18 Low-Stress Side Hustles
Here are 18 low-stress side hustles to help you when planning for retirement. It used to be that your 50s were the peak of your earning years, and you could look forward to a fat pension in retirement.
The high cost of living and healthcare, which has worsened during the current pandemic, has made things difficult for everyone.
There has been more conversation about creating multiple income streams. Earning extra money on top of what you already bring in can immediately improve your financial picture. Your salary alone isn’t gonna cut it. So check out these 18 low-stress side hustles because they might be right for you.
Whether you’re working part-time or full-time, it’s nice to have extra cash coming in when you need it. The simplest way to increase your income without giving up your current job may be to get a side hustle.
So What’s a Side Hustle, Anyway? And What are 18 Low-Stress Side Hustles?
A side hustle is any type of gig you undertake in addition to your job to make extra money.
The way side hustles work is that you take on extra work as you can. They’re flexible, meaning you can spend more or less time on them as your schedule allows.
A Growing Phenomenon
If you thought that side hustles are only for the millennial generation, think again.
According to a 2020 TD Ameritrade report, 37 percent of Americans aged 50-59 have less than $50,000 saved.
Baby boomers are getting side hustles because they’re approaching retirement and realizing what they have saved isn’t going to last.
A lot of women over 50 years have at least one additional way to earn some extra green other than their main job.
But how do you get started? The internet has made it easier to launch a side gig.
Keep reading to understand how to find one of these 18 low-stress side hustles that is right for you.
How To Find Your Ideal Side Hustle Out Of These 18 Low-Stress Side Hustles
Because so many side hustles available, it can be confusing to decide which one(s) might work for you.
Your side gig doesn’t have to feel like work. The ideal gig side gig is something you do for fun first and monetary reward second and you just might find the one for you in this 18 low-stress side hustles article.
For example, you can earn up $25 per hour driving for Lyft or Uber, but you may not feel comfortable picking up strangers.
Go by what you like to do. In the words of Confucius, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Here are 18 low-stress ways to make some extra money in your free time:
Here are the first 9 side hustles
- Rent out Space on Airbnb
Is your home in a popular holiday destination? Do you have a spare room or garage that you don’t mind sharing with random strangers for some cash?
Apps like Airbnb make it possible to generate an income off your existing resources than to work for it. You can easily turn even a small space into a significant source of income.
How much you’ll earn will depend on the size of your space and the demand in your area. Check out Airbnb online calculator to estimate the monthly earning potential for your property.
You can rent out a room by the night, week, or month.
If you live near a city, you might find visitors who want to have the entire place to themselves during their visit. In this case, consider renting out your entire home when traveling or on vacation.
Provided you perform regular maintenance and upkeep, renters interested in a clean, well-maintained and safe space will always show up.
2. Ridesharing
We mentioned Uber and Lyft above – great examples of the gig economy in action. These two apps let you turn your car into more money in your wallet.
The requirements to drive for Lyft or Uber vary based on your city, but at the minimum, you’ll need a reliable car with insurance, a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record, a smartphone and your time.
Setting up an Uber or Lyft account is easy, provided you meet the above requirements.
Consider using a tablet or an iPad if you find it hard to read your phone screen while driving.
- Become an Independent Consultant or Life Coach
A great way to stay involved with your professional side while making some pretty serious cash is to become a consultant in your industry.
If you’ve been working in the corporate world for decades, you’ve likely gained vast experience in your field. Many small businesses will benefit from your knowledge. You can pass down the know-how to these small businesses at a fee and help them move towards their goals.
People turn to life coaches to help them grow professionally and personally. In your 50s, you have enough experience under your belt.
LinkedIn will help you connect with people you have previously worked with. Don’t shy about reaching out to them and asking them about consulting or life coaching opportunities.
- Become a Travel Agent
It’s a well-known fact that most people use the internet to make travel reservations, but there’s still a large number of Americans who are too busy to do it on their own and that’s where you come in.
You could run your own booking agency and specialize in planning group trips for people over 50. These can include vacations to popular national and international destinations.
As a travel agent, you get to set the prices and hours for your services. To get your first clients, advertise your services online or book advertising space in the local newspaper.
