[shortstripper]

Hi all,

I thought I'd tap into the collective knowledge of my fellow flyers to seek ideas for a late (working life) career change.
I'm a dairy farm manager who doesn't want to end up crippled for the sake of a few more years working in a job that knackers knees, hands and back.
I'm looking ideally at working remotely as we have have a house in Bulgaria with good internet access. I thought about teaching English online, but really don't think that's my thing.
I have plenty of skills, but to be honest, most involve hands-on working. I'm fairly IT literate, but have never worked in IT. I have agricultural, mechanical and fairly widespread general knowledge, but have never worked in an advisory role. In short, I'm struggling for idea's of what I might be able to do to bring in a regular income?
I am however, confident I can make ends meet by returning regularly to the UK to do relief work, but that's not an ideal solution.
The cost of living in Bulgaria is low, so I don't need a huge income, but a regular one would be desirable.

So any ideas?

As someone who has only worked in one industry for many many years, it's not so easy to think outside the box. I'm hoping there are people on here who have made the leap and know what resources are available, places to look and just make suggestions.

Thanks

[Micromouse]

considered becoming a FI?

[Flyin'Dutch']

He wants to have a regular small income.

The father of one of our daughters' friends used to be a pig farmer, he applied to work in a nursing home here in Germany, he's very happy, reasonable income and what he considers light work. I doubt that sort of work pays well in Bulgaria but just shows that by radical thinking outside the box.

[Sooty25]

considered becoming a FI?

Too much to qualify, for poor returns.

[Sooty25]

@shortstripper you need to look at the industry you know best and clearly have a lot of knowledge and experience in.

Look at how you can offer consultancy and training services in that field. Possibly also acting as a free lance manager providing holiday/sickness cover to others doing your job.

[Big Dex]

If you have a bit of capital behind you, could you become a professional landlord? Works well enough for me, and if only a modest income is required, careful purchasing of a single building can work (one of my recent purchases is a £350k property returning £31k pa).

If your second home is in an area with many similarly owned properties, can you provide management and maintenance for others?

[lobstaboy]

It depends on what you mean by regular income. It will be very hard to change completely to a salaried job in another sector. As Sooty says, use the experience you have (which will be huge at your age) to shift direction a bit but not to move away entirely.
At exactly your age I took the plunge and built a good portfolio career out of three strands - what I knew, what I was good at and what I was excited by.
You need to know what your inherant skills are. Are you good at
Communicating?
Training?
Coaching and mentoring?
Managing people?
Innovating products or processes?
Are you best working with a team, or on your own?
You will almost certainly be able to find a way to use what you're best at from this list in combination with the experience you have.

At some point you'll have to take the plunge and just do it. Before then make sure you've talked to lots of people. Don't be reticent and you'll find someone who can help you get started.
And build your network. Whenever you talk with someone, always ask them who else they think you should talk to.

[Bill McCarthy]

He’s good at milkin’ coos.

[shortstripper]

Thanks so far .... Yes I'm fairly good at milking cows but my thumbs are buggered with arthritis and milking days are numbered. Obviously we don't actually hand milk anymore, but you still need to flip milking clusters over ect and when your hands are suffering, it falls into the repetitive strain category.

I do intend to do holiday relief and can make a reasonable living that way, but that's not an ideal solution.

Has anyone started a business abroad and found success?

AS for FI? ...... There's a saying that it takes a fortune to make a fortune. With instructing, I think it's more a case of it costs a fortune to lose a fortune - Which is fine if you have one to start with and just want to do what you want.

[Rob L]

Turn a hobby in to a job; that's what I did 13 years ago (then aged 46). I've lost a lot of disposable income since, but gained my life back and a lot of self-esteem, and I love the work I do.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Has anyone started a business abroad and found success?

I did.

[Bill McCarthy]

You could make a fair bit as an arms dealer the way things are shaping up

[The Kissimmee Bum]

Thanks so far .... Yes I'm fairly good at milking cows but my thumbs are buggered with arthritis and milking days are numbered. Obviously we don't actually hand milk anymore, but you still need to flip milking clusters over ect and when your hands are suffering, it falls into the repetitive strain category.

I do intend to do holiday relief and can make a reasonable living that way, but that's not an ideal solution.

Has anyone started a business abroad and found success?

AS for FI? ...... There's a saying that it takes a fortune to make a fortune. With instructing, I think it's more a case of it costs a fortune to lose a fortune - Which is fine if you have one to start with and just want to do what you want.

Drone operator for pipeline / overhead line / construction surveys?

Not sure of the market in Bulgaria but there appears to be a fairly buoyant market in the UK.

[MikeB]

You could always become an expert virologist - it only needs an hour or so's training obtained from "Doing your research" on You Tube.

[Rjk983]

You could always become an expert virologist - it only needs an hour or so's training obtained from "Doing your research" on You Tube.

No chance, the bottom has fallen out of that market now, you can retrain to be a military strategist or geopolitical expert though, growth industry…