How Seniors Can Make Extra Cash with Writing (No Tech Skills Needed!)

Hey there! Ever thought about using your love for words to make some extra cash in retirement? Yep, writing isn’t just for bestselling authors or tech-savvy bloggers. You can totally do it—even if you’re not a computer whiz. Grab a cup of tea or coffee, and let’s chat about handpicked six super-easy ways seniors can make extra cash with writing and potentially make a full-time income (without pulling your hair out over tech stuff!).

1. Turn Writing into an Online Business (Seriously?)

I know, I know—you may be thinking, I barely can write an email. How the heck am I going to build an online business? Stay with me. I’ll show you how, with proofs.

Starting an online business sounds kinda overwhelming, right? That’s what I thought too. A few years back, I was searching a topic online and stumbled upon a website. It wasn’t anything fancy—definitely not winning any design awards—but it was packed with all the info I needed. Jackpot!

Here’s the cool part: I noticed the site was run by a retired elderly lady, and she actually mentioned that she built it herself. My curiosity got the better of me, so I reached out to her. And wow—what a legend! She directed me to the Solo Build It (SBI), an online business building system (tools for non-tech people, step-by-step training and awesome support), all in one neat little package. This system will show you how to turn your passion, hobby or knowledge into an income generating machine.

What got me over the line was these proofs, where I could contact few people and have a chat.

Few more real-life examples in this video.

Fast forward to now, I’ve managed to launch a few successful online businesses thanks to her showing me SBI. Oh, and guess what? This “Hobbies for Seniors” website—it’s one of them! All built using that golden nugget of knowledge from the SBI system.

My Tip: The SBI system does require a small investment upfront, but let me tell you—it’s worth every single dollar. I mean it, hand on heart. This is the kind of tool that pays off big time. Trust me, you’ll be glad you made the leap!

Building an online business is the best way to earn a full-time income or make extra cash with writing.

2. Self-Publish a Book (No Fancy Tech Needed!)

Write memoirs, short stories, poetry, or even a simple “how-to” guide on a topic you love.
Publish it on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)—no need for a publisher!
You can earn royalties every month, even from just one book.

💡 Shortcut: You don’t need a long book! Even a 30-page guide on a topic you love can sell!

Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct

Step 1: Choose a Topic & Write Your Book

📌 What should you write?

A memoir (life stories, lessons learned)
A how-to guide (gardening, knitting, photography, etc.)
Short stories or poetry
A journal or planner (printable guides for self-care, gratitude, etc.)

💡 Tip: Your book doesn’t have to be long! A 30-50 page book can sell well on Amazon.

Step 2: Format Your Book (Easy!)

📌 If you’re writing in Microsoft Word or Google Docs:

Use 12pt font (Times New Roman or Arial)
Keep the text left-aligned
Add chapter headings in bold
Insert page breaks after each chapter (Go to Insert → Break → Page Break)

💡 Tip: Amazon accepts Word files (.docx), so no need to convert it!

Step 3: Design a Simple Cover

📌 Use Amazon’s Free Cover Creator:

When publishing, Amazon KDP has a “Cover Creator” tool to make your cover easily.
OR use Canva.com (free!) to design a simple cover.

💡 Tip: A clean cover with big, easy-to-read text works best!

Step 4: Create an Amazon KDP Account

1️⃣ Go to kdp.amazon.com
2️⃣ Sign up with your Amazon account.
3️⃣ Click “Create a New Kindle eBook.”

💡 Tip: If you want a paperback version, you can choose “Paperback” too!

Step 5: Upload Your Book

📌 On the KDP dashboard:

Enter your book title & description
Add keywords (words people will search to find your book)
Upload your Word document
Upload your cover design

💡 Tip: Amazon gives you a “Preview” tool—check how your book looks before publishing!

Step 6: Set Your Price & Publish!

📌 Choose a price

Kindle books often sell between $2.99 – $9.99 (you keep up to 70% royalties!)
If you’re publishing a paperback, Amazon prints it on demand (no upfront cost!).

📌 Click “Publish”—Your book will be live in 24-48 hours! 🎉

Bonus: How to Get More Sales

Tell friends & family to buy your book & leave reviews.
Join Facebook groups or forums related to your book topic.
Offer a free promotion for a few days to get downloads (KDP allows this).

3. Get Paid to Write Reviews (Yes, Really!) ⭐

Love trying new things? Companies will pay you to write honest reviews! You can test out products, books, or even restaurants and write about your experience. Some sites even send free stuff in exchange for a review.

💡 Where to sign up?

Join OnlineBookClub—they send you free books to review
Try Slicethepie for music and product reviews. Tip: try to avoid paid surveys and stick with reviews.
Look into Amazon Vine (if you’re an active Amazon reviewer, you can get invited!)

4. Get Paid to Write Short Stories and Greeting Cards

You’ve got years of wisdom, hilarious memories, and life lessons—why not get paid to share them? Personal essays, memoir snippets, and advice columns are in high demand. Websites like Chicken Soup for the Soul and Blue Mountain Arts actually pay for heartwarming, real-life stories. And if you love storytelling, you can even self-publish a short memoir (Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing makes it easy, and you don’t need to be a tech genius!).

💡 Where to start?

Submit to sites like, Narratively, or Medium
Check out “Submit Your Story” pages on greeting card websites.

5. Freelance Writing—No Experience Needed! 💻

Freelance writing sounds fancy, but really, it just means getting paid to write stuff—articles, blog posts, product reviews, you name it! And guess what? Tons of companies need content, and they don’t care if you’re retired. As long as you can write in clear, friendly English, you’re golden.

💡 Where to find gigs?

Sign up on Textbroker (you get paid per article, no fancy skills required!)
Try Upwork for easy gigs like writing newsletters or short blog posts
Reach out to local businesses—many need help with website content!

6. Help Others by Writing Resumes & Letters 📄

Turns out, a lot of younger folks (and even fellow retirees) struggle with writing things like resumes, cover letters, and even heartfelt greeting card messages. If you’ve got a knack for writing professionally or warmly, you can charge for your help!

💡 Where to offer services?

Advertise on Craigslist or local community boards
Offer resume help on Fiverr or LinkedIn
Create custom greeting cards or love letters (yep, people pay for these!)

Final thoughts on make extra cash with writing: You’ve Got This! 🎉

See? You don’t need to be a tech wizard or a professional writer to make some extra money doing what you love. Just pick a method that sounds fun, start small, and see where it takes you. Who knows—you might even discover a brand-new passion along the way!

So, which one sounds like your cup of tea? Happy writing! ✨

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