decision time

[Gentile]

I have been on the bench for 5 months and was starting to get a bit worried.

Last week I got 2 offers on the same day!

One 12 month rolling contract - Tax free - living abroad - accommodation provided - bills paid - 1 free flight a year. BUT the mrs wouldn't be able to join me until later on next year and I was away for 18 months (on and off) for the last contract and it wasn't very good from her point of view as she does not drive.

Second offer was a Permie role, but based in this country and they offer a 5K re-location package, health insurance and pension.

The contract is worth about 5K a year more in hard cash due to the 'tax free' incentive.

REALLY not sure which way to go and was wondering what other peeps might do with the same offers on the table??

Mel.

It's time to draw two columns on a piece of paper, and list the positives and negatives for each option in each column, isn't it?

Financially, unless a contract is worth at least twice as much as a permie role, to me it's not a worthwhile alternative. Also, you say that one of the implications is your wife wont be able to join you if you do the overseas contract. You then go on to say that there's a relocation package with the domestic permie role. That confuses me a bit - would your wife be able to relocate with you in the case of the permie role, but not the contract? If so, why?

Last thoughts, with you mentioning it being "tax free", are you talking Saudi? If so, you may find that taking your wife there is the worst thing you can possibly do if you're trying to recover from a rough patch in which you didn't get to see one another much. Even when/if she does eventually join you, Saudi society isn't known for bringing men and women closer together. A friend of mine went to a dinner party there once where all the men ate in one room, and all the women ate in another room entirely. She only saw her husband when they arrived, and again when they left. It was about as much fun as you might imagine.

[SimonMac]

To me (given the circumstances you listed) its a no brainer, do you take an extra £5k over family happiness?

[Incognito]

If I take off the tax I will be paying as a permie, then the contract works out at 5K more.

Not sure if 'er in doors' would like the substitute idea....lol

That's either a tulip rate or a damn good permie offer. The question is which do you prefer?

[escapeUK]

One 12 month rolling contract - Tax free - living abroad - accommodation provided - bills paid - 1 free flight a year. BUT the mrs wouldn't be able to join me until later on next year and I was away for 18 months (on and off) for the last contract and it wasn't very good from her point of view as she does not drive.

This one. I certainty wouldn't be influenced by someone who needs me as a free taxi. If you had said, it wasnt very good from her point of view as she was desperately lonely and she really loves me, or something like that that fine. But her biggest problem was she does not drive? I think you know what you need to do.

[speling bee]

To me (given the circumstances you listed) its a no brainer, do you take an extra £5k over family happiness?

It's very borderline, though, isn't it?

3k probably not. 6k definitely. But 5??????

[chalced]

After much deliberation and consultation with the wife (and the contract company), I have decided to go with the contract as they have offered 3 years if I want it!.

It's not Saudi - It's Jamaica! and the wife will be able to join me next year.

When I do the maths (bearing in mind that I will be renting the UK house out), then I should be able to save between 20-30 K per year (ALL bills are paid for whilst abroad), so with a chance to pay the mortgage off within 2 years, as opposed to taking on a bigger mortgage (as would have been with the permie) it seemed to make sense.

Thanks for all the input

[SimonMac]

It's very borderline, though, isn't it?

3k probably not. 6k definitely. But 5??????

Then you have very different life goals to me, I could work 12 months a year, or half my wage and only work 6 months, spending more time near the family. I know which I choose

[stek]

Jamaica has income tax and taxes you on your world wide income....

[speling bee]

Then you have very different life goals to me, I could work 12 months a year, or half my wage and only work 6 months, spending more time near the family. I know which I choose

We need a new irony font.

[chalced]

Then you have very different life goals to me, I could work 12 months a year, or half my wage and only work 6 months, spending more time near the family. I know which I choose

But in my case I have no other family to worry about


'stek
Jamaica has income tax and taxes you on your world wide income....'

It's not working for a Jamaica company... Its to the UK government out there and being paid to a UK account