Show Notes:

Side Hustle Worksheet

Summary:

In this episode of "Aging with Grace & Style, Valerie dives into the topic of side hustles for women over 50. She discusses the importance of redefining retirement as a time of growth, purpose, and financial stability, and shares personal experiences of engaging in side hustles. Valerie provides valuable insights into why side hustles are particularly important for the over-50 crowd, strategies for managing time effectively, and keys to choosing the right side hustle. She also emphasizes the mindset shift and personal growth resulting from pursuing a side hustle. Through real-life anecdotes and practical guidance, Valerie empowers listeners to consider side hustles as a means to enhance their retirement savings, reignite passions, and enjoy meaningful work.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace the concept of side hustles to redefine retirement years as a time of growth, purpose, and extra income.
• Take a proactive approach to managing time, utilizing strategies like time auditing, early morning productivity, lunchtime productivity, and outsourcing.
• Choose a side hustle that aligns with your skills and interests, focusing on sustainable and flexible options with low start-up costs.
• View side hustles as a pathway to reinvention, a safety net, and a potential goldmine for retirement planning.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to side hustles for women over 50

01:35 Importance of side hustles for retirement savings and reigniting passion

04:11 Personal experience with side hustles and the need for time management

05:56 Time management strategies for juggling a side hustle and full-time job

09:23 Choosing the right side hustle based on skills and interests

12:50 Benefits of having a side hustle beyond earning extra cash

14:54 Overcoming fear and empowerment through side hustles

15:39 Call to share side hustle stories and the potential for inspiration

16:26 Conclusion and encouragement to age with grace, style, and sass

 Connect with Valerie:

* Facebook, Instagram, and Threads @iamvaleriehatcher.  

* Email at hello@agingwithgraceandstyle.com

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Stay tuned for more inspiring chats, tips, and stories about the midlife journey.

See you soon! Let's continue to age with grace, style, and a touch of sass.

Today, we're diving into a topic that I believe is

crucial, side hustles for women over 50.

But this isn't just about padding the

purse. It's about redefining retirement

into a time of growth purpose and yes, a little

extra cash. So whether you're looking to

explore a passion, save for that dream vacation,

or simply enjoy the challenge of starting something

new, this episode is for you.

Hello, beautiful ladies. Welcome back to another episode of 5

to Thrive. I'm your host, Valerie Hatcher. Our

mission is to provide empowering tips for women over 50 to

help us navigate this vibrant stage of life with grace,

style, and a whole lot of fun. Each week, I bring

you 5 practical and engaging tips on a specific

topic. I hope you find them relevant and relatable,

and we'll come back for more. Ready for today's episode?

Then let's go.

Hey girl. So side hustles,

It turns out that women over 50 are

embracing them more and more. We don't have exact

numbers, but let's face it. We're redefining

what retirement should look like. More money,

more purpose, and taking charge of our futures.

But I'm not going to lie juggling a side gig,

my full time job, and you know, life

can be a challenge. Today, we're ditching the idea

that this stage is about slowing down. What

if we ramp up just a bit to

make our retirement years truly golden?

Let's talk side hustles, smart time management,

and how all of this makes you unstoppable in the

years to come. Get your favorite beverage

or turn up the volume in the car and let's dive

in. Let's start with the why.

Why are side hustles particularly important for

us? You know, the over 50 crowd. First

off, retirement savings.

We've all seen the stats. Many of us could use a

boost in our retirement funds. A side hustle

can be that boost for retirement savings, but

it can be deeper than that. Aside hustle reignite

your passion, taps into the skills you might have

forgotten you had. It's a way of taking care

of your future on your own terms.

Picture your ideal retirement

travel hobbies, finally getting their due

or less sexy, but vital peace

of mind, knowing those bills are covered

aside, hustle puts that vision into reach.

Now there can be a feel factor attached to this.

I'm too old. I don't have the tech skills.

What if I fail? We've all felt those

whispers, but here's the thing.

