Joe Casciani, PhD
We are in the middle of a gig economy. Employed and unemployed people alike are finding work as freelancers and independent contractors. These are flexible jobs, sometimes short term but not always, and rely heavily on the internet for finding and keeping work. And they are reliable ways to earn extra income. Besides the income, though, we now know that staying physically and mentally active is also a route to staying healthy and living longer. Continuing to work also offers purpose, a reason to wake up each morning and ask, “What do I accomplish today, what will make my day meaningful?”
Now that we are living longer, what can we do with these extra years? I always wonder what activities we can engage in during our senior years to stay connected with others, to leverage our years of work experience, to stay stimulated, and oh, by the way, EARN EXTRA INCOME. There have been a number of recent articles about finding part time jobs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, for adults of all ages. The following list of “side hustles” may open some doors for our readers and present you with meaningful and even fun activities. Please note that none of these companies have been vetted for how sound, stable, or honest they are, and the listing here is not an endorsement of any of them. So, visitor beware. The sites are all active, though, and the links are all working.
Check out these resources. Companies will pay for your opinions about products, websites, legal cases. Other companies will pay for your work, like childcare, shopping, or tutoring. Some are poorly paid and worth your time only if you have nothing else to do. Some pay in cash while others pay in the form of gift cards.
Legal
Mock jurors – serve as a surrogate juror, act as an arbiter in alternative dispute resolution, read or watch a case and get feedback about how you would rule and why. These sites sometimes allow attorneys to pre-try a case before going to court. You are paid by the case or by the hour. www.OnlineVerdict.com; www.Jurytest.com; www.ejury.com; www.signupdirect.com.
Surveys and Observations
Make a video recording of your shopping habits and buying decisions, if you shop at specific stores: www.ProductTube.com will pay for 2-3 minute videos
Make video reviews of your interactions when viewing different websites, and comment on user friendliness of website: www.UserTesting.com and www.UserBrain.com
Take photographs of building sites under construction, and complete short surveys of the work being done: www.Ivueit.com
Take photographs of accident scenes for insurance companies: www.WeGoLook.com
Complete online surveys, view advertisements, and provide your comments: www.Swagbucks.com and www.surveyjunkie.com; www.sidehusl.com
Receive payment for opinions on different consumer experiences and market research, while participating in focus groups: www.FindFocusGroups.com; www.Shifrin-Hayworth.com; and www.Fieldwork.com
Child Care and Pet Care
Child care and babysitting apps: www.UrbanSitter.com; www.SitterCity.com; www.UseTrusted.com. Another site, www.Care.com, provides babysitting plus care for other ages, including older adults.
Positions offering both child care and care rides are available at www.MeetGoNanny.com
Animal care and dog walking: www.Rover.com and www.WagWalking.com
Shopping and Meal Preparation
Payment for shopping for and making deliveries to others: The most popular are www.Instacart.com; www.Doordash.com; and www.Grubhub.com. One especially interesting package is www.Dumpling.us, which allows you to set up your own delivery business, with your own rates, availability, and stores you will shop in for your customers.
For home chefs, a new site available in California and Utah but reportedly is expanding rapidly nationwide, is www.DishDivvy.com where you can establish yourself as a cook in your own neighborhood, and are connected with customers interested in your menu and price.
Tutoring
Become a tutor, with these online tutoring programs. They will help match you with students needing help in your area of expertise: www.wizedemy.com; www.TutorMe.com. www.LessonFace.com specializes in language, acting, and music. If you are really ambitions, you can start your own school, or what’s commonly called a micro-school, for small groups, using a site like www.Wonderschool.com for help with all administrative tasks, including licensing.
Home Repairs
Provide home repairs and maintenance, cleaning: www.JiffyonDemand.com and for landscaping, www.YourGreenPal.com
In addition to staying abreast of local news items, you can post your availability for work of any type on the neighborhood site, www.NextDoor.com
Rent Your Home and Vehicles
Help others move with your own truck, and make deliveries: www.Dolly.com; www.GoShare.com; www.Truxxit.com
Share your home for events, parties, meetings, and in some locations, film productions, or earn money as a host. These are mostly located in large metropolitan areas: www.Peerspace.com; www.Giggster.com; www.Thisopenspace.com; www.Splacer.com; www.Avvay.com;
Rent your RV: www.Outdoorsy.com; www.RVShare.com; www.RVnGo.com;
Virtual Assistant
Become a virtual assistant, handling email, scheduling, and miscellaneous tasks for households and businesses: www.Boldly.com; www.BelaySolutions.com; www.zirtual.com.
Closing
With all of these companies, be sure to do your due diligence — but enjoy the exploring. And whatever you decide to take on, stay engaged. There are many benefits for our journey ahead. Do you have an opinion on these new opportunities? Please comment in the box below.
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