What's the most profitable place to contract ?

[Lockhouse]

As mentioned above, London is the best if you can keep your fixed costs down. Get a small flat on the East Central line and commute into Liverpool St. Work in a bank. Don't take big divvies and keep under the 40% bracket. After as many years as you can bear it, fold your company and pocket the cash.

[Bagpuss]

A small flat in Hackney should cost you no more than half your contractng income per month. In that price range being burgled/shot at/ or mugged shouldn't happen more than once a month

[bobsmithldn]

Anyone been in a place and felt you were just making too much money, too easily ? I wanna go there !
<snip>

Yep, Commedybank (hint: a German bank).

[TheMonkey]

A small flat in Hackney should cost you no more than half your contractng income per month. In that price range being burgled/shot at/ or mugged shouldn't happen more than once a month

Yeah that's about right. Clapton is the bad end. At least the hospital (Homerton) is actually quite good

[Lockhouse]

I'd go further out: Ilford or Seven Kings are still relatively cheap and only 20 mins from Liverpool St on the overground.

[lORD lUCAN]

Anyone been in a place and felt you were just making too much money, too easily ? I wanna go there !


I'm in my early 30s, 10 years experience contracting in financials, pretty good at what I do. These are (allegedly) the peak earning years. I want to get some moolah for myself and future dependents before all this work is totally commoditised and packaged off to Vikrams and Benishas in Hyderabad.

Within some reason I don't care where I work. I can enjoy most places. I've worked long-term in 4 countries but none have yet delivered a lot of take-home.

I've looked at gas/oil in Algeria / Nigeria. Hasn't happened yet and maybe the lifestyle is too hard to sustain after the novelty wears off.

The City pays great sometimes but UK tax is too high and London costs are silly for what you get.

Zurich is working out OK but costs are high here too. You do get quality for your money though.

I've thought about Scandinavia, especially Norway. Nearly all the contracts are SAP-related there. The rates are HIGH HIGH HIGH. Don't know the tax situation for foreigners but the costs of living must be huge too.

Tokyo might be interesting. I've seen perm stuff there.

No, I couldn't do 2 years in Saudi. Not my style at all. Besides, I usually need a drink at the end of the morning.

Leaving for Norway end of next month, tax is roughly a third of earnings, beer is very expensive (£6 a pint) food and accomadation, reasonable, cars and insurance, very expensive, luxury goods, very expensive and highly taxed, on the other hand, if you don't drink, smoke, and enjoy the wilderness, skiing, trekking, white water rafting, humping in the woods. It's a great place.

[Visse]

Good luck in norway!

It's a beatiful country although expensive..if you will be living in Oslo or somewhere close to the swedish border you can do as the norwegians.
Take a trip to sweden and buy meat, spirits and beer. Also cigarettes ans snus is cheaper there.

Make sure you try "Lefser". A roll of bread which is really good

[mcquiggd]

Never mind 'beer', how much is a decent bottle of wine or champers...?

[ChimpMaster]

Angela

I'd like to ask - how much would you consider a "killing"... a daily rate of £400 / £600 / £1000 ?

It's all relative isn't it? At £500 you would earn £10,000 / month, which is an enormous amount to most people. Some would have to work a year to save up that amount.

I understand what you mean though and I too would like to get to £1,000 / day at some point -- I've known many who have earned that back in the hey days a few years back. But alas I don't believe those days are coming back any time soon.