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

[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.

[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.

[Torran]

in 8 years

my choice about - 9 months

not my choice - 5 months

last 12 months - 2 weeks

[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 ..

[Incognito]

zero days

WHS

[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

[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).

[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.

[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.

[Gonzo]

I only worked 22 days in the last quarter of 2007.

I will only have taken 22 days off (including bank holidays) in the first three quarters of 2008.

From December 2008, I will be taking some serious time off.

[Moose423956]

None. But then I am a permie. KERCHIIIIIIIIIIING!

[dmini]

I had a couple of months off two years ago, but since then I've been in a contract solidly, should be up to next Feb, but who knows.
Yes, it can be scary, but the extra money you get as a contractor should cover that time, and you use it for holiday, training, and searching Jobswerve every 2 hours!!
I'm in a better place financially now than I was at that point, but sitting at home for weeks on end would drive me up the wall - so I do my best to ensure I keep contracts running well, clients happy, and update my skills where required. Gives me the best chance of getting a new contract quickly

[ratewhore]

I take 6 months off every 2-3 years. It's great...

[Diver]

7 months

[moorfield]

but the chances of not having work for 2-3 months scares the hell out of me.

Contracting probably not for you then! Stick to permiedom while times are tough.