Post-retirement income?

[Questor]

The "R" word describes what's on my time horizon. I don't like the idea of going in without some income source. Obviously it's got to be something flexible, and not too labor or time intensive.  But it's got to be worth the effort too.

Can you share any good ideas for what amounts to a post-retirement part-time job?

[hardertr]

My plan is to either work a gun counter at a pawn shop, or the hunting section of Academy, Wally World..etc.

I would get paid to do something I enjoy, get a nice empolyee discount, and still be a part of the workforce.

[williamlayton]

Questor
It depends on your definition of income/how much/worthwhile, ect.
There are some good opportunities but they may be more full time than you desire.
Depends on where you live also. I have a friend who shuffles cars for a rental company. It takes him out of town often and seems to me to be too consrtaining to be described as part time.
It all depends on you and your definitions.
I am looking for a part time job that I can work at about 8 hours a week and make about a grand---I am still looking. 
Blessings

[beemanbeme]

Work 8 hours a week and make $1000.00??  Wow, I can think of a couple of things but they carry hefty jail time if caught.   

If you have never "interacted" with the public to make a living, trust me, it ain't what you'd think. 

My idea of a retirement job is just a expansion of a hobby. But not anything that requires punching a clock.  I kept bees for years as a hobby.  When I neared retirement, I expanded my operation a bit and started selling "Bee Good Natural Honey" thru some health stores and Amish bakeries.  Our return (if your wife helps you, you'd best spend some of the money on her) finaced a trip to Hawaii and several of our big game hunting trips out of state. 
I like to garden.  I planted some extra tomato plants (24 total) and sold the surplus beside the highway near me.  On my first try, I told my wife that good or bad I'd be home by 5pm.  I didn't know how I'd do. I took a folding chair and a book with me.  I sold $250.00 worth of tomatoes in a little over two hours (all I had).  I did that every other day for the entire growing season.

[Cement Man]

I'm 60 and plan to "pull the plug" some time next year.  I think I have about a year's worth of work getting my home and toys in order, where I can feel like I have the time and mindset for liesure.  I also want to help my kids with their homes.  So, I guess I intend to take about a year and get my feet on the ground for the next phase in life before looking into part-time work.  I have worked long and hard, often sacrificing time with my family, so I think I ought to give things a break for awhile.  I have thought about some part-time activites though, to help pay for the shooting and hunting I intend to do.  I live near a state park where they hire part-timers for mowing, etc. during the summer and I thought I might give that a try. I've noticed that several of my old friends have gotten into real estate - don't think that is for me. I'm fairly good at carpentry and handy-man work, and there is an abundance of old folks who need a hand around here.  I don't have enough personal commitment (yet) to go into that though, and the last thing in the world I want to be is someone who promises and doesn't deliver - on time. I believe if you're in business - be excellent or don't do it.
It's almost funny - my current employer wants me to be a consultant after I retire. I can't understand why they would listen to my advice after I retire if they don't do it now. 
I'm gonna take my time with these decisions...

[beemanbeme]

CM makes a good point.  I would suggest to anyone fixing to retire, you've got to have a game plan!  One of my problems, after 40 years of dancing to someone else's tune, was I wanted to do all of the things I had had to pass on.  And I wanted to do them RIGHT NOW!  All of them.  It was kinda frustrating for a while. 
As far as retirement earnings are concerned.  I had an excellent job, making good money.  It would have been kinda dumb of me to retire early (I went at 58) and then have to get another job to make it.  As posted, the money I made was just expanding something that I was already doing and enjoying.  Plus the enjoyment of folding the money in the middle and putting it ALL in MY pocket.

[rockbilly]

Retired last June, haven't missed a beat since.  I retired with a fairly good retirement, actually three retirements, including my social security and military retirement.  I immediately got involved in several things that keep me busy, including remodeling a couple of  old houses.  My hobby of making jewelry, which I took up in collage as a means of disposing of some of my rock finds while in geology class has turned a few bucks.  I could do much better if I really wanted to, but right now I am only interested in disposing of some of the stones I cut from the rocks.  I do silversmithing, and mount the stones in bolos, pennants, rings, etc,  a friend sells them in his jewelry store on commission.  It provides enough income for me keep out of the savings for that thing I see and can’t live without.

[jhm]

Ive kinda been full time retired for 7 years now present age 60 now, about the only advice I can give you if you are close and you wasnt thinking about the day since you were 18 it is going to be a little bumpy, forget about all the government is going to give you and start at a early age of taking care of your own business for retirement, It sounds COLD of me to answer it that way but thats the hard cold facts, now back to the original question just find something you enjoy doing at your leisure I sold out my cattle that I was playing with this year so as to give us more time together, my bride and I that is, have had alot of medical issue the last couple years so we have to look at that also as If and when you do retire it seems like the health issues seem to come out of the blue and get you well now that Ive made every one want to keep working until the end I will leave you thinking.    JIM

[Heavy C]

Questor finding something you enjoy doing is the key.  I'm not close to retiring, but have worked with a lot of folks nearing retirement in helping them plan things out.  In addition to working my regular job I have become licensed to help folks with financial planning.  I work at it when I want and/or when friends need help.  The income I earn from this helps me afford the toys I want, but more importantly it provides supplemental income that I then invest for the future.  I have a health condition that prevents me from qualifying for life insurance.  So when the day comes for me to check out I know there will be enough there for my family.

