Make Money Side Hustles

15 Best Side Hustles if You're Over 50

Unlock financial freedom with these top side hustles tailored for the over-50 crowd.

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Updated May 28, 2024
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Side hustles offer a great way to supplement your income or accumulate extra money for a specific financial goal, such as going on vacation or saving for a home.

Some side hustles work especially well for people over 50. If you're older and want to try something new, check out these side hustles.

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Tutor

Astarot/Adobe grandfather tutoring his grandson

If you retire early — or even if you stop working later in life — take the skills you honed over your career and apply them to help others as you work as a tutor.

Perhaps you had a career in communications and can help students with writing assignments or English classes. Or, maybe you are an engineer whose math skills can be used to help students struggling with that subject in school.

Consultant

gstockstudio/Adobe confident financial advisor discussing options

Consultants can use their experience in a particular field to offer ideas and advice to others trying to succeed with their businesses.

For example, you might help aspiring restaurant entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.

As a consultant, you can set your price, choose which hours you want to work, and take on as many or as few projects as you like.

Bookkeeper

shurkin_son/Adobe accountant working distantly from home

Bookkeepers can be a great asset to clients who might not want to deal with the day-to-day financial issues of operating a business.

Review the income and expenditures of clients or help them with other financial issues as you work a flexible schedule.

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Interpreter or translator

fizkes/Adobe receive information remotely concept

Interpreters and translators convert written or spoken words from one language to another. If you're working in the U.S., you usually need to be fluent in English and another language.

As an interpreter or translator, you have flexibility with your hours. Perhaps you'll work on projects when you get home from your main job. Or, maybe you prefer to be on call for organizations such as hospitals or legal offices during certain hours.

Pet sitter

220 Selfmade studio/Adobe doing yoga with dog pug

Working as a pet sitter can be a fantastic option if you like caring for different animals.

Pet owners can bring their dogs, cats, and other pets to you. You can also visit different houses to check in on pets and make sure they are well cared for while their owners are gone.

Writer

deagreez/Adobe man writing notes planning schedule

Writers create and develop pieces such as articles, blogs, or social media posts to communicate different ideas or expertise.

Your work in a specific field could make you an expert in that subject area. For example, you might write for specialty or trade publications that require technical writing by someone with experience in the field.

Tour guide

Courtney Haas/peopleimages.com/Adobe woman city guide educating tourists

Share your love for where you live by becoming a tour guide for visitors who want to learn more about the area.

Work on weekends or set your own tour hours. It’s easy to make this type of side hustle fit around your other retirement plans.

Notary public

goodluz/Adobe woman meeting notary for advice

A notary public serves as an impartial witness for the signing of important documents.

You can be on call to officially sign off as a notary public on legal documents, such as property deeds or wills.

Graphic designer

(JLco) Julia Amaral/Adobe designer looks at the camera

Graphic designers are responsible for creating visual materials that communicate ideas. They might work on everything from brochures and website graphics to billboards.

Use your design skills for clients and fit the work into a busy schedule. This role should offer a lot of flexibility.

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IT consultant

lightpoet/Adobe shopping online during covid confinement

If you have expertise with computers, consider a side hustle helping others with computer issues.

Work at night and on weekends to answer questions about using different computer programs. You can also teach classes to others who want to learn more about using a computer.

Career coach

NDABCREATIVITY/Adobe senior female career professional

As a career coach, you can use experience in a particular field to offer specific insights into how to get a job in that field.

Review resumes for prospective employees in your industry. Give these folks advice on how to make themselves appealing to employers. Or work with them on mock interviews to prepare them for the job-search process.

Crafter

Syda Productions/Adobe women with brushes painting

Use your downtime from your career or extra time after retirement to pursue a craft that interests you.

Consider turning your talent as a crafter into a side hustle by creating items to sell. You could also teach classes so others can learn how to do a particular craft on their own time.

Event planner

Studio Romantic/Adobe woman sitting at her workplace

Event planners coordinate different aspects of an event, such as a conference, wedding, or party.

It can be a great side hustle if you’re good at paying attention to details or currently work as a project manager in your profession.

Music teacher

Miljan Živković/Adobe music teacher giving violin classes

Your love for music can be an asset if you enjoy teaching others how to play an instrument or to sing.

Music teachers can work with younger students who need help with music classes. Or work with older adults who want to learn a new skill.

Rideshare driver

ponsulak/Adobe wearing sunglasses driving car

Turn your car into a cash machine by becoming a rideshare driver. You can work for companies such as Lyft or Uber in this job.

If you want to drive your car but prefer not to transport passengers, consider food delivery rideshare options such as becoming a driver for Grubhub or Uber Eats.

Bottom line

(JLco) Julia Amaral/Adobe mature woman planning her retirement

Side hustles can be a great way to make extra money, especially if you’re over 50 and can apply skills you have learned over many years to new and exciting projects.

So, consider these side hustles if you want to earn extra cash as you approach retirement.

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Author Details

Jenny Cohen

Jenny Cohen is a freelance writer who has covered a bit of everything, from finance to sports to her favorite TV shows. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and FoxSports.com.