So, this is it. All those years day in and day out of clocking in, taking lunch breaks, and hours of hours of hard work have come down to a cake in the break room and a gold plated watch.

But now what?

You’ve got all this time, but you don’t particularly want to waste it. Sure, you could travel, and you still may, but what about the grand-kids? What about your home? What if your spouse doesn’t like the thought of spending days trapped in a caravan with you?

Or, what if you ARE going to travel, but before you do, you want to make sure you’re going to have plenty of cash for your epic road trip?

After all, those tiny Hoover Dam snow globes are not going to buy themselves! So, what is a person to do?

Once all is said and done, are you really done?

What are your options?

You are only as old as you think you are, and by golly, you think you’re 30 everyday!

The fact is over half of the people over the age of 60 plan on working long after retirement, so you are not alone by any stretch of the imagination.

As a matter of fact, to a lot of employers, a well-aged employee is like a well aged wine. They know you’re experienced, they know you are willing to work, and they know you are not just some kid off the street looking to make some extra cash and will leave in a matter of weeks.

No, you are in this for the long haul, and they know and appreciate that. In fact, some companies look for exactly that.

You know your stuff and they know it!

For example, let’s look at retail.

How many times have you been greeted by a friendly smile while walking into a store in the past few years? If you don’t have an exact number, the answer is “pretty much always”.

And, chances are, in those years you have been friendly right back.

If there is a particular place you like to shop, whether grocery of clothes or any number of other items, there is a good chance that over the years, you’ve gotten to know the employees fairly well. And there is an even better chance you’ve gotten to know the bosses. All it would take would be a quick walk down the road, a friendly smile, and an offer to pick up any extra shift that may come available.

With nearly 30% of retail jobs hiring people past the age of 50 just as recently as 2013, the trend of experienced workers in retail is not going anywhere anytime soon.

But let’s say you have a knack for numbers.

Sure, you enjoy people, but what really makes you happy is a pencil and paper and some figures to…well…figure! You like puzzles, especially of the numerical variety, and you could see yourself continuing down that statical path. Maybe that’s what you did full time, but now you want to scale it back a bit. Perhaps it’s always been a dream job that you were always too afraid to follow.

Whatever the reason, you are in luck. As it turns out when it comes to bookkeeping, retirees as potential employees are prime (pun intended).

Of course, you may have to acquire a Certified Public Accountant certification, but, in the event you already have one, congratulations, you’ve probably already got the job!

The reality, most small business can not afford a big fancy full-time bookkeeper to keep track of their records and spending and keep their financial heads above the deep dark shark infested waters of bankruptcy.

At even part-time, a few hours a week, you can become a financial figurehead, helping steer their ships to the right port, and keeping yourself busy while making a little extra cash just for fun!

Along these same lines of formula, would be tax prep.

Can you imagine just how busy the average tax office becomes around the first of the year? There is no end to the amount of help they potentially need.

Even at part time, your help as a seasoned expert could mean the difference to your local tax office between losing a client, and getting a bigger office. Especially smaller branches.

Can you imagine a small office with only a couple of employees around tax season?

The very idea is maddening. And all you have to do is smile, wave, and tell them you are here to see if you can help. Accounting opens many, many doors and all you have to do is step right on through.

But let’s say you really DO like people.

Let’s say in your golden years, you really want to make a difference. You really want to get out there and help and really just BE there for humanity.

Healthcare can offer many options for retirees with options ranging anywhere from private family care to work in a professional care facility. Although some positions may require a Certified Nurses Assistant certificate, there are many options that just need a smiling face and a good and trustworthy soul.

As a general rule, the average person wants to be able to trust who is either taking care of them or the people they love.

There is a better chance than not that they would rather have someone with years of experience than someone fresh out of the gate.

This leaves many opportunities to step out into the world of health care and really make a difference in someone’s life. And, in the event you’d like to help others, but don’t have the time for a Certified Nurses Certificate, there is always the option of a personal assistant.

In most cases, these clients would not need someone with years of medical studies, just an extra hand either around their home or even sometimes in small businesses.

But what if you want to MEET people?

What if you DO want to help, but you’d rather not stick to the same faces day in and day out. After all, this IS your retirement, you should have options, right?

Well, if numbers and the medical field doesn’t sound your speed, why not try tour guide and/or driver?

As a tour guide for your local tourist attractions, you could meet people from all over the country if not all over the world. You would get to meet new people and see new faces every single day and never have a dull moment. Not only that, but you would be education potentially hundreds of people every single day, maybe even changing a few lives in the process.

And this is all AFTER you’ve retired!

And, if you don’t want to stay in one place for too long, there is always the option of being a driver. Whether it be private or for a company, if you’ve still got your license, you may as well let it work for you. There is no telling who could be in your vehicle next!

Conclusion?

These are just a few ways to keep your work days filled. You can also look into volunteer work or non-profits if money isn’t an issue and you just want to stay busy. Life is full of choices, even after 60.

Never let anyone tell you that you are too old.

So, when that day comes (if it hasn’t already) and it’s time to clock out one last time, don’t be afraid to turn that time card right and around and clock right back in to the working world!

– Amanda