You've already survived careers, maybe

raising kids and life's curve balls.

You're way tougher than you give yourself credit for.

Now, look, I know what you're thinking, Who has

time for all of this? Where do I magically

find extra hours? Truth is,

you don't find them. Time is in hiding.

We all have to steal it back. You

make time. I've had some side

hustles or some kind of side hustle for years now.

When my son was graduating from high school, I thought

I needed something to fill a void that I assumed that I

was going to have. So I became a Stella and Dot

stylist. I love the jewelry and I

probably bought more than I sold, but then I later

realized it really wasn't for me because

I honestly didn't like to go to people's houses and having parties to sell

stuff. That's just me. I've always

wanted to own a boutique. So at one point during this

time, a friend and I started an online boutique. It

was fun and cool doing it with someone. Now

it was a lot of work, but shortly after

our 1st year, my role at my full time job

changed and I didn't have time to dedicate to the business

or anything else for that matter. So we went our separate

ways. Then when my son was graduating

from college and I knew basketball was about to be over

for good, I decided I'd start blogging again.

Actually, I didn't think of it as a side hustle at that time.

It was just going to be something to do.

See, I had blogged several years prior and it seemed like something

good to get back into well,

blogging and content creation and podcasting

has since turned into an unexpected side

hustle. One that I enjoy. While

it's fun and rewarding, it does

require some serious time management.

Here are a few time management strategies.

1 is do a time audit. So if you're thinking

about side hustle and where are you going to find this time, then maybe

track how you spend a typical day

to show it will show you where you might have

time and even where your time disappears.

Or 2, what they say they say,

early bird catches the worm. Well, I've read a

lot of books that support getting up early and knocking out a few

items, even 30 minutes before most folks wake up is

beneficial. Now, most days I try to

allow 30 minutes to an hour before work to get things

done. I usually plan it out the night

before, so I'll know what I need to do.

Number 3, so that lunch break power

hour. So instead of maybe mindlessly

scrolling, batch some side hustle task. I

at times use my lunch break to either get things done

or it may serve as my workout time so that it frees up

my evening. A couple of techniques

that I've used are the Pomodoro

doro rather, where you work in short

sprints. So for instance, you work on one thing for

say, I don't know, 25 minutes, and then you take a break. And

then you start back up again, either on that same thing, or maybe

you're going to start up and you're going to work on something else for

another 25 minutes or so. So it was like working in

sprint. The other that I actually prefer

is time blocking where I block out a certain amount of

time to get tasks done. So for instance,

let's use today. I am having my office painted

this week, and so I knew I needed to do a lot to

prepare for paint, like move stuff. So I actually blocked out a period of

time to prep for the painting.

And then I had blocked out some time to

get my desk clean. I even blocked off time to call my mother,

and I blocked off time to record this this podcast. And

so when those time blocks are over, then I move on to

the next thing. I actually use an app called

structured, and it helps me with my time

blocking. I mentioned batching

earlier. Batching work tasks can really be a game

changer. Batching is about doing

similar tasks together to minimize distraction

and to maximize efficiency. So for instance,

say I have editing to do, then I am going

to spend X number of time, like maybe an

hour, 45 minutes or whatever. And all I'm going to do during that period is

editing. Or I have writing to do. All I'm

going to do is write. So I am doing that

same task during that period of time. So it

helps me to stay focused on the task at hand.

Then lastly, something to consider is outsourcing

and what it can do for you. So for instance, if

paying someone to clean, freeze up your Saturdays,

then it might be worth the investment.

Other small tasks for outsourcing could be doing

laundry, having someone do your laundry or grocery

delivery, etcetera. As you can see,

managing time is crucial. It's about being

realistic. We all have the same 24 hours in

a day. It's how we use them. That counts.

Now, one last thing, protect your personal time,

like it's goal and learn to say no.

It's not just a word, it's a

strategy for keeping your time your

own.

Choosing the right side hustle is key. Think

of your side hustle like, I don't know, small investment.

