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No Retirement Plan? Here’s How I’m Building Income Instead
I’m in my fifties, single, and I don’t have a traditional retirement. So I built a business that keeps paying me, from my laptop, with no employees. Watch the video, then use this page to pick your first move.
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Social Security isn’t a plan
I’ve paid into Social Security my whole working life. Have you seen what it actually pays? I don’t know one person living on it alone.
I’m not married. I don’t have a pension. And I’m not about to hitch a trailer to my car and pet-sit my way across the country.
I love to travel, and I want to keep paying for that life. So I built income that doesn’t depend on a boss, a payroll, or a fixed check.
None of this is theory. I do every one of these things myself. And you don’t need ten years of head start. You can start any of them now.
My income sits in three buckets
Everything I do lands in one of these. Tap each bucket.
I share what I use and earn a commission
Product reviews on Amazon, TikTok Shop, and LTK. Software and apps I actually pay for. When someone buys through my link, I get paid. Many software tools pay me every month the customer stays.
I don’t ship anything or store inventory. I just show what I use and how I use it.
I teach what I’m doing, live
I run a group coaching program. People get training, videos, prompts, and ebooks, plus live calls where I show what’s working right now.
You don’t have to be a coach to do this. Some people run paid communities around a shared hobby and just bring people together.
I get paid for what I make
YouTube ad money. Ebooks. My Substack, where readers pay for my articles. Each piece also feeds the other two buckets.
One video can earn ad money, sell an ebook, and bring in a coaching client. That’s why I love this model.
6 ways to start making money after 50
These are the easiest ones from the video. Tap any card.
01Review products you already useBrands want the over-50 buyer.›
Our generation has the most money to spend, and brands know it. That’s why they want creators our age.
Start with what’s in your house. Amazon’s Creator Connections program pays extra commission on top of Amazon’s on certain brands. TikTok Shop and LTK work the same way. Pick the brands paying more, and only review things you’d actually buy.
02Share the apps and software you pay forSome pay you every single month.›
Your bank app, your meal delivery, your grocery service, your pet food. Lots of them have referral or affiliate programs.
Software is the best of all. Many tools pay you every month your referral stays a customer. One tool I started sharing years ago still pays me every month.
03Turn what you know into an ebookPeople still want a real person to learn from.›
Somebody asked me why anyone buys ebooks when AI exists. Because they don’t think to ask AI. They want a person who’s actually done it.
Here’s how I write mine. I go for a walk, put in one AirPod, and talk to Claude for 45 minutes about what I know. Then I come home and ask it what’s missing. That’s a first draft.
04Talk about being your age on YouTubeYou’ve lived long enough to get paid to exist.›
People in their 60s, 70s, and 80s are on YouTube just talking about life. Retirement, dating later, divorce, travel, eating well, slowing down.
All I use is my phone, a window for light, and a little microphone. Once you hit YouTube’s requirements, you can turn on ads and get paid for watch time.
05Start a SubstackMy fastest-growing income stream.›
It’s basically a blog where readers pay to get your articles in their inbox. I hit bestseller four months after my first paid subscriber.
And Substack readers go on to buy my ebooks and join my coaching. It feeds everything else.
06Run a paid communityBring people together around what you know.›
If you have a skill, a hobby, or a hard-earned life lesson, people will pay to learn it with you and not do it alone.
Mine is a group coaching program with training, ebooks, and live calls. Some people just run a hobby group and bring people together.
“Getting older doesn’t mean we have to make less money. You just have to find your spot.”Lori Ballen
Start here, this week
Check each one off as you go.
Everything in this video, step by step
Side Hustle to Six Figures
How I turned what I already knew into income streams that keep paying, without hiring anyone.
Making money with no retirement plan
Is it too late to start making money online at 55?
No. I started several of my income streams in my fifties, and I know creators in their 70s and 80s getting paid on YouTube. Your age is an advantage. Brands want to reach our generation.
Do I need to be good with technology?
Not really. I record on my phone in front of a window. Uploading to Amazon or YouTube is simple. Adding links on TikTok takes a little learning, but nothing crazy.
What’s the easiest way to start?
Share products and apps you already use with your affiliate link. You don’t need inventory or a product of your own. Start with one platform.
Can I do this if I’m already retired?
Yes. A lot of people use these to add income on top of a pension or savings. It works whether you’re retired or still working.
Do I have to spend money on ads?
No. Everything I do is organic. I make content, and people find it. I’ve chosen not to depend on paid ads.
Retirement doesn’t have to mean going backwards
One letter a week. What I’m building, what’s working, and what I’d do if I were starting over.
Hey there! Just a quick heads-up: some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase (including through the Amazon Associates program), at no extra cost to you. Occasionally, products featured here are gifted by brands.
I also use AI tools to help research and create content for you! While I love sharing strategies to help you succeed, please remember that everyone's journey is unique—individual results vary, and there are no guarantees. Thanks so much for stopping by!