Increase your credibility as a travel agent by obtaining a license or certification.
- Become a Local Tour Guide
Do you live in a city or town frequented by tourists? Do you know a lot about your city’s architecture or history?
If you’re willing to spend time showing off your city, working as a local tour guide might be your golden opportunity.
Host experiences on Airbnb or sign up as a tour guide on Vayable or TourByLocal. You can take tour guide gigs as rarely or as often as fits your schedule, meaning there’s no commitment involved.
If you have enough capital, establish your own tour service. Do competitor research and try to offer what other tour guides don’t.
- Pet Walking, Sitting or Grooming
You love pets, and they love you. If this is the case, there are many ways in which you can earn money.
Are you physically active? Just like us, dogs need exercise.
There’s always a demand for reliable dog walkers, and a growing number of apps(like Wag and Rover) connect walkers with pet owners. All you need to do is sign up for an account and mark your availability.
The good thing about this side hustle is that most dog owners will want their furry companions walked at the same times during the week.
If you are committed, you could earn a lot of money with this side hustle.
Don’t relish walking wayward Rottweilers or German shepherds? You could sit smaller pets at your home or in other people’s homes. Rather than putting their beloved small pets in a cattery or kennel when traveling, most pet parents now prefer having their furry companions cared for in a familiar environment.
Depending on the specific contract, you may be requested to groom the client’s pets, feed them, clean the litter box and perform any other routine tasks.
To upsell your services, consider undertaking pet first aid training and getting insurance.
- Run Errands for Others
If you’re outdoorsy, transform your love for the outdoors into a viable business.
Maybe you enjoy driving, but you don’t want to pick up strangers. Running errands like shopping and picking laundry for others is another side hustle to consider.
Apps like TaskRabbit pay you to do this, but you can also do a little searching to see what’s available in your city.
This is a great way to stay active while making extra income, and it offers flexible scheduling options.
Combine tasks to rake in more cash.
- Teach a Class in Your Local Community
Teaching is obviously not for everyone, but if you have a hobby or something from your professional life that you feel you need to share with your community, go for it!
With all your life experience, you definitely have a teachable skill/s. Passing on your knowledge and passion to others is an awesome way to give back to the community.
You can check with your local community center or library to see if they have teaching gigs. Pitch your own idea for a class and you may be surprised by the number of centers okay-ing your idea!
Being a substitute teacher is another way to help other people learn without committing to a complicated schedule.
- Teach English Online
Being a teacher can be incredibly fulfilling. People all over the world want to learn English
A teaching background isn’t a requirement to teach English as a second or foreign language (TESL/TEFL). As long you’re fluent in English, some websites allow you to work from home.
These websites allow you to set your own hours. This way, you can work around your schedule.
You can also strike out on your own by advertising your services on social media because your friends may be able to help.
If you are bilingual, transfer those skills to your comfy home office and pick the translating gigs you want, when you want.
Your work will be to convert written and verbal communications from one language to another in a way that preserves its content, context and intent.
Sites like Translate.com and CyraCom allow you to work as much or as little as you want.
Now For The Last 9 side-hustles
- Make and Sell Crafts
Are you crafty? Do you find yourself quilting, sewing or making jewelry in your free time?
If you have an artistic flair and your friends marvel at your creations, you can sell them to others on Etsy.
Etsy is an online marketplace that makes it a breeze to market your crafts. You can sign up and set up a shop for free. You will be required to pay a small fee for listing, transactions and processing payments. Remember to factor these fees into your selling price because it will be part of your expense.
Take advantage of in-person events in addition to selling online. You can partner with a friend and split the cost of a booth at a craft fair.
If you go this route, attend some craft fairs yourself to see crafts that sell really well. This will help you decide what to put your time and energy into.
- Become a Coach, Ref or Ump
If you’re into sports (or really know a certain sport well) but no longer have the ability to play, there’s a growing demand for good officials. This could be a job for you.
Training to become a coach, ref or umpire is often inexpensive, and there are financial and health benefits attached to this kind of side hustle.
Watching the game live is another benefit of being a coach or ref and it is very flexible, meaning you can pick your hours.
Your area Little League organization should be able to point you in the right direction. Local schools or youth sports programs are also good places to start.