What skills or experience do you already have that

people will pay for? This is where we shine.

Maybe you're a wizard editing or a marketing

guru, or you have some killer organizational

skills. Don't chase what's trendy,

follow what's sustainable, tap into your experience.

So consulting or freelancing in a former field or

a field that's adjacent to it, or online

teaching, maybe share knowledge on platforms like Udemy.

Or if you love creating, I have a friend who

makes t shirts and she has for years. And

so her t shirts are on Etsy, and she

does vendor shows or fairs. And

the income has now that she's retired, it has

gone to help supplement her retirement. So

it's something she loves to do and she makes money from it.

So turning her talent into profit. There are

even services. So if you like dogs, maybe dog walking

or dog sitting, home organization,

maybe helping people organize their closets or

eldercare. Those things are are in high

demand, but how do you know? Here's

some things to ask yourself. What am I good at?

Even if it feels rusty. What did I

enjoy previously that has income potential?

And then do I want online flexibility?

What kind of flexibility do flexibility do I want? You

know, not everyone just wants to be online. Maybe you want to

go to a center to do your work, or maybe you're going to

volunteer or not necessarily volunteer, but do some

work for your church. Part time,

you know, what is it that you want to do? How much time and ability

do you need? Try something with a low startup

costs. We're not trying to break the bank. We're

trying to build it. So the possibilities are endless.

One of our listeners, Sarah turned her love

for photography into a freelance business, taking

portraits and selling prints online, her startup

costs. Well, it was just the camera that she

already owned and a website.

So let's think big picture. This isn't just

about earning some extra cash. It rewires

your brain. You become a problem solver,

a self starter. That's exactly the

mindset that you'll want when formal retirement rolls

around. Think of your side hustle as

a transition trainer. Plus, let's be real.

Seeing those extra savings add up, that's some serious peace of

mind. So this could, the side hustle could

be the cornerstone of your retirement plan. Think

about scaling it into something that can provide a

steady income post retirement.

So your bank account gets a boost, but then so will

you, your side hustles will build

confidence. So taking even a small risk

reminds you what you're capable of. It

will build problem solving skills. So clients,

tech hiccups forces you to be resourceful. It

builds community in connecting with other

side hustlers, especially in this age group. It can be

empowering, and then it's meaningful work.

So maybe your day job has lost its spark.

Well, this is where you can rekindle

it. Here's a financial tip though. Even

a small side hustle income can contribute to an

IRA to help grow your nest egg

tax efficiently. Let's think about a

tax implications though. And yes, the tax man

cometh even for side hustlers. A

simplified chat with an accountant can maybe

demystify this whole tax situation for you,

ensuring that your hustle is as

efficient as possible. Now here's what I have

to say. Don't let fear stop you. I've

linked in the notes for you a free side

hustle brainstorm worksheet to get those

ideas flowing and let's create a community.

Leave me a voice message at pod.agingwithgraceandstyle.com.

And let me know if you're current, if you currently have a side

hustle, or if you have one that you're thinking about

starting now, I'm no expert, but I'll be happy

to talk to you about it. Let's support each other.

Because, listen, we are not alone,

and we're not done yet. We are just getting started.

So there you have it. Side hustles are not just a way to make

extra money. They're a path to reinvention,

a safety net, a potential goal mine for

retirement planning. And as I mentioned, I'd love

to hear your side hustle stories or any questions that you might

have. Who knows? Your story just might be the

inspiration that someone else needs to take that leap.

Remember it is never too late to start something

new until next time. Keep hustling

side hustling that is.

Thank you so much for joining me for 5 to Thrive Tuesday. If you

haven't already done so, please subscribe so that you don't miss an

episode. If you enjoyed this segment, please rate,

review, and share it with a friend. Let's stay connected

on Instagram, Facebook, and or threads at I am

Valerie Hatcher, or email me at hello at aging

with grace and style.com. Until next time, let's

continue to age with grace, style, and a touch of

sass.