Has contracting made you lose perspective on money?

[SimonMac]

Did the school run this morning, stayed and chatted with a few of the yummy mummy's and one got a phone call from her partner, seems it was pay day and they were excited as this months wages were a little higher than they expected, due to her having no boundaries it came out quite quickly how much was in, and I worked out the total was less than two days billing, not quite sure what the extra was but would have probably been an hours work.

I am now sat here in a huff that I am getting an extra 4 days billing because ClientCo wants me to start Tuesday rather than a week later.

Now when it comes to the kids, they don't see that I earn all this money, they know they have everything the need, but not everything they want, so I try to install the value of things on them at an early age, I don't flash the cash around, my car is getting more and more battered, I give to charity where I can, I don't have designer clothes (although gadgets are another thing), if there is something I want I go and buy it without questioning the price, I treat myself to nice meals and good wine.

But do I truly appreciate how lucky were are as contractors?

[original PM]

Did the school run this morning, stayed and chatted with a few of the yummy mummy's and one got a phone call from her partner,
SNIP
But do I truly appreciate how lucky were are as contractors?

But is it because you are a contractor or just because you work hard and have moved up the food chain.

Both me and the missus are not contractors (I had a dabble a few years back the missus has always been permie) but between us now we pull in over six figures a year, she works 9-5 about 10 minutes from where we live.

I work whatever hours I want either at the office or at home.

Rarely are we both not at home by 6pm with the kids.

Maybe we just got lucky!

[northernladuk]

Great post and I'd agree with every point and am exactly the same.

I don't know about feeling lucky though. Ive worked for it and get a reasonable reward for not having the comforts of a permie job.

Odd thing about contracting is that we are normal middle management grafters that are now earning quite a bit more. We are still grafters at heart. It's not like we started in daddies business or born in to money etc. So don't see ourselves as the elite. What other industry do wasters, and highly unprofessional morons get to earn over 100k a year

[eek]

Did the school run this morning, stayed and chatted with a few of the yummy mummy's and one got a phone call from her partner, seems it was pay day and they were excited as this months wages were a little higher than they expected, due to her having no boundaries it came out quite quickly how much was in, and I worked out the total was less than two days billing, not quite sure what the extra was but would have probably been an hours work.

I am now sat here in a huff that I am getting an extra 4 days billing because ClientCo wants me to start Tuesday rather than a week later.

Now when it comes to the kids, they don't see that I earn all this money, they know they have everything the need, but not everything they want, so I try to install the value of things on them at an early age, I don't flash the cash around, my car is getting more and more battered, I give to charity where I can, I don't have designer clothes (although gadgets are another thing), if there is something I want I go and buy it without questioning the price, I treat myself to nice meals and good wine.

But do I truly appreciate how lucky were are as contractors?

+1.... It's actually got worse for me with Mrs Eek doing the chocolates. A good day is £200 or say £100 profit so Mrs Eek is celebrating while I'm moaning about the early start and having to look after the children while she is on the stall...

Then because she is too tired to cook I spend £70 on a meal out...

[vetran]

Maybe we just got lucky!

that is key, plenty of nice people who work really hard for peanuts. Yes we followed the right path and sacrificed a little bit on the way but we started with a good brain and motivation.

This arrogance of I deserve X because "I am so much better" on here is really annoying and farcical when you see someone who is low paid that is so much better than you at something.

[TheFaQQer]

What other industry do wasters, and highly unprofessional morons get to earn over 100k a year

Politics

[TheFaQQer]

+1.... It's actually got worse for me with Mrs Eek doing the chocolates. A good day is £200 or say £100 profit so Mrs Eek is celebrating while I'm moaning about the early start and having to look after the children while she is on the stall...

Then because she is too tired to cook I spend £70 on a meal out...

When my wife was doing more crafty things, I'd invoice more in a week (certainly in two) than she would take in the year, working significantly harder than I ever do.

But it's about balance.

[eek]

When my wife was doing more crafty things, I'd invoice more in a week (certainly in two) than she would take in the year, working significantly harder than I ever do.

But it's about balance.

Yep. It's remarkable how little many people take at these craft fairs. Even in the worst fairs we seem to take the most as the stall holders eat their sorrows away with marshmallows and chocolate

And it's something mrs eek likes doing.

[SlipTheJab]

...

Managed to find a pic of you just before you embarked on today's school run

[vetran]

Managed to find a pic of you just before you embarked on today's school run

not seen suity dress down before