Spain Retirement Income Ideas: 10 Ways Retirees Can Earn Extra Income

Whether you’re fully retired or semi-retired in Spain, factors like rising cost of living, inflation, unfavourable exchange rates, and smaller pension pay-outs can put a strain on your budget. It’s never a bad idea to have some extra disposable income. This will not only allow you to enjoy your Spanish lifestyle to the fullest, but to also maintain a nice reserve in case of emergencies. In addition, pensioners seem to be the busiest age group in Spain! Hosting and entertaining visiting friends, children, and grandchildren, and a plethora of other activities. How did you find time in the past to fit in a full working day ?
And besides all the entertaining, you will most likely want to explore and enjoy more of Spain’s beautiful landscapes, culture, and cities. A little extra income can increase your enjoyment many fold.
Here are some ideas for retires in Spain to earn some side income.

If you enjoy socializing and organizing events, hosting a regular darts night could be a profitable business idea, similar to quiz nights.

Organize regular darts nights
Perhaps the best way is to simply start by organizing casual weekly darts events. Promote these nights as social gatherings for people of all skill levels. Charge a small entry fee per player, and offer prizes for winners, which could be cash, vouchers, or sponsored gifts from local businesses. It’s important to create a fun and friendly atmosphere, encouraging repeat attendance and turning it into a weekly event.

Approach local darts leagues
There may be existing darts leagues in many areas, and you can reach out to these leagues to see if they’re looking for a new or additional venue to host their competition nights or practice sessions. By collaborating with an established league, you ensure a steady flow of attendees and regular events at your venue. This partnership can also increase foot traffic for the business hosting the event, which could be a strong selling point when negotiating deals with venue owners.

Start your own darts league
If you’d prefer to start something from scratch, you could create your own league. This could involve regular competitive events, with individual or team rankings, and then finish with a championship at the end of the season. You could charge teams or individuals a participation fee for the season, and offer attractive prizes to winners. You could also include sponsorship opportunities, to bring in additional revenue from local businesses.
Note: Leagues are more work but tend to bring in a steadier income than darts nights. Teams are committed to an entire season rather than one evening.

Revenue streams
Entry fees. You can charge participants an entry fee to join each event or match. Entry fees can range from €5 to €10 per player, depending on the size of the event and the prizes offered.
Sponsorships. Approach local businesses, dart suppliers, or pubs to sponsor the events. Sponsors can provide cash, prizes, or equipment, while gaining brand exposure through signage, flyers, and announcements.
Revenue sharing. Partner with bars, pubs, or restaurants to host the events. As with quiz evenings you can negotiate a flat fee, or a percentage of food and drink sales.
Additional income. You can sell darts merchandise, or offer additional mini-games like raffles during the event to increase revenue.

Many real estate agencies, especially in popular coastal areas of Spain, require additional support beyond what their agents can handle. Offering your services to a local real estate agency can be a highly flexible side income.

Here are several ways you can assist a real estate agency, and build a valuable relationship with them.

Property preparation. Opening and preparing properties before client viewings is time-consuming for a busy agent. This might include airing the premises by opening external doors, blinds, and windows. Turning on lights, aircon, or heating.
Ensuring the property has no technical issues, and looks welcoming.

Staging services. Homes may need arranging of furniture, tidying up, or setting up small decorations like flowers or candles.

Overseeing property maintenance and repairs. Many property owners in Spain work and live outside the area. They often require a comprehensive service from their realtors.

Coordinating tradesmen. Offer to oversee property maintenance, repairs, or improvements. You can be the point of contact between the property owner and tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, cleaners, etc.). This could involve meeting with contractors, providing them access, and supervising any work.

Routine Maintenance. Many agencies manage rental properties, and you could offer to handle routine inspections and maintenance, such as checking appliances, ensuring the property and equipment is in good condition, and identify any potential issues before they become a major problem.

Inventory checks. Rental property managers in Spain often require inventory checks between tenants. This entails documenting the state of the property and its contents, which helps landlords avoid disputes over deposits.

Key holding services are crucial for many holiday homeowners who are not permanent residents in Spain. They often rent their properties out for short lets and need assistance with guest check-ins, and check-outs, and organising the cleaning and maintenance of the properties.
You will need to conduct regular checks on the various properties to check for damages and ensure everything is in good working order.
You will also need to be available to address emergencies such as alarms, leaks, or any unforeseen issues that might arise in the homeowner’s absence, and to meet and open up for any tradesmen that need to perform maintenance or repairs.

