Working away for more money or happy to stay local?

[HumbleWorker 91RT]

Hi All,
Just a question regarding all your opinions and views on domestic installer and house bashing working locally or if your gold card do you prefer the extra money for working away?.

If you could give your reasons not just financial that would be great.

Cheers

 

[Pete999]

Hi All,
Just a question regarding all your opinions and views on domestic installer and house bashing working locally or if your gold card do you prefer the extra money for working away?.

If you could give your reasons not just financial that would be great.

Cheers

IMHO you have to go where the money is, spent a lot of my time working away from home, out of the UK.

 

[Paul L]

I think its all about personal circumstances and work/life balance. When we are a bit younger we probably think its good fun to work away and stay in Hotels and have a laugh with your workmates.
Depends what ties we have at home i suppose, some people don't like being away from their families for even a couple of days but others would see it as a necessary evil to earn more money.

 

[Mike Johnson]

A lot to do with your age, and if you are happily married or thankful to be away, but IMO there is no other reason to work away than the financial benefit.

 

[Rockingit]

Admittedly, what I do (normally) is an exception, but I've never not been used to working away, even before I got into touring. I can get a short notice call at 10am and be at Heathrow by 1pm, done it many times. I'm currently waiting for the events and show world to open up again, like many, but after a few odds n sods of weekend stuff over the summer months I've three weeks provisionally booked in Australia and then straight into 5 weeks of an Arena tour (UK), get home just before Christmas. Next year so far I've pencils for USA, NZ, Caribbean and Vietnam projects as well as UK wide work. It takes a LOT out on a relationship - I'm twice divorced - and when my daughter was born I took myself off the road completely. A decade later and she's able to video call me anywhere I happen to be in any timezone and I have an amazingly supportive new partner who understands the industry so I'm back to it. Travel expands the mind.

 

[Dustydazzler]

A friend of mine works for a company doing big arena concert wiring, he is much younger than me and no children. He makes incredibly good money and has seen more of the globe than most people will in a lifetime.

it’s not for everyone but for some they absolutely love it.

closest I got to working away was some set electrical work at the Birmingham Nec for 3 weeks about 10 years ago

 

[Pete999]

Very good marriage, loyal Wife 7/8 weeks at a time to enable me and Mrs to have a happy retirement.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Very good marriage, loyal Wife 7/8 weeks at a time to enable me and Mrs to have a happy retirement

No body behind you then with cooking
Pan ready. Lol

 

[Moley]

I'm in a different field of work (EHV/HV mainly at power stations) and work away all the time. Have done for at least 15 years. I worked night shift at a factory before that. Both the wife and I prefer me working away. She has the bed to herself (and the cats and dog) all week, I get the peace and quiet of a Premmier Inn/Best Western during the week. We talk over the phone every night (she talks, I listen) and we get on well. It depends on what you and your partner (if you have one) want. During the week I'm away, weekends we enjoy each others company. I enjoy the banter with workmates during the week evenings then back to being nagged at weekends. It's not for everyone and it can cause problems with relationships but I would say in my case it's helped. And the extra money is useful too
I think it's helped my daughter too. Her boyfriend works away all week. Because she's grown up with me away (she's 21) she doesn't find it a problem with her relationship.

 

[Sintra]

It really depends on individual circumstances. I’ve been working away for 33 years so was at this before I met the wife. I do roughly 8 weeks away then home for a few days and it works for us. Will be hitched 25 years on Sunday so it can work. I think the bottom line is that it works for some and not for others.

 

[mattg4321]

I rarely work further than 15 miles from my house and probably 4 days out of 5 within 5 miles of it. Definitely prefer that to travelling into London which is obvious way I could earn a little bit more.

Staying away sounds like a good laugh with the right guys but in all honesty I wouldn’t want to do more than a couple of weeks or so a year.

 

[littlespark]

First and last time I worked away from home was Terminal 5 at Heathrow.
6 weeks away from wife and small child, and this was before the days of video calling. Just had to phone.

got paid travelling to go home once a fortnight, but train up Saturday morning and train back down Sunday night was hardly worth it. Other weekends were spent with a day tube ticket and exploring London.
When the tubes were running that is.... this was just after a tube bombing.

The guy I was hotel room sharing with disappeared some nights as he had hooked up with some girl.

Stressful time happened when we got home and his wife was asking what was going on....

“I know nothing....”

 

[HumbleWorker 91RT]

Some great information there boys cheers, I’m working in the big smoke atm on a biomass plant shutdown and find the toll on personal life vs financial benefits worth it at the moment.

 

[i=p/u]

You got to be flatt out on the gravy train... big cities where it happens..