Part time gig ideas for retirement?

[inky]

I recently started doing subtitle translations for TV shows as a freelancer. I am so happy that I've found this gig because I'm having such a great time with it.

Wow, that sounds really interesting. Are you translating into English or some other target language?

I speak German, Spanish, and English fluently, so have considered part-time work doing translation... just need to get past my "allergy to work."

 

[Paracelsus]

I ran away to the circus, which has been my passion for the last 15 years or so as an aerialist. I now work as their secretary two half days a week for about $400 a month - enough to pay for my health insurance premiums. I couldn't be happier overall with my time freedom. I volunteer another day of the week at a wildlife rehab center, but no pay there. On my open days, I work out at kettlebell and yoga studios, ride bikes, work on house and garden projects and enjoy life. Frankly, I couldn't be happier, and glad I'm not working full time even with something I enjoy. This is my dream life as a retiree and I'm making it a reality.

 

[CaptTom]

Had a friend in FL who drove a shuttle bus from a hotel to the airport for a couple of years in early retirement....
A guy showed up last week for an interview wearing shorts and flip flops............

I was thinking of something that involved driving. I do enjoy it. But shorts and flop-flops IS the official uniform of retirees. Not sure I'd want to change just yet.

Along the same lines, I wonder if any construction company wants a part-time operator of some of the smaller equipment. I don't pretend I can drive the real heavy equipment like the pros, but I could handle a bobcat.

I recently started doing subtitle translations for TV shows as a freelancer. I am so happy that I've found this gig because I'm having such a great time with it.

That's also an interesting one. Often when I read an article in a magazine or newspaper (on line or in print) I notice the obvious need for some editorial help. Again, I'm not an English major, nor a great writer, but I'm pretty good at spotting other people's mistakes.

The thing is, I'd want something part-time, and on my schedule. I already had to step away from one organization I volunteered with because I'd advanced in positions to the point where it was almost full time.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[tmm99]

Wow, that sounds really interesting. Are you translating into English or some other target language?



I speak German, Spanish, and English fluently, so have considered part-time work doing translation... just need to get past my "allergy to work."

I translate Japanese TV shows into English. I am a native Japanese speaker, so my English isn't perfect, but they seem to be OK with it. In fact, they gave me several tests, but these are just TV shows, not novels or anything that may require someone with a degree in literature...



This really doesn't feel like wo*k to me. I was going to do business translations, but that wouldn't have been fun at all. The deadlines were very tight, usually within 36 hours regardless of the length of the material, and the materials looked VERY boring.

What I said to myself when I started working in the IT industry was "Boy, I used to have to pay tuition to learn, and now, I am getting paid to learn." This TV show gig feels kind of like that. They provide me with fun stuff to do, and I get paid for it. I have been translating crime shows, and I get pulled into the storyline, which is part of the fun. I did a couple of variety shows too, but they were just way too bizarre, absurd and extremely annoying.


There may be a demand for this in the languages you are fluent in.

 

[Music Lover]

I play in a few bands and earn some gig money, but it's not very much...from $1000 - $2000 a year. Music is a hobby and none of us need the money, but we do charge the going rate for bands in our area.

I've also taken on a few handyman jobs. It wasn't my intent to do this, but it started when an acquaintance commented that she got a quote for $600 to replace an exterior door. Since she had already purchased the new door, the $600 was just for the install. I ended up replacing the door in 2 hours and was paid $300. Then she recommended me to a friend, and that friend recommended me to another friend...

I don't really want to "w*rk" during my retirement, so the only handyman jobs I take on are easy with no potential of hidden problems....replacing doors windows, repairing drywall, replacing light fixtures, etc.

 

[Sojourner]

While I whole heartily agree with you. I just cant grasp these numbers {$100/hour}. I remember working in 1983 as an armed guard for $6.50 an hour on the books.(side job) I thought it was good money. According to the inflation calculator, that $6.50 is valued at $15.96 an hour. I was offered a job off the books at $50 an hour. Quick math showed me if i was to be paid on the books I needed $100 and hour. Needless to say the number was/is so high I was talking to a dial tone after a few seconds. I'm sure the poster looking for a 100 an hour is worth double that. Its just my brains inflation calculator hasn't caught up to reality.

