Singapore — With Singaporeans having the highest global life expectancy, chances are that many people will be working well into their senior years. Singaporeans are expected to enjoy over 74 healthy years, and therefore it is unsurprising that many opt to work even after their retirement age, since they feel healthy and strong, and therefore well able to keep going to work daily.
With some seniors, it is not financially feasible to stop working quite yet, since they need the extra income it brings in. According to the Ministry of Social and Family Development, as of 2015, there were 2,464 elderly households in need of financial assistance, most likely due to higher costs of living.
The Ministry of Manpower said that there are 43,000 Singaporeans over the age of 70 who are still working.
ZUU Online, which describes itself as “the leading Asian finance education portal,” recently published a list of the six highest-paid part-time jobs for seniors in Singapore.
First on the list is teaching, due to the competitive nature of the country’s school system. Senior citizens, apparently, have the opportunity to do well as private tutors.
Tutors who have credentials from top learning institutions and who are able to teach the most difficult subjects could be earning as much as S$100 per hour.
The article from ZUU Online says, “If you are a patient, caring person who is passionate about their subject, you could enjoy very rewarding employment as a tutor.”
The second on the list is driving taxis. Apparently, what is essential for this job is good eyesight and an affinity for driving, as well as your own vehicle so that you can sign up to be part of a fleet of taxi drivers.
Drivers who work for Grab, the leading South East Asian ride-hailing firm, can make as much as S$38 an hour during peak times. Furthermore, as the article notes, there are additional incentives for good performance. “Many of these companies have great incentives if you have a good driver rating, low cancellation record and a high rate for accepting trips in your area.”
Next on the list is freelance writing, wherein seniors who have a talent for writing can earn as much as S$60 an hour from sites such as upwork.com or even freelancer.com.
It may take a while to establish a steady clientele base and get good ratings and reviews from clients, but being persistent and consistently keeping at it should pay off well with time.
Another advantage of freelance writing is that it can be done from practically anywhere, as long as you have a good internet connection, although opportunities for social interaction are, admittedly, limited.
Seniors looking for a well-paying part-time job can also consider teaching music. Depending on one’s expertise and level of experience, a good music teacher may also earn up to S$60 an hour, either working in the homes of students or even from your own home. The more experience you have as a music teacher, the higher the fees you can charge your students.
Also on the list of part-time employment that pays well for seniors is website development, which could earn someone as much as S$50 per hour and can also be done from home.
The ZUU Online article added that a senior looking to do web development may need to take refresher courses to improve and update his or her skills, but it is an investment that can pay off handsomely once you get regular clients.
Finally, ZUU Online also listed photography as a part-time job that pays seniors well, for photographers who have good experience, as well as the passion, for it. There is a great demand for photographers who will work at weddings, children’s birthday parties, and other events. It is also a good way to meet people to network as well as socialise.
The article also says that photographers can sell their pictures online, charging people for downloading their images. “If you have an eye for a beautiful nature scene or a knack for capturing shots of animals, this could be a rather lucrative part-time job.” -/TISG