by Kyle Sadler
87
Working at Election Polls
At one time, I was a precinct chairman, and naturally I discovered that my best workers were retirees. I have often been quoted as saying that the most powerful lobbyists in the nation are the “blue hairs” (retired women), and I do say this with respect, tongue in cheek. The reason for this statement is that retirees possess the one commodity that we would all love to have: time. By signing up to work as an election worker, not only are you going to get paid (usually around seventy-five dollars for the day) but you are serving the cornerstone of our nation. This is not a difficult task—most of the time you are just sitting there looking at voter registration cards and verifying that the person is at the right polling location. So give this one a try—do it for your country, or at least do it for the easy money!
I understand, after rereading this adventure, you might think it’s miscategorized since this is the volunteer section; it’s not. Here’s where the volunteer aspect comes in: most if not all jurisdictions allow you to choose whether to have your compensation donated to a charity instead of going to you. You would have probably blown the money that you would have received anyway. When someone works a one-day-a-year job, that person usually doesn’t put the money into their budget—it becomes “fun money.” Why not donate it to a worthy organization that could maximize the financial benefit of your easy one-day-a-year job?
88
Working on a Political Campaign
We’ve all heard the admonition “You can’t complain if you don’t vote.” You can do your part to help ensure that your candidate of choice is elected to office by volunteering to work on a political campaign. Grassroots efforts are the quintessential aspect of every campaign. Constituents don’t elect phone calls, posters, or billboards; they elect people. A knock on someone’s door to discuss why your candidate is the right person for the job is what will influence the vote. And the yard sign or poster that you provide to that person will just be a reminder of your conversation and a way to influence the rest of the community. Democracy continues to flourish because of the grassroots efforts of volunteers.
89
Organizing a Community Festival
Age will never be a factor, because deep down we all have a little child at heart (some more than others), and what child doesn’t like a good festival? Festivals don’t plan themselves or become a success without someone at the helm. Someone needs to be in charge of organizing community festivals, and why not make that person you? It doesn’t matter if it’s an arts and crafts fair or a swap meet; heck, it can even be the local corn-and-rye festival. If you are planning a new festival, again the quote “If you build it, they will come” stands true. In its first year of existence, the festival may not attract thousands of people, but over time well-organized festivals will attract steady and increasing streams of attendees. On the other hand, if you are taking over the organization of an existing festival, keep up the awesome job that has already been done, because everyone loves a festival!
90
Volunteering at a Homeless Shelter and/or Soup Kitchen
So you claim to not be a good cook, but you want to help? A great location to lend a helping hand is at a homeless shelter and/or soup kitchen. In most cases, these facilities are run by volunteers. Funding for the building, supplies, food, and so on is generated solely from grants or fund-raising activities. Therefore, most of these organizations have limited paid staffing. I could quote several biblical verses; however, just to give a concise moral standard, we must care for those who cannot provide care for themselves.
My action plan to incorporate this in my daily life is:
IX
Paid Work
Although this next section is dedicated to employment income, close to 50 percent of the ideas I have already mentioned can be incorporated into money-making ideas as well (as noted at the end of this book). Although some may not be associated with lifestyle-sustaining income, others may actually develop into an opportunity at a “second career.” However, here are some additional ideas that are strictly associated with income-generating activities.
91
Signing Up for Federal Jury Duty
I had a client do this next one, and I thought he was absolutely insane for doing it. However, after he explained it, it made sense (I still think Noe’s insane, but that’s for other reasons—I still love him). What he did was to sign up for federal jury duty. “What?” you ask. Yes, you can sign up and serve on a federal jury. You report for six months and listen to cases and indictments. The kicker is you get paid to do it (approximately forty dollars a day). When my client was telling me about this, he said that it kept him out of the house for six months, which prevented him from getting bored and spending money. But most of all, he talked about how interesting it was to hear the different cases and see due process at work. While most of America dreads getting their local summons for jury duty, go to a federal courtroom and inquire about serving on a federal jury.
92
Substitute Teaching
If you are looking for employment after retirement with decent pay and no strings attached, consider substitute teaching at a school. I should make you aware that depending on the students you are assigned to, it may turn into quite the adventure. But most of all, you will have semi-laid-back days where the full-time teacher leaves assignments and instructions for the students; your responsibility would just be to make sure the school is not set afire in your classroom. One other minor warning—substitute teachers normally receive the work request at 5:00 a.m. If this is acceptable to you, please, by all means do it. I will add that your willpower is stronger than mine.
93
Handing Out Free Samples at Stores
I’ve already mentioned what a couple of my favorite adventures would be when I retire, but handing out free samples at stores is my favorite for everybody else. I’m not talking about free soap or cologne samples; I’m talking about food. I love going to the grocery store and locating the sweet retirees who offer me delightful and tasty treats. Those people bring happiness to my life. After my wife drags me to the store, they make my shopping experience more tolerable by allowing me to experience food nirvana. Anyway, that’s just my preference, but you can hand out free soap or cologne samples if that makes you happy.
94
Starting a Business
Now that you’re retired, how about a new challenge: Why not start a business? Whether it’s a restaurant or a novelty store, your possibilities are endless. Our former lawn guy was a licensed physical therapist at one time. After retirement, he mowed our yard for the exercise. That guy gets it! He must have met my grandmother, and her advice is worth repeating once again, “Find something you love to do and do it for the rest of your life!” Stop by your local state-funded college and speak to someone with the Small Business Association (SBA). These individuals are experts on assisting companies, from the well-established to the start-up. The advice may be free, but the information is priceless.