In my field (well, semi-former field) of IT and software development, $100/hour for an experienced consultant or contractor is not at all unheard of. I made a bit more than that when I left the full-time gig and did hourly consulting work for my previous employer for a few years. I remember my boss not even batting an eye when I proposed that $100+ hourly rate.

And then, of course, there are lawyers. You'd feel like you hit the jackpot if you could find a good, competent lawyer to handle a legal issue for you for only $100/hour.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I play in a few bands and earn some gig money, but it's not very much...from $1000 - $2000 a year. Music is a hobby and none of us need the money, but we do charge the going rate for bands in our area.

I've also taken on a few handyman jobs. It wasn't my intent to do this, but it started when an acquaintance commented that she got a quote for $600 to replace an exterior door. Since she had already purchased the new door, the $600 was just for the install. I ended up replacing the door in 2 hours and was paid $300. Then she recommended me to a friend, and that friend recommended me to another friend...

I don't really want to "w*rk" during my retirement, so the only handyman jobs I take on are easy with no potential of hidden problems....replacing doors windows, repairing drywall, replacing light fixtures, etc.

I have a neighbor who 'retired' a few years ago and started doing small handyman jobs around the local area. I just noticed today on Nextdoor that he is looking to hire a helper since he has j*b commitments 6 months out. I'd venture to guess that he's not retired anymore.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

And then, of course, there are lawyers. You'd feel like you hit the jackpot if you could find a good, competent lawyer to handle a legal issue for you for only $100/hour.

The first thing I would think if I saw an attorney for *only* 100/hr is that there is no way they are good or competent.

*If* I decide practice law (highly unlikely) after my law school "experiment", no way I would w*rk that cheap. But, since it would involve w*rk, then it probably won't be happening.

 

[Music Lover]

I have a neighbor who 'retired' a few years ago and started doing small handyman jobs around the local area. I just noticed today on Nextdoor that he is looking to hire a helper since he has j*b commitments 6 months out. I'd venture to guess that he's not retired anymore.

Yup...that's the definition of no longer retired. I'm very selective in the handyman jobs I take and turn down more than I accept. I don't take on anything hard, messy, that will take a long time, or that has the potential to have hidden problems. It averages out to 2 or 3 tasks a month, most of which take 1-4 hours.

 

[braumeister]

I translate Japanese TV shows into English. I am a native Japanese speaker, so my English isn't perfect, but they seem to be OK with it.

You're fortunate. I've done professional translation work in the past and there was always an ironclad rule that you could only translate into your native language, not out of it. Didn't matter how fluent you were in other languages -- that was just the rule.

 

[bclover]

I have a neighbor who 'retired' a few years ago and started doing small handyman jobs around the local area. I just noticed today on Nextdoor that he is looking to hire a helper since he has j*b commitments 6 months out. I'd venture to guess that he's not retired anymore.

that actually happened to my dad. He was a great handyman and took a p/t job at Home depot. Well he was so knowledgeable that a local contractor started sending him small jobs that would not really make him a lot of dough.

Not even a year into it my dad had to "retire" again because he was getting swamped.

Since I cannot fix a darn thing I can believe it. a great handyman and mechanic (I've come to recently find out) are worth their weight it gold.

 

[inky]

I translate Japanese TV shows into English. I am a native Japanese speaker, so my English isn't perfect, but they seem to be OK with it. In fact, they gave me several tests, but these are just TV shows, not novels or anything that may require someone with a degree in literature...

What I said to myself when I started working in the IT industry was "Boy, I used to have to pay tuition to learn, and now, I am getting paid to learn."

Thank you for the information! You can't tell you're not a native English speaker from your writing.

You're right, translation is a great way to learn. I have a Spanish friend with a YouTube channel and I help him write the English subtitles, and it's amazing how much additional Spanish vocabulary I learn.

