 extra naps

ESRBob is one of my hero's and inspiration. Mostly in the life he has decided to lead (as well as the book). I have no ability to sculpt at all but I did learn a couple of new tricks this year!
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Old 06-16-2010, 09:31 PM   #47
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I retired in 06/06 and started a part-time job in 03/05/10. I wanted to finish getting my social security quarters, since I paid into the civil service system most of my life. I receive a nice pension (not near as high as some on this board), but I can make do with what I get. There is no way that I could live on my part-time job earnings, if I did not have a pension. I work Mon, Wed and Fridays 8 hours per day and only earn $8.50 per hour. I really enjoy this job, so far. I do not worry about what is left on my desk, since it is normally clear at the end of the day. The people I work with are nice and so are the patients. I finally got up the courage today and asked the office manager how many trips that I could take per year. She had told me in the job interview that they would accomodate my taking trips during the year. She said that 4-5 trips would be okay if I let her know in advance and I took my long trip when the doctor I worked for is on vacation. He is taking vacation starting 6/19/10 and DH and I are boarding a plane 6/19/10 to go see our DD, her DH and our darling granddaughter. We are coming back 7/4/10 and I don't have to be back to work until 7/7/10. So, my job is stress-free, gets me out of the house and among nice people and is helping me to get the rest of my social security credits. My paycheck is not so good, but the money is not why I am doing it. My DH is still employed until the end of this year and then will receive severance pay for 18 months, along with his pension and then will be close to age for early social security. Life is good.
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Old 06-16-2010, 10:56 PM   #48
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My story is a little different, I found part-time work after being a stay-at-home mom, but the end result is the same.

Four years ago I started working as a School Crossing Guard. I needed 7 more quarters to complete my Social Security credits and I really didn't want to work at anything full time. We were living just fine on DH's salary and benefits so all of my pay went to savings and college expenses for our sons.

I got the 7 quarters within the first 2 years and just stayed with it because I enjoy it. It's 8-9 in the morning and 3-4 in the afternoon. My commute is 3.5 miles round trip, twice a day. My post is a few blocks from an elementary school where the kids have to cross a busy street to get to another neighborhood. I park in a store parking lot and have a good view of kids coming toward the corner and I can stay in my car in bad weather. Pedestrian traffic is light in bad weather and busier in good weather.

I used to listen to the radio but I got tired of commercials so now I load up my iPod with podcasts and learn a little something while I'm there. I enjoy the interaction with the kids and get to chat with parents. Winter can be a little tough but the beautiful spring and fall make up for it.

The pay is only $8/hour but we get paid for our travel time, 15 minutes coming and going so we get 1.5 hours for each shift = $12/shift, twice a day. My commute is more like 5-6 minutes so it feels like $12/hour to me. Not bad for a really simple part-time job. I enjoy the time I'm there and when the hour is over, it's GONE. This type of job doesn't seep over into your life.

We work for the Police Dept and last Dec. they had major cutbacks and said they would be dropping all part-time police dept employees. Somehow our program was saved. I was really worried I'd lose my favorite job!

While I was at my corner I met a teachers aide who also hires and supervises a crew of ushers for a local outdoor concert venue. I told her I was interested and got hired in 2007. This summer is my 4th year. The venue is the summer home of The Cleveland Orchestra so I've worked for plenty of lovely orchestra concerts (including the Joffrey Ballet) and plenty of rock, country, oldies and metal concerts. This Saturday is Garrison Keilor doing Prarie Home Companion live for NPR.

Ushers only make minimum wage but I've met some great people on the usher crew. Many retirees, teachers, city workers, college students, all ages, all levels of education. Nice group of people. The concert venue is only open in the summer so the rest of the year some of this crew also works for a local state university for basketball games, football and track and field events. Last Saturday was Alcoholics Anonymous Founders Day and it's held at this university. This is the 3rd year I've worked for the Founders Day main event where they hold a meeting for over 10,000 at the stadium and have a speaker. Excellent event and something I'd never get to see if I wasn't an usher.

In 2008 I started taking tax prep classes with H&R Block. I worked tax season in 2009 and 2010. I love the classes and the work is very interesting. The pay is absolutely awful, considering the training and responsibility we have. But I like the work and being able to pick my own days and hours. I'll take classes again this fall and work the next tax season, basically 3 evenings/week and one day on the weekend.

DH lost his job in Jan, 2010 and is officially retired with a pension as of 6/1/10. I'm going to keep my assortment of part-time/seasonal jobs. I like the little bit of income and none of them interefere too much with the rest of my life.
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Old 06-17-2010, 07:36 PM   #49
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My situation was very similar to OP. I retired from megacorp at 55. I turned in my retirement papers in late 2006, not so much that I was ready to retire (financially, emotionally and professionally), but my megacorp was in Chap 11 and I thought the Pension Protection Act was going to have to an impact on my ability to take a lump sum pension (it did - 18 months after I left lump sums were halted).

My expertise is rather scarce in my geographical area and I started contract work the day after I left megacorp and have been working off and on via contract for the last 3.5 years. It was quite a comfort during the financial turbulence of the last couple of years.

If your expertise is in demand, and you want to try part time retirement (or part time work if you prefer), do not wait too long to re-enter. I have seen colleagues be totally retired for 5 years and then try to re-enter as contractors without much success as my industry has passed them by and their knowledge is no longer current and they no longer have access to the current decision makers.

As for me, I still feel challenged and enjoy my field; especially working with young people and teaching the intricacies of my field. I am going on 60 and feel 30; at least after I wake up in the morning and make sure I don't have grass growing on my face.

Good luck.
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