Working away..

[expat]

What about 2 or three nights away? I'm hoping that I'll be able to do the outward journey Monday AM, returning Wednesday PM and either work in this building the last two days or here one day, another site the 5th day.

Or maybe even the odd day at home. Spoke to the wife last night and she thinks 6 months of 4 nights a week could be dealt with, longer would have to be fewer nights or consider coming with.

Among the juggling of hours that could be done, here are a few more that I have tried, obviously applicability depends on family as well as client, and modify 5->4 and 4->3 as appropriate:

1. Take 2 days off a month, straight unpaid days off if you must. That way you can do the weekday-only things that you need to do at home, and have at least a bit more time at home than short weekends.

2. Work a full week in 4 days.

3. Work alternate weeks of Tu-F & M-Th.

4. as 3 and stay away in 1 or 2 of the short weekends every month; possibly family comes out to stay with you then.

Advice: if you try any of these, keep client manager informed in writing of which days you'll be there, so that he never faces the embarrassment of having to say "I don't know if he's in"; and knows that it's a formal arrangement, not a lackadaisical work-when-you-like job. PS also keep family informed or they'll get the same feeling.

No. 4 works well for me because there's only my partner and she likes being away for a weekend.

No. 1 (or indeed 2) doesn't do much for my home life because it doesn't let me see her much more if at all: it doesn't matter whether I leave home on Mondays at 7:10 or at 17:10, I still don't see her more than a goodbye kiss.

[cojak]

You could always look at travelodge, if you book well enough in advance you can get rooms for as little as £19 a night. iirc you may even get a discount for extended periods.

It's bog standard and clean.

True but any locaton that involves a service station drives me mad after the 1st night...

I'm lodging with a landlady following a recommendation from a fellow contractor - always ask around in the new gig...

[Pogle]

I'm just about to work away for a couple of months again, having been on the bench for 4 months.
I initially tried to get work close to home, but everything in my niche market seems to be in the south.
My family understand and they appreciate that being a contractor means that sometimes I'm away and then other times I'm at home for a while. I prefer contracting 'cos I don't have to work full time, where as when I was working for a consultancy I was away a lot, paid less and on less holidays!

My daughter has adapted quite well to it and my husband enjoys being able to catch up on all the dodgy SciFi I wont watch with him.

[expat]

...I prefer contracting 'cos I don't have to work full time, where as when I was working for a consultancy I was away a lot, paid less and on less holidays!

that's what I say to my darling OH: yes, I could work for a consultancy: I'd be doing the same work in the same places, for a lot less money, with no option not to take the jobs I don't want ..... and with no more security in the end.

[EternalOptimist]

I'm just about to work away for a couple of months again, having been on the bench for 4 months.
I initially tried to get work close to home, but everything in my niche market seems to be in the south.
My family understand and they appreciate that being a contractor means that sometimes I'm away and then other times I'm at home for a while. I prefer contracting 'cos I don't have to work full time, where as when I was working for a consultancy I was away a lot, paid less and on less holidays!

My daughter has adapted quite well to it and my husband enjoys being able to catch up on all the dodgy SciFi I wont watch with him.

Southend though. Thats a heck of a trek, 5 hours ?

nice amendment to the sig btw

[dinker]

my trick. Stay in a hotel for the first week, during lunch times visit the local supermarkets and check the small ads. These are usually bit of card pinned to a board. I can usually get a room for less than £100 a week down Sarf.

Chef is right, you need to build yourself a 'kit' for working away.
mines consists of
holdall
toiletries
corkscrew
small bladed scissors
spoon
few small plastic bags
pens
book

No condoms? (or is that the small plastic bags)

[AZZIK]

So far I've been pretty lucky and all my gigs have been close to home, so no staying away overnight.

Current situation is not good and I'm starting to widen the scope a bit which will mean accepting traveling for gigs and staying away mon-fri.

What do you guys do for accommodation? Is there any secrets here I need to know.. I'll be happy with a laptop and mobile broadband in the evenings to keep in touch and do random stuff.. what about getting good places, or discounts for block bookings etc in nice places.. any tips?

Hey i'm in the same boat - been pretty lucky so far. However, things are going to get much more difficult next month when i've finished, and its looking like i'm gonna have relocate somewhere too! Will it ever be the same again?!

[MPwannadecentincome]

No, what I mean is:

Stuck between the needs for time at home and time at work, my ideal time to get a flight out is strictly between 9 and 10, and a flight back between 4 and 5 pm. From Heathrow to Frankfurt, LH have 1 each way, BA have none; if I stretch it half an hour on either side, then LH have 2, BA still have none in my window. Therefore I fly Lufthansa. Therefore if I go to Heathrow, I do not get to fly from T5.

So yes, Birmingham is my choice. But it does get costly, if booked within a month of flight.

Would also like to eliminate Frankfurt, so much so that I have actually tried Frankfurt-Hahn, Dortmund, Zweibruecken, and Karlsruhe. All are frankly ridiculous for this journey, but at least I tried.

Last week I arrived in Frankfurt a/M International at an "air bridge" and walked straight into the terminal. Surely some mistake, I bet they fix that next week.

Oh I see what you mean!

Thanks for the info on those other airports - that saved me the trouble of trying. Re the "air bridge", on Lufthansa I had that mistake made once, actually it took longer than the bus as it was so crowded and far away from immigration. With BA its 50:50 either way.

[expat]

Oh I see what you mean!

Thanks for the info on those other airports - that saved me the trouble of trying. Re the "air bridge", on Lufthansa I had that mistake made once, actually it took longer than the bus as it was so crowded and far away from immigration. With BA its 50:50 either way.

These other airports might work if you live really conveniently for the UK-side airport, Luton or Stansted.

I live near Luton, so the Dortmund flight was OK when I worked north of Frankfurt and had a car over there. Now I work S and don't have a car, it's out: 3h min from airport to work. Mind you, for eliminating Heathrow and Frankfurt, it's tempting....

[Ivor Bigun]

I'm just about to work away for a couple of months again.............
..............My daughter has adapted quite well to it.

Needs must and all that - but you only get moments in time to physically be with people you love to reaffirm who you all are - and why you are all together. You can never recover the time you spend away. Especially as your children grow.

IMO, unless you're absolutely sure that hubby is OK with this long term and wants to be a house husband for the next few years - you should consider on changing this ASAP.

The risks of divorce are everywhere Pogle - I Just hope it doesn't visit your home in the next few years. There are plenty of bitter contractors about with divorce stories to tell because they worked away etc.
Also, I'll wager your husband is not the sort to wash clothes and have a hot meal waiting for you when you (the grumpy "I've had a bad day" bread winner) returns. Sure he'll appear quiet about it but I bet it will eat at him in the long term. Also, I'll bet that a house husband is not the man you wanted to marry in the first place.

So....what am I saying?

IMO, if you have to do what you're doing to afford your lifestyle, you should alter things so your life doesn't cost so much. What's the point?
This is especially important if you have no timescale to it.

No timescale means hanging on by finertips and living a Cr*p life.
Rather you than me but you can change it.......