As I mentioned earlier in the book, the book The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss may provide you with guidance on developing the line of business you should start. Another great book is 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. Once you have read these books, pass them on to your children, friends, and so on.
95
Selling Arts and Crafts
I wrote earlier about making arts and crafts; well, don’t forget about the possibility of selling arts and crafts—that is, those items that you have made too many of for yourself and are probably giving out for gifts. You can sell them on the Internet or at trade shows. A good website for selling all sorts of arts and crafts is Etsy.com, which I highly recommend for this type of adventure. Also, if you knit, sew, or produce any other type of craft that you wish to sell online, that too is the primary purpose of Etsy.com.
Trade shows are another venue at which to sell your arts and crafts. Whether it’s the big Canton Trade Days or your local arts and craf
ts fair, money is to be made for your hobbies of interest. Think that no one will be interested in your products? Just list them on eBay and Etsy.com to see if anybody buys before putting out your full line. If they do, most likely you have a market for your craft. However, eBay is not my preferred venue of choice for selling your arts and crafts because I find that not many people search for these types of items, so you would suggest focusing on Etsy.com or similar websites. (Craigslist would also not be recommended.)
96
Being an Extra in a Movie
My mother’s passion has always been acting. Because of this passion, she was able to be an extra in a movie. She wasn’t just in one movie but in multiple movies and TV shows. Being an extra will not make you rich; in fact, not all roles actually pay. However, the opportunity to grace the silver screen can far surpass the meaningless pay that you receive. In my mom’s case, what she received went directly into the gas tank. Mom may not live forever, but I can turn on a movie and see my mother long after she is gone.
97
Becoming a Consultant in Your Former Industry
It’s frightening to witness the amount of people I speak to on a daily basis who don’t have a plan before they retire. For some reason, they automatically think at a certain point, “I’m sixty, so I must retire,” but a staggeringly large number of them really aren’t ready to retire. They just feel this obligation because of their age or their years in the industry. If you are one of those people who enjoys their industry but just doesn’t want to work a forty-hour-plus work week, become a consultant in your former industry. The greatest aspect of being a consultant is that you become the driver: controlling your hours, controlling your travel, controlling your stress. Over the years you have accumulated a wealth of knowledge; now it’s time to maximize that intellectual property and receive compensation for offering what that slick college graduate trying to break into the industry doesn’t have—experience.
98
Being a Mystery Shopper or Product Sampler
Back in the late nineties, being a mystery shopper or product sampler (one whom a company hires to check on a store’s service quality, price comparison, or consumer opinion) was all the rage. Well, it’s back, but the sources of service and product quality control have become separated into traditional retail outlets and Internet blogs. There are not as many retail stores as there were back then due to the decline in physical shopping; however, big-box retailers are slowly discovering that people are beginning to gravitate back to the outlets because they miss the customer service that the Internet cannot provide. Retail stores have begun to have a resurgence of mystery shoppers. Although the Internet provides leaner costs, consumers are finding that price doesn’t always matter. Therefore, these retailers are looking for ways to improve the customer experience. Mystery shopping is not limited to retailers; watchdog groups and market research companies also utilize them. But use caution when applying for this position: there are a lot of scammers advertising out there.
Then there are the bloggers: product samplers now receive samples of products and then blog about them on their own website. If you are interested, you will need to establish a blogging website. However, the dynamics have changed: you won’t get to sample big-name products until the number of visitors to your website achieves a competitive level. Therefore, to start out, you may have to sample the latest flavored bag of chips until you are well established.
99
Starting a New Career
So you’re retired…now what? Start a new career! We’ve all heard that fifty is the new thirty, and sixty is the new forty. What kind of job have you always wanted to take but never had the guts to try? Or what kind of career have you always had passion for but have not wanted to pursue because you felt trapped in your current career? Well, now’s your chance. You’re retired, you have retirement income to support you—what do you have to lose? My mom always loved acting, but she couldn’t support our family with an acting career, so immediately upon retirement, she followed that passion. Well, it’s not so much of a career because of the lack of financial compensation, but thanks to her pension, she is now able to pursue a career that she would have loved to have been involved in at the onset of her work life. I have also had many other clients who have pursued other career directions that are almost a 180-degree transformation from their previous careers. You’re not getting any younger, so get to work!
My action plan to incorporate this in my daily life is:
Conclusion
The following is what I call the Life Adventure Inventory Sheet, and it is comprised of the list of the adventures previously discussed. After you review the chapters and decide what interests you, keep it handy and check off each of the activities you engage in. You may be thinking that this is just a checklist; no, checklists are for chores! View this as a scorecard, and you will start to see how much you are accomplishing…and how many things are yet to be done.
As I close this book, I remember the words of my grandma: “Find something you love to do, and do it for the rest of your life.”
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1 Physical Pursuits
Chapter 2 Crafts and Hobbies
Chapter 3 Creative Activities
Chapter 4 Intellectual Challenges
Chapter 5 Social and Family Events
Chapter 6 Travel Adventures
Chapter 7 Spiritual Journeys
Chapter 8 Volunteer Activities
Chapter 9 Paid Work
Conclusion
