why such big money ?

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

This is probably covered higher up (confess not read every reply proceeding) to many contracting is a lifestyle choice, certainly to me, and not just about earning £000s. Certainly professional contrators should not brag about how much they are earning in an office environment (hinting is normally sufficient...)

contracting is really all about the money + lifestyle (definitely not just the lifestyle). The fact is you get to build up a war chest as well as run your own business (kind of). That is something that most permies would not be bothered with (claiming expenses, saving up receipts, calculating tax, doing accounts etc etc). While we might enjoy running a "kind of business", we only really do it all for the extra money. The money equates to a different lifestyle i.e. lots more money means good time pay for the bad times, more expensive holidays, more expensive cars etc etc.

[jmo21]

contracting is really all about the money + lifestyle (definitely not just the lifestyle). The fact is you get to build up a war chest as well as run your own business (kind of). That is something that most permies would not be bothered with (claiming expenses, saving up receipts, calculating tax, doing accounts etc etc). While we might enjoy running a "kind of business", we only really do it all for the extra money. The money equates to a different lifestyle i.e. lots more money means good time pay for the bad times, more expensive holidays, more expensive cars etc etc.

I do it for 4 reasons:
- so I don't have to worry as much about office politics (note: I did say "as much"!)
- so I don't have to worry about all the career progression, company initiative BS that comes with permie-dom
- the variety of being able to work in many different business domains
- and of course the money. I couldn't earn as much doing development. I'd have to move up and away from nuts and bolts dev which is what I enjoy doing.

[d000hg]

You have to be able to run a business

Filling in a few forms isn't running a business in my book. You can opt to file your own personal tax return as a permie, after all.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I do it for 4 reasons:
- so I don't have to worry as much about office politics (note: I did say "as much"!)
- so I don't have to worry about all the career progression, company initiative BS that comes with permie-dom
- the variety of being able to work in many different business domains
- and of course the money. I couldn't earn as much doing development. I'd have to move up and away from nuts and bolts dev which is what I enjoy doing.

Agreed - you don't have to get involved in all the career progression BS and office politics - another advantage. Not really lifestyle though....

[curtis]

For me it is a lifestyle choice above money. I see the money as a bonus to be honest.

For me in no order its -

Not feeling stuck anywhere for too long
Not having to be 'AS' involved in company politics
Money (of course)
Being able to put up with much more tulip before it really effects me and gets me down.
Knowing I just have much more freedom in the choice of when I work where I work, how long.

[Fred Bloggs]

For me, the last 16 months has allowed me to put aside enough money to pay for the my son's University fees from 2012 for 3 or 4 years. It has been a real bonus for me as I wouldn't have normally have been able to put that much money to one side. Generally, the biggest advantage to me of contracting is the amount of money I can put into my SIPP. As a staff bloke I simply wouldn't have been able to do either of these things.

[kaiser78]

For me it is a lifestyle choice above money. I see the money as a bonus to be honest.

For me in no order its -

Not feeling stuck anywhere for too long
Not having to be 'AS' involved in company politics
Money (of course)
Being able to put up with much more tulip before it really effects me and gets me down.
Knowing I just have much more freedom in the choice of when I work where I work, how long.

And being able to spend (planned) extended chunks of time at home with the kiddies in between contracts. Priceless.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

And being able to spend (planned) extended chunks of time at home with the kiddies in between contracts. Priceless.

Once again - you can only afford to do that because of the money...... It all boils down to the extra money in the end.....

[northernladuk]

Once again - you can only afford to do that because of the money...... It all boils down to the extra money in the end.....

Ahh to be young and naive again without a care in the world.

[beaker]

When I realised I only had to work 6 months of the year to earn my previous full year's salary, I was sold on contracting. I went back to permiedom for 2 years for a senior management role, which paid well and gave me lots of good experience I wouldn't have got contracting. But I'm back to contracting again, enjoying the home/life split, lack of corporate BS, egos and politics and being considered an expert again, rather than a threat to someone else's job