Does any of this sound familiar?
Yeah, I was pretty sure it would. Limited financial resources is a common scenario for today’s seniors. Most of us are faced with supplementing retirement income in some fashion.
The fact that you’re here on my site today tells me that you’re ready to explore some options and possibilities. That’s a good thing, and I promise to provide some helpful information in this article to assist you in making a decision that’s right for you.
Thoughts on Making Money in Retirement
At the outset, let’s be very clear. There are multitudes of options when it comes to supplementing your income. If you’re open to some really creative possibilities, here’s a link to one of the most extensive and fascinating lists I’ve encountered.
Some are of the mundane variety that I’m sure you’ve already considered like offering babysitting services. Others are well outside the mainstream (raising Alpacas? maybe not!
). And yet, when brainstorming it’s best not to limit yourself too early in the process. So, what about those Alpacas?I was pleased (and not terribly surprised) that my first choice made the list. I’m a huge advocate of blogging as a fulfilling way to expand your income while at the same time broadening your horizons in a myriad of ways. I can honestly tell you that in my second year of blogging regularly, my enthusiasm has grown rather than waned.
To be crystal clear, starting a blog can be a demanding task. But it remains one of the surest ways to generate income online. Once you’ve laid the groundwork, a blog enables your passions to flourish and bloom (over time) into a fruitful online venture.
So, blogging will be my focus today because….well, that’s my passion!
10 Reasons Why Blogging Is My Recommended Path To Extra Income
With millions of blogs written on every conceivable topic, there’s the potential for as many reasons to blog as there are bloggers. But let’s hit the highlights and identify key reasons that are particularly applicable to my fellow retirees. Here are my top 10 most compelling reasons in no particular order.
1. Share Expertise
You have decades of experience and a great deal of expertise to share. A blog is an excellent vehicle for sharing and deriving satisfaction from imparting knowledge.
2. Challenge Yourself
You may disagree with me (and that’s Okay), but I contend that remaining challenged is more critical than ever during these later years. I’m not prepared to slip permanently into a comfort zone. Dare to try something new!
3. Acquire Knowledge
It’s fulfilling to learn new skills and gain knowledge. Continually reading and researching new topics for my blog is very rewarding.
4. Remain Connected
Blogging is an outstanding way to make connections with people. I interact through comments, emails, forums, and direct communication with other bloggers.
5. Freedom
Unlike most other options for earning extra money, blogging affords me the freedom of working from home (or any place of my choosing). After years of commuting somewhere else, it’s liberating!
6. Creatively Satisfying
A blog can be a means of satisfying your creative side. Do you like to write and express your ideas? When I was a kid and dreamed of being a writer, I obviously never envisioned writing about things like search engine optimization, lol! And yet, writing always has been and continues to be a uniquely satisfying experience.
7. Flexibility
I love the inherent flexibility that I associate with blogging. I plan my posts for the week, but I write at my convenience and fit in writing sessions around other aspects of my life. There aren’t too many jobs (even part-time jobs) that allow for the scheduling freedom I enjoy.
8. Be Your Own Boss
Have you ever wanted to be the boss? I don’t mean a supervisor with employees. I mean your own boss because that’s what you’ll be. You will decide on content, quality, publishing frequency and all other aspects of your online business.
9. Become An Entrepreneur
Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit but never started a business of your own because you didn’t have the necessary capital. A blog is definitely a business, and one excellent feature is the minimal cost of startup and operation. I’m in my second year as a blogger and my online business costs me less than $1 per day.
10. Scalability
The best aspect of blogging is that it’s not limiting. In fact, it’s very scalable. Affiliate marketing is a great way for beginners to start monetising their site but there’s nothing stopping you from spreading your wings down the road. Many bloggers also offer their own products or services.
How to Get Started As a Blogger
Are you feeling inspired and energized? I sure hope that’s the case and you’ll decide to give blogging a go. While there are many places you can get your start, be cautious as you make this critical decision.
As I pointed out above, a blog is a minimal cost endeavor. Please don’t let anyone convince you otherwise! Don’t end up on the wrong end of an affiliate marketing scam! I know far too many retirees who’ve been burned.
It’s a fact that we retirees represent a targeted group. Insecurities often make people vulnerable, and many scammers are pros at manipulating such an audience. Read one of my recent posts for some helpful tips on how to avoid online scams.
I highly recommend that you start your blog with an online marketing platform called Wealthy Affiliate.
Why?
Because I know with absolute certainty that Wealthy Affiliate is a completely legitimate organization offering website building, hosting, and affiliate marketing training that is second to none. I’m intimately familiar with WAs platform because it’s where I started my blog more than a year ago and where I remain a premium member.
Here’s the deal clincher. This is why I initially decided to give WA a try and why I think you should also. They offer a 100% free Starter Membership with no credit card required and no risk of any kind.
Starting a New Blog is a 5-Step Process
I’m not going to go into the details of the process here again because I’ve previously written an article that will walk you through all of the required steps. You can access my article on how to start a blog for free here. Or, if you’re ready to create your free membership now, just click the banner below.
Summing Up
My sincere hope is that you found this post on how to make money after retiring to be helpful and thought-provoking. Blogging has been a rewarding and life-changing opportunity for me.
If I can answer any further questions for you, please give me a shout in the comment section below.
I wish you success in finding the income producing opportunity that’s right for you! Finally, I would ask that if you found this helpful, you share it on your favorite social media platform.
Hi Linda.
It is heart-warming to find that we are not all written off when we retire.
There are things we can do to make money after retiring and you certainly have a comprehensive list.
I think maybe we take a little longer to get used to the technical language and concepts of the internet although we do have the patience to persist and build something solid.
I am not sure about the Alpacas either. I do like the idea of being my own boss, though.
Funny to think that blogging was not in the dictionary when I was young and now it is as common as chatting to a neighbour was before.
A very encouraging article and I am putting together my plans for retirement, which include blogging.
Thanks again Linda and good luck with your own ventures.
Hi Happy,
I’m thrilled to hear your retirement plans include blogging. It’s such an excellent choice for a vibrant and fulfilling retirement in addition to supplementing the budget. The technological explosion in our lifetime has been amazing, hasn’t it? My retirement is nothing like what I imagined it to be even 10 years ago but I’m grateful for the opportunities the Internet provides me and I’m enjoying it all.
Good luck with your blog and thanks for chiming in!