Realistic contract equivalent to £~30k salary package?

[djp]

Thanks, some good responses here. Basically it looks like I won't starve at £150-200 per day and there are contracts in my skillset for more than that, so this just might work!

[Jaws]

Thanks, some good responses here. Basically it looks like I won't starve at £150-200 per day and there are contracts in my skillset for more than that, so this just might work!

Not sure of your circumstances, but my outgoings are pretty low and I wouldn't take a £150/day contract unless I had absolutely no other choice due to the fact I'd struggle to save up any money for the times when I'm not invoicing. In fact I'd probably go permie for a while if it ever got to that.

[gingerjedi]

Not sure of your circumstances, but my outgoings are pretty low and I wouldn't take a £150/day contract unless I had absolutely no other choice due to the fact I'd struggle to save up any money for the times when I'm not invoicing. In fact I'd probably go permie for a while if it ever got to that.

I'm currently in a permy position and to be honest in this climate I don't feel any safer than in contract, the difference here is I have absolutely no chance of saving any money should I be pushed.

Who's in the better position?

[d000hg]

If you can't save anything at £200/day that means you're saying the equivalent of about £35k salary is your subsistence level (since we're talking earning level while working, not averaging out including benched times). That's quite high when most people earn less than that their whole life and still have to buy cars, pay off mortgages, etc. All those caviar omelettes and Cuban cigars

[djp]

I suppose my main remaining question then, is what's a fair period to expect not to be able to find a contract? Based on some sweeping generalisations and overly rounded sums, if I can find work an average of 70-75% of the time then I can't see how I'd end up any worse off, before I've even claimed back any expenses. Is that a fair percentage?

[gingerjedi]

I suppose my main remaining question then, is what's a fair period to expect not to be able to find a contract? Based on some sweeping generalisations and overly rounded sums, if I can find work an average of 70-75% of the time then I can't see how I'd end up any worse off, before I've even claimed back any expenses. Is that a fair percentage?

My personal experience over the last 8 years ranges from 95% in good times to 5% in bad, I've had two gigs go t*ts up within 2 weeks of starting this year.

It's not a good time unless you can afford for that sort of eventuality at a zero notice period.