How did you decide to go contracting?

[FatLazyContractor]

I worked with a contractor a couple of years back, and that was his situation, plus he'd never married.

He takes a contract whenever he can be bothered, and has lots of good contacts such that he always gets repeat work.

Is his first name Jack ?

[greenlake]

How did you decide to go contracting?

Q: "Why do you rob banks?"

A: "Because that's where the money is."

[DodgyAccountant]

Q: "Why do you rob banks?"

A: "Because that's where the money is."

Willie Sutton rule

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton%27s_law

[jmo21]

Is his first name Jack ?

Nope.

[tvr450]

Had a place at university lined up as a mature student. Left my permie job and went travelling for 6 weeks. Stayed with ex-colleague for a night on my way past and he offered me a contract. Never did go to that university.

Regrets: Friends are now senior management etc of large companies, where I am still doing the same thing. However, I am earning more than them

[UncleRoger]

I saw way too many people doing it that were completely, utter rubbish in both skills and motivation/professionalism that I just said to myself that there was no way I could cock it up given the chance.
So I waited to have a good buffer to live through the initial unemployment, left the company I was working for (which later became one of my main clients) and just started looking.