Key holding fees.
For key holding services, you can charge an annual fee for simply holding the keys and being on call for emergencies, and an additional fee for call-out and inspections.
Basic key holding can range from €150 to €300 per year per property, while individual visits (for example, meeting tradesmen, conducting checks) typically range from €15 to €50 per visit.

Guest services.
Managing check-ins and check-outs for short-term rentals in Spain can create a regular income stream. You can charge €20 to €50 per check-in/out depending on the time and complexity. Meeting guests after hours may justify higher fees.

Property inspections.
Offer routine inspections (e.g., monthly or bi-monthly) to check for damages, leaks, vulnerabilities, and security. You can charge €30 to €70 per inspection, depending on the size of the property and the frequency of checks.

The nice thing about charging a fee per visit is that you get a quick understanding about how many properties you would actually like to manage.
Too many properties, and you might start feeling like you have a full-time job again. That’s why I hesitated to add the next paragraph. If you really don’t mind investing more of your time, then…

Monthly or seasonal packages. You can offer a comprehensive property management package that includes all key holding, check-ins/outs, inspections, and maintenance coordination. These packages can range from €100 to €300 per month per property, depending on the level of service.

Offer to look after people’s homes and pets while they are away. The owners get peace of mind and improved security as their home maintains a lived-in appearance.

Responsibilities might include collecting mail, watering plants, basic housekeeping, and ensuring the property is secure. You will also need to collect and remove all mail, newspapers, or packages to prevent accumulation and signal that the house is occupied.

Basic house sitting (no pets). You can charge a daily or weekly rate for house sitting services, where you maintain the property while the owners are away. Typical rates range from €20 to €50 per day, or €500 to €1.500, per month depending on whether you are required to be there only during the day or overnight as well, the property size, location, and specific duties required.

House sitting with pet care. When pets are involved, rates usually increase. Fees can range from €30 to €70 per day depending on the number of pets and specific care needs (feeding, walking, grooming, administering medication, etc.)
For pet sitting that requires overnight stays, fees range from €50 to €100 per night, and this includes both house sitting duties and caring for pets.

If you are the more creative type, and find producing and creating things more rewarding (who doesn’t, it’s a lot more enjoying) then furniture upcycling is a fantastic activity.
In Spain, you have an excellent combination of cheap good quality second hand furniture, a big demand for upcycled furniture, and good prices being paid.
Many times, all that is required is a bit of creativity and a new coat of paint. If you need inspiration, there are plenty of upcycling techniques that you can find on YouTube.
If you are looking for items to buy, then try the many Facebook Buy&Sell groups for your area or Wallapop. Search your area in Facebook Groups, or do a Google search for “Facebook Group AREA NAME”, or “Buy Sell Facebook Group AREA NAME”. You will find plenty of second hand items for sale, many even free for collection. In addition, there are plenty of bargains to be found at the many house clearances that are advertised.

Revenue. Depending on the size, style, and craftsmanship, upcycled furniture can sell for €50 to €500 or more. Larger, high-quality restorations (e.g., wardrobes, dining tables) can command even higher prices, particularly in areas with demand for unique, handmade items.

Common upcycling projects in Spain and estimated earnings.

Small chairs and tables. Often available for free, or just €5 or €10, after restoration or upcycling, these can sell for €50 to €150 depending on the style and finish.

Dressers, cabinets, and sideboards. You can often find these for €20 to €50, and upcycled versions can sell for €150 to €300.

Coffee tables or vintage desks. These items can be purchased for €20 to €70 and resold for €100 to €400 after refinishing and painting.

Dining room tables can be found for under €50 (I paid €30 for my Scottish pine dining table that was being used as a work bench) and resold for €50 to €500 depending on the size and creative transformation. Have a look at prices of solid wood dining tables in Spain!

Refurbishing these old furniture pieces helps in preserving their historical and sentimental value. Many older pieces in Spain are made of high-quality materials and craftsmanship, which can usually be restored quite easily. Reducing waste by repurposing or refurbishing old furniture just makes a lot more sense.

Did you know that a LARGE percentage of all questions asked about Spain are in relation to its food? Many visitors to Spain are very curious about Spanish food culture, would love to taste the best dishes, but have no idea where to start.

