whats managable commute time for you?

[psychocandy]

I would rather be benched and spend a few weeks with the kids while cherry picking roles than doing long commutes. Each to their own

If you can afford it....

[psychocandy]

The reality is we both need to be working to maintain our standard of living and I have a dedicated security blanket of a 12 month warchest to fall back onto in-between gigs. Gives me the space to not be picky for up to 12 months.

The reality is if any of us can't find work in a 12 month period something isn't right g

The advice has to be, warchest = freedom. I suggest to anyone thinking of going contracting to build one up first.

So your a contractor and she earn more than you? (Is she contractor too?).

Wow thats some serious income then. What are your outgoings that you need this sort of income? I'd be worried about spending this much.

I contract, mrs works part-time as a nurse (crap pay). Still a fair wad. I went off one month because she'd spent almost all our income the one month. I keep telling her if I was permies that'd be a few £K overspend.

Good to have a 12m warchest though. I can only dream....

[psychocandy]

I hate hate HATE driving on main roads so having to commute on motorways would be a bit of a killer for me and I wouldn't want to drive >30-40min at all.

OTOH I'd quite happily sit for 60-90 min each way on a train if it's not overcrowded.

I get my best sleep on the train. In fact, my 45-50 min commute feels like 5 mins cos I'm sleeping the rest of it.

Not missed my stop yet. Had one or two close shaves though.

[psychocandy]

While I agree with the sentiment, what if you exhaust the warchest to say only have 3 months left... then you're left in the position of having to spend months/years building it back up again.

I've currently got this very dilemma. I don't want to rush into any old role think that waiting 6 months for the perfect role to come along may also be a bit daft. From what I'm seeing at the moment the .Net development market is reasonably slow.

On the commute side I've regularly done 1.5+hrs each way a day but I find it's only manageable in chunks of a few months. I think if you're anything over 50 miles or 1 hr each way away then staying over is probably best to preserve your sanity longer term.

I had that once. Really pissed you off to have to spend it.

[psychocandy]

I like to shower and have a wee first, both can be accomplished at once. Then some brekkie, open all the blinds, take my lithium, then to office.

Thats the question. WFH. Get out of bed, dont bother showering, sit in your kegs all day or actually have a wash/get dressed.

[psychocandy]

Contractors need to be ... tough!



I leave my house at 06:00 and arrive at my desk in the City at 08:10

Prompt!

Every day!!

Then I catch the 18:00 and arrive back at 20:00

Prompt!

Every day!!

When I go to the Essex office, it's three-and-a-half hours each way.

Working from home? You must be some loser programmer/techie.

Or maybe a BA!

Or simply not essential

Project Managers : have to be there.

Pressing the flesh...

9.5/10 hour working day = MUG.

Sorry but 6am to 8pm every day is going to kill you eventually. Do you have family?

[sasguru]

Contractors need to be ... tough!



I leave my house at 06:00 and arrive at my desk in the City at 08:10

Prompt!

Every day!!

Then I catch the 18:00 and arrive back at 20:00

Prompt!

Every day!!

When I go to the Essex office, it's three-and-a-half hours each way.

Working from home? You must be some loser programmer/techie.

Or maybe a BA!

Or simply not essential

Project Managers : have to be there.

Pressing the flesh...

Wow with one post you put yourself in front of the pack for CUK Cretin of the Year.
What a plonker. But thanks for the

[Old Greg]

I like to shower and have a wee first, both can be accomplished at once. Then some brekkie, open all the blinds, take my lithium, then to office.

You shower in the toilet?

[dx4100]

So your a contractor and she earn more than you? (Is she contractor too?).

Wow thats some serious income then. What are your outgoings that you need this sort of income? I'd be worried about spending this much.

I contract, mrs works part-time as a nurse (crap pay). Still a fair wad. I went off one month because she'd spent almost all our income the one month. I keep telling her if I was permies that'd be a few £K overspend.

Good to have a 12m warchest though. I can only dream....

She is at Group Director level... We don't "need" that level of incomes its more of a "want". We just gone through the process of having a couple of kids, lower income during maternity leave, extending the house and having a few nice family holidays. We now want to get rid of the mortgage, move to a bigger house and get rid of that mortgage, and do a few more big family holidays to the likes of Disney World etc.

Ride the wave while we can

[dx4100]

While I agree with the sentiment, what if you exhaust the warchest to say only have 3 months left... then you're left in the position of having to spend months/years building it back up again.

If you only aim to pull out the £40k (or whatever the exact number is to avoid HR) a year then, depending on the rates you work towards, it isn't all that hard to build it back up again surely ?

Suppose it depends on your fixed outgoings...