 

[tmm99]

You're fortunate. I've done professional translation work in the past and there was always an ironclad rule that you could only translate into your native language, not out of it. Didn't matter how fluent you were in other languages -- that was just the rule.

First off, my Japanese isn't exactly perfect LOL. I have lived in Japan off and on for about 20 years all together, and I am close to 60 now, so my Japanese isn't as good as it used to be. Either way, I do feel fortunate to be able to do this w*rk, since it's been so much fun.

Just curious. What languages did you translate from and to? Is your source/target language a fairly common language? Maybe Japanese isn't a language a lot of English speaking people try to learn because after all, you get no professional advantage by learning Japanese. That's the only thing I can think of. I have had a few Japanese born friends over the years who did business translations from Japanese to English. One of them has done semi-conductor related translations for decades. (I used to live in Silicon Valley.)

Many simultaneous interpreters who interpret from Japanese to English are Japanese born, but this may be by design.

 

[tinlizzy]

I was thinking of something that involved driving. I do enjoy it. But shorts and flop-flops IS the official uniform of retirees. Not sure I'd want to change just yet.

Along the same lines, I wonder if any construction company wants a part-time operator of some of the smaller equipment. I don't pretend I can drive the real heavy equipment like the pros, but I could handle a bobcat.

Car rental companies hire retirees to shuttle cars, in and out of state.

 

[Music Lover]

Along the same lines, I wonder if any construction company wants a part-time operator of some of the smaller equipment. I don't pretend I can drive the real heavy equipment like the pros, but I could handle a bobcat.

It's highly unlikely a company would hire you to just to operate a skidsteer. The new workers usually get stuck with the crappy work and grunt labour...carrying stuff, digging, fetching, etc.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

that actually happened to my dad. He was a great handyman and took a p/t job at Home depot. Well he was so knowledgeable that a local contractor started sending him small jobs that would not really make him a lot of dough.

Not even a year into it my dad had to "retire" again because he was getting swamped.

Since I cannot fix a darn thing I can believe it. a great handyman and mechanic (I've come to recently find out) are worth their weight it gold.

+1, I get the ad"no job too small", they should have added and neither is their fee. It seems most want me to send their kids to medical school with my 1 small repair job. I found a plumber (legit &licensed), he is a keeper, I gave him more than he wanted. Now I need a carpenter, electrician , concrete guy, painter , etc.

 

[Winemaker]

3 more gigs that I have considered that could work for OP:

3. Substitute teacher.

I suggested this to DW, a retired teacher, and she told me absolutely not. When I asked why not, she told me I would be arrested for murdering one of the little darlings within the first hour.

 

[Clone]

Along the same lines, I wonder if any construction company wants a part-time operator of some of the smaller equipment. I don't pretend I can drive the real heavy equipment like the pros, but I could handle a bobcat.

We (my brother and I) will hire folks to drive tractor or similar as needed. If we had someone that wanted to run a skid steer, and the work agreed with them, I would put them to work out in the field picking rocks. No physical handling of the rocks, just scoot around and use the bucket to pick them up. Move them to a pile and dump them. Set your own hours. Be warned, it gets dusty, and skid steers aren't the smoothest riding vehicles.

Tractor drivers in general are always needed somewhere. Especially if you are interested in a few hours here and there. When it come to planting or harvest, most big operations are looking for drivers to put in big hours, and stick out the one or two week crunch time. Smaller operators are more willing to work with you.

Some other folks mentioned moving rental cars around. There are also folks that drive the courtesy vehicles for dealerships. Run people home after they drop off a vehicle, or vice versa.

 

[Janet H]

I have a good friend that has developed an interesting side gig as a mobile notary.

 

[MarieIG]

The first thing I would think if I saw an attorney for *only* 100/hr is that there is no way they are good or competent.

*If* I decide practice law (highly unlikely) after my law school "experiment", no way I would w*rk that cheap. But, since it would involve w*rk, then it probably won't be happening. [/QUOTE

Tough talk now. Report back after you've been out a few years and THEN tell us you haven't been roped into pro bono by one source or another.