Contractor Holiday - How Much

[mudskipper]

Had two weeks in April and got three weeks next month. Nice to have the flexibility. Did briefly think about what my 3 weeks is going to cost me, but what's the money for? Surely the point of working is to enable you to do the things you want to do.

[rsingh]

[QUOTE=k2p2; Did briefly think about what my 3 weeks is going to cost me, but what's the money for? Surely the point of working is to enable you to do the things you want to do.[/QUOTE]

WHS

[alreadypacked]

New contract will finish just before Xmas, will be in Ireland with family until the new year.
I have already planned 2 weeks in July and a week in September so I am still taking that.
Currently planning to have Jan. Feb and March off, but I am not sure where yet India or Egypt or both

[d000hg]

In my previous gig, I took only 8 days holiday in 18 months, partly because my boss was a d*ck and hated contractors and would never let me take time off (upside £££s), and so I didn't renew at the time - history now anyway.

As a contractor a polite "I won't be in on X" would seem to be sufficient, of course professional courtesy says you give them warning, and don't do it when it will jeopardise some deadline or otherwise damage the client.

[NotAllThere]

I take a week in the summer, a week for a ski holiday (2 weeks if the school holidays fall right), various long weekends, maybe a week in October. But client is 20 minutes from home (or I work remotely), the work is rarely stressful, and I can organise the time, usually, for my convenience.

I plan each year to work 200 days.

[chef]

I always take 10 days (usually 1 working week) off for Glastonbury
I always have 2 weeks off for a winter holiday of some sort
and I always have 2 weeks off in Summer somewhere warm mainly because in my work I work away almost constantly.

This year I had a week off for a break in Venice during contract and that was all I had planned, however, the contract got unexpectedly extended by 6 months even after they'd told me it wasn't and I'd booked hol's and things with gf chef.

So now I'm on a self imposed 7 week holiday mid contract with the clients agreement.. good in that I have a proper break after 2 years almost continous work and also good that there is guaranteed work after this break but a bit annoying that I'm not earning. However, even on day 5 of this break I can see I was pretty stressed/knackered so I suppose it's a good thing overall, right gotta go, I'm out of prosecco for my Aperol Spritz and want to get to the supermarket to buy some before the sun comes out..

[alreadypacked]

I always take 10 days (usually 1 working week) off for Glastonbury
I always have 2 weeks off for a winter holiday of some sort
and I always have 2 weeks off in Summer somewhere warm mainly because in my work I work away almost constantly.

This year I had a week off for a break in Venice during contract and that was all I had planned, however, the contract got unexpectedly extended by 6 months even after they'd told me it wasn't and I'd booked hol's and things with gf chef.

So now I'm on a self imposed 7 week holiday mid contract with the clients agreement.. good in that I have a proper break after 2 years almost continous work and also good that there is guaranteed work after this break but a bit annoying that I'm not earning. However, even on day 5 of this break I can see I was pretty stressed/knackered so I suppose it's a good thing overall, right gotta go, I'm out of prosecco for my Aperol Spritz and want to get to the supermarket to buy some before the sun comes out..

I hope you are in a different time zone, as heading to the supermarket before 7.00 is not a holiday.

[Scrag Meister]

Did briefly think about what my 3 weeks is going to cost me, but what's the money for? Surely the point of working is to enable you to do the things you want to do.

WSS

I generally budget for 6 weeks per year, usually only take 4ish, so always a couple of weeks extra ££££ towards the holidays I do take.

However you play it, you always think I could have been invoicing.

Hawaii in 2.5 weeks :-)

[lje]

I believe in a good work life balance. When looking at my rate I assume that I'll work 45 weeks in the year and that's probably what I end up doing.

So far in this gig I have taken a day or two most months. I take my main holiday at the end of contract periods. For example, my last contract finished on the 22nd of April and I took the next week off. My renewal was from when I got back. That way I'm not really taking my holiday during the contract time.

[lukemg]

Time off ?? – not unless I have a very good reason and then never more than a week.
Depends on your work pattern of course – I am having gaps between contracts which can be a few months due to location and ability restrictions so when I am working I really want to maximise the revenue (having said that, I worked 270 days one year on a very long contract).
If I was constantly in demand I would schedule a modest amount of time off (3-4 weeks)and try not to think of the money !