What is the longest you have been out of Work in the last year

[craig_m67]

Benched myself in April 08 to enjoy summer and some time with my 12mth old son. How many months is that, what day is it??

Looking around seriously now as it's going to get too cold to muck around outside soon.. not that it ever got that warm - fricken UK summers.

[The Lone Gunman]

8 months out last year. 4 of them planned. Was starting to get worried, I only had another 12 months wages left in the business.

[BrilloPad]

On 3rd October it is 20 years since my first contract. I was out of work for 2 weeks in 1991 and only worked 5 months at a very low rate between April 2002 and April 2003(though I got a reference for the whole year).

[ITGecko]

Thanks a lot guys,

Sounds to be like a lot of you guys have planned your time off which is nice but I am curious? How do you split you contract income? I mean how much of it do you allocate to training, personal up keep, bench allowance, etc. Or do you all rely on you accountants or Umbrella companies to do that?

Also How do you prevent yourself from becoming a money tart but rather streamline your career based on the technologies or skills you want to be an expect in. I mean when the time gets hard you will have to do whatever is available.

Kind Regards

[Incognito]

zero days

WHS

[Likely]

Thanks a lot guys,

Sounds to be like a lot of you guys have planned your time off which is nice but I am curious? How do you split you contract income? I mean how much of it do you allocate to training, personal up keep, bench allowance, etc. Or do you all rely on you accountants or Umbrella companies to do that?

Also How do you prevent yourself from becoming a money tart but rather streamline your career based on the technologies or skills you want to be an expect in. I mean when the time gets hard you will have to do whatever is available.

Kind Regards

During the first years of your contracting years you will be spending most of your money on fastish cars , then you'll come to your senses and start working 3years in a row without breaks .... then you are likely to become something like sas/atw i.e post opinions on everything and everything and try to boost your self esteem with questions like "Do you still want me ?".. Then you will gradually turn into something like NickFriz or Zeity i.e don't give a tulip about anything and acquire some weird hobby like "being the person with most posts on TPD". Just watch not to lose your mind on the way like Lucy , Andyw and others have ..

[Torran]

in 8 years

my choice about - 9 months

not my choice - 5 months

last 12 months - 2 weeks

[Bob Dalek]

4 weeks - I was dumb and didn't have quite enough stored away to live my usual hedonistic life, so a bit poo.

Be warned! Always save up to cover up to a year on the bench/doing low-paid stuff/illness/etc.

[craig_m67]

4 weeks - I was dumb and didn't have quite enough stored away to live my usual hedonistic life, so a bit poo.

Be warned! Always save up to cover up to a year on the bench/doing low-paid stuff/illness/etc.

This is good advice.. you don't need to be a contractor to take this advice. Everybody should have this confidence in their back pocket. You never know when you might want to feck off and climb the tallest (active) volcano in the world.. or follow a cute chick who does.