I have a friend who has a post retirement retail job at a historic pottery shop. The shop is only open evenings for the holidays and she works occasional Saturdays, shop closed on Sundays I think. So if you want to work retail maybe that type of shop that has more limited hours to start with. Artsy store, museum shop maybe or bakery that is busier in the mornings.
Sometimes volunteering at something you enjoy can turn into part time employment. Have you considered taking a course in QuickBooks? That way you’d be more marketable and can choose your clients and hours. We pay our bookkeeper by the hour. She specializes in nonprofits.
What other talents and skills do you have? I’ve been a special education hearing officer, a part time judge and am now running a nonprofit focusing on health education and advocacy. I’ve enjoyed all of these positions.
My S buys and resells items on Amazon. He enjoys it and makes variable income on it (sometimes up to double his engineering salary, depending on how much he works at it).
Some folks make crafts and sell them on itsy, eBay, Amazon and/or or at craft fairs. H is doing a lot of deferred maintenance on our house. He seems to enjoy it and it keeps him plenty busy.
If employers want Quikbook experience, why not learn it on your own?
@kelsmom, I actually thought about substitute teaching this weekend and looked up how to apply. I was wondering what that was like. I might just do it, it can’t hurt.
I guess I want a fun job, but no evenings, etc. I do like numbers, so bookkeeping sounded like it might be fun for that, but without the stress of an actual accounting career.
There are a lot of great suggestions, here.
I work the desk at a day spa. It’s great - I chat with nice people all day and come home smelling like scented candles. My co-workers are all super chill and low-key - they’re massage therapists! Downside: I work Saturdays. But that’s the only thing I don’t love. And I get a discount on services!
I teach in the Workforce Development and Continuing Education division of our local community college. In addition to the academic (ESL, GED exam prep) classes that I teach, there are umpteen classes that I’d like to take if I could fit them in. Read through the continuing ed. offerings at your CC and find out what a Quickbooks class would set you back. And see what teaching gigs are on offer. My CC has an open job posting for part-time faculty for the WDCE classes. They are always on the look out for something interesting, and class times vary with courses aimed at retired folks scheduled during the day.
Substitute teaching can be a great part time job and flexible and good hours. IF you like teaching children and if you also don’t mind reprimanding them - at any age.
I don’t feel “anyone” can substitute teach. Please don’t do this unless you really enjoy spending hours a day with kids. Or being alone with lots of them in a classroom.
A friend (retirement age) has volunteered at several state parks in our area and each time she was offered a part time paid position after a few months, which she declined. She likes complete freedom to arrange her schedule. She loves meeting the wide variety of people who visit the parks and the educational aspects of the work. I know someone else who works part time at Ulta cosmetics, usually only a few days per week with flexible hours. However even with the employee discount she is spending WAY too much on cosmetics now…
I like the Ulta’s idea!
If a bookkeeper contacted me I’d snap them up. Contact small businesses in your community and offer your skills as a consultant and or part time bookkeeper. Sometimes small business need help setting up a system or only need 10 hrs a week or less of help to keep the bills straight.
I want @oldfort friend’s job! And the benefits!
I was once a home bookkeeper for a doctor’s wife. It basically entailed organizing and handling their routine financial transactions, starting with getting their bill paying and checkbooks clean and up to date. With everything online and automated, not sure if there’s still a call for that. But they were in desperate need.
Another part time job more recently was with a company called Zero Chaos, which I believe has changed names. I had to apply and wait several months until they needed more people. It was completely virtual and involved reviewing web sites for specified parameters. But it wasn’t what I would call fun and had no socializing.
I also once worked part time through an accounting temp agency; worked for quite a while at bookkeeping at a local design store while they were hunting for a full time person. Assignments could be as short as filling in for someone on vacation, or long term like mine.
Are there any museums, historical societies, touring gardens, or tourist destinations nearby? There are great gift shop and tour guide jobs to be found. If there are retirement communities nearby perhaps a driver or companion to take people shopping/run errands. If you like cooking, a job at a kitchen store. Pet lover? Dog walker -Doggy Daycare-pet sitter. If you have a local college nearby consider taking a class or night class that can turn a new hobby into a small side job (bakery assistant, photographer). Do you have a local coffee shop? Might be able to work the morning or mid day.
Being a museum docent would be fun…for me. But these are often volunteer jobs. Still…might be worth it!
I’ll agree that not everyone should be a substitute teacher, but it’s worth trying if you are interested. It’s hard work, but I liked it … PM me if you have any questions. I did everything from preschool to AP Calculus. I only did middle school a couple times, though - I am in awe of middle school teachers, and I am not cut out to walk a mile in their shoes!
Check with your local park district or village. I don’t want to work in the evenings but our village has a cashier position that requires a couple of evening shifts to collect parking tickets and parking permit payments that opens up quite often… $19 per hour.
Don’t rule out retail without checking. Many students work retail and need the evening and weekend shifts. The store may be in need of someone to work morning and midday hours.
Agree with @musicmom1215 Plenty of places will welcome back students for holiday breaks and the other workers can spend time with their families.
I know someone who retired and is now a floral delivery person. He works three days a week, five to six hours per day. He brings the flowers to mortuaries, churches, hospitals, and homes. He loves the home deliveries because everyone loves getting flowers. 
We love hearing his stories about deliveries to celebrities.
Here in the SF Bay Area there is a huge demand for after-school tutors for all kinds of subjects -math, languages, chess, piano, violin, SAT Prep, Chem, Physics, Writing, etc. probably not a great deal of fun but pretty lucrative. My kid spends only a couple of hours a week tutoring and it pays for al his outside meals and other expenses.