- Become a Freelance Photographer
Do you have a great eye for photography? If you enjoy snapping photos of everything and have been told you’re good at it, becoming a freelance photographer might be the perfect side hustle for you!
You can specialize in wedding, pet or child portrait photography and build a portfolio on one niche, or be an all-around photographer.
For this gig, working hours and pay are at your discretion.
- Become a Notary Signing Agent
A notary public is a person commissioned by the state to be an impartial witness during the signing of vital legal documents such as marriage licenses, wills, deeds and loans.
As a notary signing agent, your role will be helping to protect people from fraud. You’ll receive payment in exchange for your fraud-deterrent services.
Working as a mobile rotary will open up more opportunities for you.
You can undertake a training course to become a certified training agent and help facilitate mortgage loan closings for finance institutions.
- Start a Party Planning Business
Are your parties or events the toast of the town? If you enjoy planning and organizing, why not put your skills to work by building a party planning site and charging for your advice?
Everybody loves a good party. As a party planner, you can be hired for graduation parties, wedding receptions, fundraisers, holiday parties, birthdays and corporate events.
If you have some capital to invest upfront, you can get your party planning business off the ground in no time. Your roles can include picking a theme, booking vendors, doing decorations and cleaning up.
Print up business cards and ask small businesses in your area to refer you to their customers if possible. You can also network with hotel managers, caterers, photographers and florists because they have a lot of contacts.
- Start Your Own Blog
Thanks to Content Management Systems like WordPress and Blogger, you can easily start your blog and publish your unique insights on a topic or industry.
By writing engaging articles, you can build up an audience of readers with similar interests.
There’s a small learning curve, and blogging involves consistent dedication, but once you learn the ropes, the sky will be your limit.
When your blog gains decent traffic, you can apply to the Google AdSense program. This program will allow you to monetize your website by placing automated ads so you can earn extra money.
- Start a YouTube Channel
YouTube is undoubtedly the biggest video-sharing platforms and people use YouTube all the time to learn new stuff and be entertained. By watching videos on the platform, you’re helping YouTube stars make thousands of dollars every month.
If one of your talents is making entertaining or informative videos, you can create your own YouTube channel. The whole process literally takes a couple of clicks.
Depending on the type of videos you want to make, you may need a reliable microphone, a nice camera and video-editing software.
To enroll in the YouTube partner program, you need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 total video watch hours in the past year.
Keep your subscribers engaged and reach this threshold by posting regular content. I recommend uploading 3-4 videos a week.
- Clinical Trials
You can make good money by participating in clinical trials, but you have to be eligible for them.
This is a great side hustle idea if you live near a university that focuses on medical research.
Many of these opportunities are typically simple but you just have to look for them.
Some studies involve tracking certain behaviors like diet or sleep, while others may require you to use certain medication based on your current health situation.
- Become a Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant is another great way to make extra money on a somewhat flexible schedule.
Some of your responsibilities as a VA will include scheduling appointments, responding to emails, making social media posts and data entry.
If you have experience in performing administrative tasks, you’re in a better position to land high-paying VA gigs. You can command a higher salary than virtual assistants that manage a wider range of tasks because you are an experienced specialist.
Services like Fiverr and UpWork allow you to set your own hours and rates for a more consistent income.
The Best Uses for the Extra Cash
With life expectancy in the U.S. being 78.7 years, retirement can stretch for many years, meaning that your money has to work even harder for you.
Even a few extra dollars can be a big opportunity to boost your long-term savings in the home stretch to retirement.
Having a side gig can help you build an emergency fund, pay down debt, go on vacation, and etc.
The Emotional Benefits of Side Hustles
The primary objective of starting a side hustle may be to generate extra income, but there are less tangible benefits that can be just as valuable.
The connections you make when you have a side hustle can be particularly important in retirement, so reachout to a lot of people for help.
Conclusion
Because a side hustle may be your ticket to lessening the financial burdens of aging, you need to get out there and start looking.
Remember, whatever you do, have fun with it!
Do you have a side hustle to supplement your 9-5? Let us know if you found your gig in this 18 low-stress side hustles article.
Happy hustling!
