The best side hustles for people in their 50s include affiliate marketing (recommending other people’s products), selling PDF files (ebooks), freelance writing, becoming a virtual assistant, online tutoring, selling on Etsy, bookkeeping, creating a YouTube channel, proofreading, and Pinterest management. These are all beginner-friendly options that are flexible, and can be done from home. They are ideal for middle aged people who want extra income without taking on a second job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Not all of us in our middle age can look forward to retiring. Some of us must continue to work and many may need to bring in extra income. The problem is that taking on a second job is not always possible. That is where this list of side hustle options for people in their 50s comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ll share 10 side hustles that can be done part-time (some of them online.) I’ll also share one option that stands out above the rest for middle-aged beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ready to skip ahead? The side hustle I recommend can be done 100% online around your schedule. Visit digitalsystemslab.com<\/a> for what recommend for anyone in their 50s.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We are all busy. From working 40-hours a week to family obligations, there is barely time for much else. Besides a lack of time, there is often a lack of energy. A good side hustle should fit within your schedule. It should be something that isn’t more demanding than your regular day job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The side hustle you choose should be easy to learn and not require you to be tech savvy. We already deal with a lot in our jobs and daily life. You don’t want your second income stream to be difficult to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Side hustles for people in their 50s should have the ability to become at lease semi-passive over time. This is highly possible if you focus on digital income (affiliate marketing, selling digital products.) Passive or semi-passive income can greatly free up your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may wonder, how do you make income recommending other people’s products. This is called affiliate marketing. When you become an affiliate for a product that you use and like, you can earn commissions for referring sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many products (physical and digital) have affiliate programs. Affiliate commissions can range anywhere from 10% to 50% or more. Reasons why affiliate marketing works well for middle aged people include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All you need to get started is a mobile phone, a laptop, and basic content creation skills. Income potential varies. If you promote low-ticket products, your commissions will be smaller. If you promote high-ticket products, your commission rates can be much higher (think $500 – $1000 commissions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the side hustle that I personally recommend and do myself as someone in their 50s. If you want to understand exactly how it works, the resource I recommend covers what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to see how this works? Visit digitalsystemslab.com<\/a> for a beginner walkthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another popular side hustle is selling digital downloads that can consist of ebooks, templates, printables, and guides. These digital downloads are often sold on Etsy but can be sold on other POS platforms like Gumroad or Payhip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is beneficial about digital downloads is that you create them once and sell them repeatedly. You can get started with a free Canva account for designing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be aware that this method takes time for product creation up front and quite a bit of marketing to make any sales. Sales may scale with volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plenty of opportunities for freelance writing or editing. Demand is high for content creation, blogging, and for many online businesses that output a lot of content for their clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This side hustle works well for people in their 50s due to the flexibility. You can write from anywhere with a laptop and WiFi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting started is fairly simple so long as you have a few writing samples. Many freelance writers join websites such as Upwork<\/a>, Fiverr<\/a>, or ProBlogger job boards<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This side hustle is ideal for those who enjoy writing. Entry level writer’s pay will be low. Experienced writers can earn much more per project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This side hustle is ideal if you are highly organized. It consists of providing administrative, technical, or creative support for small businesses and entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can work remotely with flexible hours. Demand is high across all industries. Get started by creating profiles on platforms such as Upwork, Belay<\/a>, or Time Etc<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that this work can be demanding depending on the clients needs and expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online tutoring and teaching opportunities are available for a variety of academic subjects as well as professional skills and hobby based instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These tutoring and teaching sections can be delivered via video. This works well for people in their 50s because it leverages years of professional expertise and lived experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get started by creating profiles on platforms like Tutor.com<\/a>, Wyzant<\/a>, or Teachable<\/a> for course creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Etsy platform is a marketplace for handmade, vintage, and digital products. If you have creative, crafting, or design skills, you can leverage Etsy’s built-in audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Income potential can be high depending on the type of product you’re selling. The marketplace is competitive so you’ll need consistent effort and good product photography to stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bookkeeping and accounting services are two of the highest demand remote services available. If you have a background in finance, you’ll find consistent demand among small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Makes a Good Side Hustle for Someone in Their 50s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It Has to Work Around Your Existing Life and Energy Levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It Needs to Be Beginner Friendly Without Requiring Advanced Tech Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It Should Have the Potential to Become Passive Over Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The 10 Best Side Hustles for People in Their 50s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Recommending Products You Believe In Online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Selling Digital Downloads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Freelance Writing or Editing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Virtual Assistant Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Online Tutoring or Teaching<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Selling on Etsy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Bookkeeping or Accounting Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n