Uber driver. Freelance writer. Consultant. Tutor. All of these jobs could be done full-time by a person, but often these types of jobs are side gigs. The rise of the "gig" economy has stretched across all generations, shifting the labor market entirely. Chances are you or someone you know has a gig and it may something you'll want to consider later on.

Gigs are jobs of short and sometimes uncertain duration. They can be contracted or done on-demand. In the very near future, as much as 50% of the workforce could be employed in the gig economy. Companies are increasingly seeing changes being made towards a more agile workforce, so this type of work should only be increasing in the future.

Highly specialized skills or experience are regularly sought after in contracted work and baby boomers usually fit the bill perfectly. Boomers are utilizing the skills and knowledge collected over a long career and funneling these things into a side gig that may be more flexible than a full-time job. According to a study conducted by BMO Wealth Management, about half of baby boomers said they took on a gig job to help balance career and family needs.

As more people plan to work past the traditional retirement age, whether by necessity or desire, side gigs offer a solution to both employees and employers. It can also be a great way to transition into retirement.

A side gig can also be part of a solution for people experiencing sudden financial troubles. Short term loans for bad credit may be a quick solution, and a side gig can help people boost their income for a short period of time until their finances have recovered.

If the gig economy interests you, here are some tips for retirees to get started:

1. Stay at your current job while you start exploring and even as you begin working your side gig

2. Make sure that your skills are up to date

3. Keep a close eye on start-up costs. You don't want to overspend while your're "testing the waters" in the beginning

4. Anticipate setbacks, and learn from them

5. Don't hide your side gig- word of mouth is a good thing!

And if you are struggling to find a side gig, you may want to consider moving to one of the following cities. San Francisco is currently the top city for side gigs, because of its booming “rides and rooms” industry. You will need a house to rent or a car to drive though. Los Angeles and Atlanta are also both excellent cities for freelances because of the quality and quantity of their co-work spaces (where several workers from different companies share office space). Atlanta also has a moderate cost of living and Los Angeles boasts booming startup and entertainment industries. Houston, Austin, and Dallas are all great options because they don’t collect income tax. Last but not least, consider Albuquerque or Tucson, which have very low insurance costs and very reasonable taxes and housing costs compared to most bigger cities.