When I break it down to pay by the hour it's the most money I have ever earned in a part-time job and still have it be legal! 

Good luck!

[Mannlicher]

The pharmaceutical company I worked for was bought out, and I was laid off.  Not a bad thiing really, as I was going to retire anyway, and I walked with a large bonus.

Wife and I moved back to North Fl, and I went right to work, for free, helping my son start his new natural foods manufacturing and distribution business.  Some 7 months later, we are starting to turn the corner, and I am having the time of my life.

[schutzen]

I too am very near retirement.  July will be 34 years and age 55, my pension peaks.  I'm not sure about post retirement income, but I do have some advice for all nearing retirement. Eleven years ago I worked with gentlemen that was nearing retirement. Six months before retirement, he had a complete physical and all the accompanying tests.  Any anomalies that surfaced were investigated and corrected if needed. Today he has slowed down, but is still enjoying life.  Maybe too much, we went duck hunting last week.  He limited out and I was one shy.  The moral is simple, check everything out and fix it BEFORE you retire and then enjoy life to its fullest.   

[sig232]

I retired early at 63 and have never looked back. I had two good friends that died at 60 and 62 and I always encourage folks to retire sooner than they plan to, time is important and you may not be around much longer. Live large and for the moment, I don't recomend that you die with a large pot of gold to leave to your children or all the relatives that will line up to collect your goodies.

[magooch]

Right arm, sig.  The hard part is trying to figure out just how fast to spend the money.  My neighbor (about 87) spent all of his savings figuring he wouldn't live this long.  He now has to work at Wal-Mart to makes ends meet.

I don't mind so much the idea of leaving some to one of my kids, but I sure don't want the other one to get his hands on it.  Oh well, I'm having the best time of my life (retired 4 years) and I'm doing my best to keep it going.

[tscott]

At 60 I've had enough of the Corp and Gov. world, drawing from each. I have two youngsters, so I really have to work. I run a gym full time, the money is great, and the owner is hands off with me. I get to do one of my addictions (workout), and what makes the arrangement feel like semi-retirement is that I have no commute, and no pressure.. I hope I'm doing this 10 years from now! I work a mild rotating shift, so I always have a morning or afternoon off to hunt or fish. Got a big kick past Thursday night walking out 2 miles on Fed land, with deer in backpack. I have turned taking care of myself into a late career! 

[Sourdough]

Retired at the age of 53, and loving every minute of it.  Planned for it, spent years getting ready, only to have the Army start the process early.  They wanted to get rid of a few of us so they could contract the shop I worked in.  They moved me to work in the power plant.  I refused due to a lung problem (service connected).  They gave me a letter stating the Army no longer had a job for me due to my service connected disability.  I took that to the VA, they said the army is telling them I am unemployiable.  Got 100% unemployiability out of it.  That held me over till I turned 55 (minium age to retire Civil Service).  Then I put in for my retirement.  Retired 30 years Civil Service. 

Now my wife is at the point of being able to retire, but she does not want to.  She feels she needs to work, plus she likes her job.  I sat her down last week and showed her that she will make more money retiring than she currently makes.  She still does not want to retire.  When she retired from the Air Force, she spent one year at home.  During that year she almost went crazy, she could only clean the house so much.  And we also had a 7 year old then.  She finally went to work doing the same thing she did in the military, only as a civilian.  Now our son is 18 and low to almost no maintenance.  I'm often gone for days, sometimes weeks at a time.  So she feels she would go totally crazy at home.

Everything we own, including our home is paid for.  That is the biggest part of retiring, not having those big housing cost.  We bought our house with a 15 year loan, all our friends that bought when we did refinanced.  Now they still have 15 to 20 years to pay off.  We paid ours off 10 years ago and that is the nicest thing we ever did.  That is how I am able to afford all my toys.  We pool our money to pay utilities, and to support the kid.  Then hers is hers, and mine is mine.

[jhm]

Its vary simple its kinda like going to the grocery store, you cant wait until you get to the check-out counter to see if you have enough money to pay for it all, you needed to make sure b-4 you got there, If you cant afford to retire yet then dont keep working as I would be willing to bet the job your now have pays alot more than any part time job is going to pay you, Plan early and DONT reley on anyone but yourself to see you thru it, there isnt any magic pill to make it go away, you need to be prepared for it and that means doing without some of the things in life that you really dont need but just want, WANTS are great but not at the expence of being able to enjoy life when you do retire.   JIM

[jhm]

And P.S. have you thought about getting the wife a 2nd. JOB???   JIM

[superhornet]

TM7--------vote for Hillary or Obama, and your health care worries will be over............

[superhornet]

TM7---a man after my own heart.   Ayn Rand--laissez-faire capitalism.....good to go....IMHO

[prairiedog555]

First thing, move to a small town in the south or mid west.  things are much cheaper and life is slower.  People here "make do" you can always find some employment and you are around good hunting and fishing, good honest people and no crime.  In my little town of 3500 you can still find a decent house for $25-30 K. 
and rent is under $250. 
I don't know how I would go back to big city rat race.    There is a good article in MSN money today on how to live on $12K a year.  And still have it better than 95% of the world.
You can do it if you really WANT to.