Before you do anything, sit down and make a plan for retirement. If you know how you’re going to spend money, and how much you need to bring in, you’ll be able to sort out a logical plan that you can follow. There are plenty of ways to make money after you leave your career, so don’t panic.

One strategy that people consider when making a plan is the four percent withdrawal rate. The idea is that each year, you withdraw four percent from your total nest egg savings, based on the number you have stashed at retirement age. While this is a great guideline, it doesn’t work for everyone. You should consider some adjustments and factors that might make that rate waver. For example, if your money is in stock assets, the health of the market has an impact on how much you can withdraw – you probably want to keep money in the market if it’s high, but if it’s low, it’s better to take it out.

How much you have saved matters, too. Four percent might not be enough, or too much. Other factors include how tough your stomach is when it comes to market risk, and if you have other sources of income that could offset that withdrawal rate.

Just because you left your corner office doesn’t mean you’re done making money. Quite the contrary! There are several ways to bring in money through investment strategies. The first is through dividend payments. Many people do this, and it’s a great way to bring in money and stay engaged in the economic world. Buying high-paying dividend stocks pay you out several times a year, simply for owning the stock. You have to do your research and pay attention to the markets, of course. An investment pro can help with this, too. Or, you could open a dividend growth fund, in which you don’t do anything at all, though the dividends may halt or decline depending on the market or the company’s health.

Another option is to invest in real estate and rent out properties. Here’s a way to keep active and generate regular income. This may require more of your time since you must find tenants and maintain the property, but if you can have a nice balance of rental income out paying mortgage installments, this is a great option.

Finally, you can contact a financial advisor about annuities. This option supplies parsed out payments of a consistent amount for the rest of your life, in exchange for a lump sum payment when you open the annuity. This is a very secure route, but it also has the most modest returns.

The most obvious way to earn money is the very way you always have – get a job. Big working days are over, so consider this an opportunity to enjoy a stress-free job, or to try out a lifelong passion. You could work in retail or do odd jobs if you like that sort of thing, work at a museum, provide delivery services, drive a taxi, bookkeeping, work at a doctor’s office, garden, tutor, really anything is available to you. Some new retirees like to shift into consulting, using contacts and skills earned over the years. You keep busy and earn your own salary, but you can choose your jobs and be your own boss.

Many people fret their empty nest egg, but you shouldn’t. It’s important to build as much as you can now, especially since there’s no way to know what lies in our future, but establishing a solid plan and learning about money generating retirement strategies will keep you secure for the long haul.