Organise tasting tours to show visitors and residents the best culinary treats in the area. The fantastic thing about Spain is that tapas dishes are literally made for this.
You can talk a little about the history and origins of the various dishes, and introduce newcomers to the tapas bar owners, staff, and the local area.
People who are new to the area would love the opportunity to meet locals and discover where the best food spots are. They are just looking for an opportunity for a lovely introduction.

Share your local knowledge and pride of the area by offering guided tours to visitors and new residents.

In coastal Spain, there is a constant stream of new folk in the area who would love a better understanding of the area’s history and culture.
Create a tour that is easy to manage, and requires less logistics. Short walking tours are best, and try to pick a route that offers the most attractions within the smallest possible area. Not everyone is able to walk at a good pace, or even for more than two or three kilometres.

You can provide fun and interesting facts about local attractions, landmarks, historical sites, hidden gems, cultural events, and interesting anecdotes about the area. Try to create a unique experience by providing access to places or activities not typically available to the public, like behind-the-scenes visits or meeting local artisans. It’s a good idea to end with a tasty and refreshing gastronomic stop where the group can finish the tour with refreshments and take advantage of the establishment’s services if necessary.

Pricing for personalized tours. You can charge €20 to €80 per person for a personalized walking tour, depending on the length of the tour, the number of stops, and the depth of the experience. Entrance into museums or attractions should be included in the price.
You can offer private tours for small groups or families, and rates can range from €100 to €300 per group, depending on the number of people and the duration.
Small, intimate tours that offer personalized experiences tend to work best in Spain.

Permits and licensing. Depending on the region of Spain, you may need a tour guide licence or local permits, which could cost €100 to €500 annually.
Liability insurance may also be required for conducting guided tours, which could cost between €200 to €500 per year.

Many local businesses, and especially estate agents, need regular fresh content for their websites and social media profiles. This often includes photos and videos of the surrounding area, events, attractions, and things to do.
Local businesses will need this content to market their brand on their YouTube channels, Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, TikTok, LinkedIn, and various websites. If you are an amateur, you will need to charge less than the fees discussed below, plus your time spent editing will usually be a bit more.

Photography services. For basic photo shoots (local businesses, attractions, or products), you can typically charge €75 to €200 per session, depending on the location (some areas of Spain are more exclusive than others) scope of work and the number of photos required.
In Spain, there is a big demand for excellent real estate photography, and the fees are typically €100 to €300 per property, depending on the size of the property and whether aerial shots (drones) or advanced editing are required.

You can offer packages to local businesses for monthly or quarterly photo shoots. These could include a fixed number of images per month for a retainer fee of €200 to €500 per month, depending on the business’s needs.

Videography Services. Many businesses in Spain, especially for social media, need short video clips. You can charge €100 to €300 per video, depending on the level of editing and the content being filmed.
For real estate video tours or drone footage, you can charge between €250 and €1.000 per property, especially for luxury listings.

Hosting events can be very enjoyable, and a fun way to increase your social circle, and your monthly income.

In addition to quiz evenings, and darts leagues, here are some other ideas and opportunities to consider:
Food and drink pairing events, karaoke roulette, and salsa or dance classes. Live music nights featuring local bands, solo musicians, and traditional music like Flamenco. Organise and host speed dating events that create opportunities for people to meet and socialize in a relaxed setting.

Note. By using a set day, time and venue every week or fortnight you can use word of mouth to help market your evenings and eventually require less time and effort for marketing.

Revenue from event hosting. Many venues will pay you a fixed fee for hosting regular events that bring in more customers. Fees typically range from €50 to €150 per event, depending on the venue and event size.
You can also negotiate a percentage of the food and drink sales made during the event. This usually ranges from 5% to 15% of sales. For example, if the event generates €2.000 in sales, you could earn €100 to €300 from the sales cut.
Entry Fees. Once your event has an established reputation, another option is to charge participants an entry fee. Entry fees typically range from €5 to €15 per person.
Food and drink pairing events. You can charge a fixed price per participant (for example €20 to €50 per person) for pairing events, and agree on a cut with the establishment.

Hopefully some of these ideas have appealed to you, or inspired you, and will allow you to supplement your income while enjoying a fulfilling lifestyle.
I have tried to select activities that not only bring in extra cash but also provide opportunities to connect with your local community, explore the culture, and stay active.
In addition, I wanted to offer options that allow flexibility without losing freedom, otherwise you may get stuck in an unappealing work routine again.

Here’s to many profitable ventures that enhance your retirement years!