How did you decide to go contracting?

[VectraMan]

I just wanted to pay less tax. It didn't matter how much I earned; I just had this deep seated feeling of entitlement that I deserved to pay a lower tax rate than everybody else.

HTH.

[SpontaneousOrder]

I wanted the ability to keep moving & learning without feeling like I was stitching up the incumbent employer at any given time.

And in order to do that very much I'd ned to be able to expense travel/accommodation in order to make it financially viable.

Contracting solved both of those problems.

[Wilmslow]

Wilmsloooooooooooooooooooooooow!

How's the bungalow?

The bungalow is good! It now has an upstairs bedroom and toilet.

[rl4engc]

In 2007 I'd been a permie for 7 years at Co, I'd made it to Senior Eng on about £36k which was good for the time and area. Co had recently been bought out by ParentCo based down South, there was huge project on with a lot of pressure on the staff at Co to work down at ParentCo. A house was provided by Co and a lot of the permies and contractors worked down there and got bonuses etc. and didn't mind.

Then a shake-up at ParentCo meant a lot of their engineers had to move on to another project, and I was being put forward to take on one particularly troublesome part of it that had been left thus far, it would have been a case of "Go and work down South and come back when it's complete.." Having a life and family etc. Oop Noorth I knew it was time to move on. So you could say I was pushed into it, but I needed that push.

A contractor at Co took me to the pub one lunchtime and explained about contracting, how easy it was to set up a company, expenses etc, and that his company took in "about 4-6 grand a month" (at the time my take home was just over 2k a month) from that point on I was sold. I applied for a contractor role at a nearby company, got it and did my first four weeks as a contractor in Nov/Dec 2007.

Regrets: NULL

[PurpleGorilla]

In 2007 I'd been a permie for 7 years at Co, I'd made it to Senior Eng on about £36k which was good for the time and area. Co had recently been bought out by ParentCo based down South, there was huge project on with a lot of pressure on the staff at Co to work down at ParentCo. A house was provided by Co and a lot of the permies and contractors worked down there and got bonuses etc. and didn't mind.

Then a shake-up at ParentCo meant a lot of their engineers had to move on to another project, and I was being put forward to take on one particularly troublesome part of it that had been left thus far, it would have been a case of "Go and work down South and come back when it's complete.." Having a life and family etc. Oop Noorth I knew it was time to move on. So you could say I was pushed into it, but I needed that push.

A contractor at Co took me to the pub one lunchtime and explained about contracting, how easy it was to set up a company, expenses etc, and that his company took in "about 4-6 grand a month" (at the time my take home was just over 2k a month) from that point on I was sold. I applied for a contractor role at a nearby company, got it and did my first four weeks as a contractor in Nov/Dec 2007.

Regrets: NULL

Nice - I regret not starting solo sooner.

[unixman]

I first heard of contracting in about '95 when a couple of young colleagues left to go contracting in London. One even brought his pay slip to the pub and waved it around. I continued permy though, changing jobs regularly, and thus getting good pay rises and experience. Often thought of contracting but didn't do it. Company cars, various job titles culminating in "principle consultant".

Unfortunately 3 weeks after I took that last job, the small, lovely consultancy was taken over by an IT provider, and then by another. They turned out to be the worst managed company I had ever come across. Abysmal. I stuck with it and they paid my mortgage off, thanks, then made me redundant for being over paid. They were interested in low rent-a-body, not consultancy.

With no job or mortgage, contracting was a no brainer. Was happy with umbrella for 6 years until rates went through the floor. I couldn't compete on rate with the Ltd company guys, so started ltd. and worked for lower rates, which are now almost recovered.

Now if only I can set the above story to some sort of rap song.

[Jog On]

I did it for the money plain and simple. My finances were a mess and I had to do something to get out of debt.

Regret not doing it sooner

[Dallas]

Headhunted 8 years ago with a promise that the streets would be paved with gold

Not quite but I have just taken the last div for this year and have a comfortable warchest and portfolio etc.
But also have a thicker skin having tolerated a lifetimes worth of

[GlenW]

Money!
Only regret is that I didn't do it earlier

[kevpuk]

Wanted to change car....