Janet Attard discusses home assembly jobs.
Dear Janet,
I’m trying to find a home-based job for a male senior citizen. One thing I read about was assembling products at home. Is this a good thing to do?
–Ed P
Dear Ed,
If what you have in mind is an “opportunity” you’ve read about and if you have to spend money to purchase a kit to assemble the products, put your checkbook back in the drawer. Here’s why:
Most opportunities that say you can make money assembling products at home ask you to purchase a kit that you’ll use to produce the items. They may promise to buy the finished items from you if they meet the company “quality standards,” but most people find that the items are either too time consuming or difficult to complete, or they don’t meet “standards.” Bottom line is the same: the people who hope to make money wind up spending it instead.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work or start a business in your retirement, though. There are plenty of people who do. The secret to success (and the key to avoiding scams) is to do something you know how to do and like doing. Consider the skills you used on the job before you retired. Are there ways you can turn your years of acquired expertise in your occupation into a business? Consulting is one possibility. Teaching is another. What about your hobbies? Could you turn them into a business? If you love to paint, or love boating, could you sell products related to your interests? Look to your passions and look at the world around you and you are very likely to come up with plenty of ideas for creating a successful retirement business for yourself. Good luck!
