What's the biggest factor in whether you enjoy a contract?

[swamp]

There is a lot of touchy-feely bollocks going on here today. A contractor should vote for the money every time. Second would be commute.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

There is a lot of touchy-feely bollocks going on here today. A contractor should vote for the money every time. Second would be commute.

Thats the best post in this thread.

[doodab]

2 hours a day on the train so I can have my soul destroyed, all for an extra £50? Bollocks to that.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

2 hours a day on the train so I can have my soul destroyed, all for an extra £50? Bollocks to that.

Those £50 per day extra comes to £200 per week and alomost add up to a grand for a month and could easy be £10K a year. This give you a couple of weeks extra holiday end of it all with your wife and kids...

[MonzaMike]

Depends what Money you're on

Current gig is a great commute and nice people.

Problem is that the rate is not good and I'm frankly not sure that it covers my outgoings.

Point is that i'm pondering going elsewhere for more cash, but probably worse on the other criteria (e.g. especially commute)

If you're putting money in the warchest each week then Money doesn't seem a priority, but if the debt's aren't getting any smaller then it's a different set of priorities.

[scooterscot]

The dinner bell.

[d000hg]

There is a lot of touchy-feely bollocks going on here today. A contractor should vote for the money every time. Second would be commute.

I doubt you're very good at what you do, if money is all that drives you.

[d000hg]

Those £50 per day extra comes to £200 per week and alomost add up to a grand for a month and could easy be £10K a year. This give you a couple of weeks extra holiday end of it all with your wife and kids...

But it's 2 hours per day. 10 hours a week. 40 hours a month. That could be 450-500 hours a year. Which is about the same as 30 days-worth of time (based on 16 hours a day).

So your method has him sitting on the train for 2 hours a day, so that he can barely see his family in the evenings, in order to spend on average 2 weeks less a year with them... and your way assumes he'll take 2 weeks more off simply because he earns more - as if he can book holiday like a permie.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

But it's 2 hours per day. 10 hours a week. 40 hours a month. That could be 450-500 hours a year. Which is about the same as 30 days-worth of time (based on 16 hours a day).

So your method has him sitting on the train for 2 hours a day, so that he can barely see his family in the evenings, in order to spend on average 2 weeks less a year with them... and your way assumes he'll take 2 weeks more off simply because he earns more - as if he can book holiday like a permie.

What I tried to show was how much those extra £50 actually could be long term. It's impossible to put down one single item as the biggest factor except from money, I think most contractors would go for a really boring contract in a bad location if the money is really really good. For me everything has to be consider before taking a contract - money, commute, location and type of work.

[doodab]

Those £50 per day extra comes to £200 per week and alomost add up to a grand for a month and could easy be £10K a year. This give you a couple of weeks extra holiday end of it all with your wife and kids...

Assuming 200 days billed it's £10k a year before tax. So perhaps £7k.

So the question becomes; is the extra money (or an extra 2 weeks off) worth an extra 400 hours of commuting and being more tired, stressed and unhappy for the 10.5 months of the year you are working?

I think it largely depends if you can earn enough to achieve your desired standard of living without making those additional sacrifices. At the moment, I would like to have the choice