As revealed in our article entitled ‘Creating a Financial Plan for Retirement’, around 45% of all Americans have no savings set aside for their retirement.
Though other sources of income may be available, such as social security and pension funds, this may not be enough to cover the cost of living as a retired adult.
Retirees will need an adequate supply of income to cover food, housing costs, transportation, entertainment, travel and others.
And due to both the absence of employer benefits and the increased vulnerability to illness and injury, the expense of healthcare may cost more in retirement as well.
Thus, retired adults who want more financial security should look into additional sources of income. Below, we look into a few different retirement activities you can participate in to make money at home while retired.
Dividend-Paying Stocks
Today it’s easier than ever to purchase stocks. Rather than calling up a broker as was customary in previous decades, you can now use online stock-trading platforms to buy investments from the comfort of your computer or mobile phone.
Experts usually recommend investing in stocks using the buy and hold approach—a long-term investment strategy which involves buying a stock at a low price, then waiting for it to increase in value over a certain period of time.
Though this usually produces high yields, it may not be ideal for an income-making strategy in retirement. Especially since you’re saving for the present.
US News’ list of low-risk investments for retirees says retired adults who want regular income can purchase dividend-paying stocks instead. These kinds of stocks roll out fractions of the company’s income to pay investors on a regular basis.
This way, you can guarantee returns no matter what the market conditions look like.
Foreign Exchange
Another asset you can trade online are international currencies, in a market known as the foreign exchange (forex). You’ll have encountered this type of trade already if you’ve ever swapped your US Dollars for a foreign currency.
Forex traders, on the other hand, would buy one currency for another, not to use at local markets, but to profit on changing values.
This introduction to forex by FXCM explains that the most popular way to generate profit from swapping currencies is to buy a currency at a low price, and then sell it once it rises in value, just as you would with stocks.
You can also gain profit by taking a long or short position and expanding your trading opportunities. The flexibility of forex makes it a great income-earning retirement activity, albeit a challenging one.
Rental Income
If you don’t mind having a few extra faces around, you can always rent out part of your house or a spare room to new tenants. This way, you can make money from their rental payments.
And since you live in the same house, you won’t need to travel very far or hire extra help to maintain the property. However, this option isn’t always easy. You’ll need to have the tolerance to withstand any of your renter’s quirks and flaws, for instance.
On the business side of things, Investopedia’s article on the drawbacks of renting your spare room notes any kind of rental would need to abide by certain government standards and regulations.
Additionally, you’ll be charged tax for any income you earn.
Both of these disadvantages, however, have their own plus sides. For one, if you renovate your home, you could also potentially raise its value.
And you’ll also be able to reduce any taxable income by deducting related expenses, such as maintenance costs, utilities, supplies and repairs.
Cryptocurrencies
A popular option for making money online these days is cryptocurrency trading. These digital assets have steadily gained value due to rising demand.
Their prices aren’t always steady, but that’s something many traders take advantage of. With volatility comes the opportunity to make a profit.
And it’s not just the younger generation who are trading in it. Cryptocurrency-focused retirement platform Bitcoin IRA recently revealed more than half of its users were over the age of 55.
This shows older adults can and are participating in the cryptocurrency market. Cryptocurrencies might seem confusing, but there are actually a lot of different platforms you can use to get familiar with it, like Coinbase.
Closing Thoughts on Ways to Make Money at Home While Retired
Staying afloat during retirement can be difficult. Fortunately, there are many ways retirees can create income and support their needs.
