Reply to: Hitting the 10 year wall

[Old Greg]

my exit plan still involves me hurling myself into an active volcano - although at 10 years I guess I'm only half way there ...

Suity tried that, but got the specs wrong and ended up in Luton.

[ContractorOnAMotorbike]

Only 5 years so still a pup

[psychocandy]

28 years for me working in IT.

Must admit some days I just cant be arsed.

[radish2008]

my exit plan still involves me hurling myself into an active volcano - although at 10 years I guess I'm only half way there ...

[lukemg]

Got 23 years on the clock, exit plan is FIRE (Financial Independance/Retire Early).
It's a nice feeling when you are setup financially even if you choose to carry on, you never have to stay somewhere terrible, work away from home (unless you want to) etc.
The time to pack in is when you've got enough (20x annual expenses) and you've had enough. Just make sure you get to the first one before the second....
Alternative - don't work summers regardless of offers/current contract, if you are any good and got some reserves, you will pick up work as and when.

[BR14]

bunch o' wooses- 40 years, and still did all the things i wanted to.

[ChimpMaster]

15 years for me. Been given the warning signs aplenty in current contract and can see the end:

Client share price down 50% YoY
Senior IT mgmt being called into head office for budget adjustments
Permie "offers"
Permie "offers" rescinded due to recruitment freeze
Rate cuts
Staff scared to speak about what's going on
Staff worried about their jobs
Mass demotivation
Offshore bodyshops wading in
Other contractors given notice
etc.

I've lasted longer than I thought. So although it hurts in one way to leave contracting, in another way it's a release, it's freedom.

So it's time to pay the taxes I owe, pay off some debts, then sit back and send the wife out to work. It's time to do something more exciting. I'm old enough that if I don't do some of the things I have always wanted to do in life, soon it will be too late and my body will creak, my hair will be gone, I will have moobs, and I won't look cool doing those things any more.

[Old Greg]

MF's will need to be very sturdy. About 2 years worth of take home. If there are no sledge purchases or election bets.

Or he could buy bitcoin.

He can just squeeze under the patio with the rest of the family.

[greenlake]

MF's will need to be very sturdy.

….with a nice thick crust....

[ContractorOnAMotorbike]

Yeah I 'd say so - roles at bigger places as well. An age things as well - coming up to 50 this year so don't know If I've actually go the energy any more. I seemed to be happier when I was on half of what I earn now and was working for start ups. It's a bit like a marathon runner hitting the wall after 15 miles.

Grab that energy gel (take a holiday) and start running again (come back fresh)

[GreenMirror]

My exit strategy is akin to a pine box, 6ft tall, 2ft wide and 1ft deep.

MF's will need to be very sturdy. About 2 years worth of take home. If there are no sledge purchases or election bets.

Or he could buy bitcoin.

[ladymuck]

I am in my 13th year of trading. My best gigs were the part time ones where I was only working three days a week.

There are days where I just don't want to get up in the morning. I have always had the opinion that if any job (perm or contract) made me feel that way more often than not then it's time to move on. Current gig is getting close to that point but I'm kept alive by the ability to work from home, from anywhere I please. Means I get to visit the beau up in Glasgow more often.

I see no issue with leaving your current client in August. It's a month to faff and have a wind down so you can enjoy your holiday all the more. Leave on good terms and you might end up going back when you return.

[radish2008]

you guys … :-)

[Cirrus]

Re-open this thread in 2038

I was contracting for over 30 years. Get back in there and stop whingeing.

[original PM]

Sounds like the IT tulip head is trying to cut costs and sees a nice big fat contractor cost that could be cut...

call him out on it - tell him you know he/she needs to cut costs and you understand why - but ask him not to try to be clever about it as it does not suit his style...

and then enjoy the even earlier bench time!