Part time casual work at 60

I started exam invigilating 3 years ago when I was 56 and really enjoy it. I work for 2 different schools and you can refuse hours if you don't want them, e.g. you have a holiday/break booked. You also get all the summer off and it is nice not to have to get up EVERY day for work. It is good money and I don't pay tax as this is my only income.

I am finding work at 63 very difficult! I have a back injury and find any job painful after a while . I would have been okay retiring at 60 . Nursing is hard work mentally and physically but need the wages unfortunately. What do other people do ???

Thank you * Dottygran59* I will keep you posted. It’s been an illuminating thread. It sounds like you and I are both at the same point. I’m very excited to start my new, albeit scary life. Just need someone to buy my house now so that I can downsize.

Before I retired completely I worked for many new home builders selling houses/apartments/retirement living etc.
There is always vacancies for assistance on days that builders have show home openings and for showing clients around properties of a week-end its such an enjoyable job.
I still get requests to fill in for staff who have gone off at short notice but I have never taken up the offer for a few years,the pay is very good and uniform provided depending on the company you are selling for.

Gummie, I've read this thread with great interest - 5 years till I can retire and like you, don't want to 'go the whole hog' but equally don't want to continue in this role any longer than I have to.

I too have taken away some great tips and advice, and just want to wish you the very best of luck, and please come back and let us know how you've got on?

When I retired and moved house I worked for The Blood Transfusion Service 18 hours a week. It wasn't casual labour and training was given. I worked until I was 68. I also did voluntary work for RVS. Expenses are paid and you can work when you want to.

Thank you all for your extremely useful posts and information. I’ve taken on board some excellent tips and advice. I’m really looking forward to this next stage of my life.

I am 67, my background was in Human Resources. Living in Cumbria there is a lot of part time seasonal work available (April to October).
I am lucky to work in a Castle and get invited back to work every year, many of my work colleagues are of a similar age.
Main requirements for the job are, customer care and people skills.
At our ages, we have this in abundance, we are also flexible and reliable. Good luck in your job search.

Try marker research like I do. If you have the stamina you can earn well. I just don't have the stamina after 20 years although its almost paid for my house and allowed me to run a car on my own. I can't really complain

Last summer I did some exam invigilating. It came about quite unexpectedly. My good friend's daughter is a teacher and they were stuck at short notice.
I did several one-to-one invigilating sessions at the students' homes. Could take a book, was provided with coffee and biscuits regularly.
Loved it. However, can see that it could be boring in a school/university setting.

Try Hays Recruitment - they look for people to fulfil temporary contracts (I'm with them as a Project Manager, started on 2 days a week and now 3 days). You don't need to set up your own company, they do it all for you and deal with the tax and provide holiday pay too. Paid weekly based on a day rate - whch will be miles btter than minimum wage!

Very helpful posts here. Worth remembering that what everyone here has in common is years of experience. You may not be able to earn your real "worth" in a part time or completely different environment, but if you're happy to try something new and give up perhaps something stressful for a new challenge, why not just go for it. If a job is there, there's no reason for anyone to feel "past it" or on the scrapheap. Grans Unite ! (and Granddads, too)

Harris27. I have to laugh. It was from the local library that my colleague had taken ver. The council are so desperate to get rid of us that staffing levels are down to the absolute minimum. Anyone going off sick or daring to ask for leave causes total chaos.

Can I just add my husband has had a few jobs from indeed they’ve been very good. Salsa queen I agree.

I’m 60 and work 30:hours and if I wanted to can reduce as I get older. My sister is 66 and she found part time work.try your local shops or library for help I think you’ll be fine.

Going to tell you a heartbreaking story. A colleague of mine took up our council's offer of voluntary early retirement. She was 64. Her DH had just retired and they figured they could just about manage on their work pensions until her state pension came through. The very day after her ver was accepted her DH literally dropped dead. Apparently even if he had been in hospital when it happened nothing could have saved him. Our "caring" council refused point blank to rescind her request to finish. They didn't want to "set a precedent" !!!!. My colleague was forced to finish even though she could no longer afford to do so. She has now got a job at Asda which she absolutely loves. She says many of the workforce are ex council employees who took early retirement and are bored at home!

Thank you all for you responses. Certainly helps me as I’m aware I’m taking a risk walking away from a well paid position. I can’t keep it as I’m also going to move 100 miles to be closer to my grand babies. I’m not allowed to work from home except when it suits my Manager. But even if I could I’d still be unable to spend more time with the boys.
You’ve all mentioned many of the things I’ve considered and I appreciate your very helpful replies. Thanks.

According to a cashier to whom I chatted, Lidl is a very fair employer in terms of pay rates, sick and holiday pay and staff discount. If you’ve shopped there, you’ll know that the staff have to be flexible, stacking shelves but opening tills if required.

I'm 60, and I applied to lots of different places, online, for jobs. My C.V. is on various sites such as TotalJobs, Jobsite, and Indeed. I got my 15 hrs a week job through Indeed, and it suits me nicely. It's Warden of a sheltered housing scheme. 2 weeks ago, I found another job, collecting then delivering school meals. It's 40 minutes a day and pays £16 a day. There are jobs if you look on a few websites.

I haven't had a job since retiring, but I had thought of pet day or holiday care should I have found the days long. In fact I never wonder what to do with myself, don't know how I had time to work!

A little pocket money provider I wouldn't mind, being an early riser, would be to do the on-site bread and bun baking and displaying for the local village Co-op.

Apparently Lidl are good too.

PatriciaH
And they pay peanuts! But it's a nice environment.
(I volunteer at a local NT house)

M & S are a great company to work for an.d their hours are flexible.
My DIL works their and it`s ideal with having two dc.

I think all the supermarkets - Aldi pays very well for part time work.

Have you thought of being self employed? I like gardening and decided to start my own little gardening business 4 years ago. It wasn't very expensive to startup either. Battery lawnmower, and handtools ( which I already had) for weeding etc. My car carries all these easily. Leaflets made up and dropped through local letterboxes initially and now through word of mouth I have to turn people away! The elderly ( I'm now 60!) especially, are so pleased they have a female gardener to do all the gardening jobs like weeding. I love my job and can work hours that suit me!