If you are thinking of going self employed and you are the sole wage earner in your family, I'd be very cautious at the moment. The economy is in a difficult position and the situation could well get worse in 2008. If you are going to be working in Highways Reinstatement, many local councils are fairly strapped for cash and could be looking for cheaper contractors, so even a salaried job might not be 100% saecure. For your own peace of mind I'd suggest setting up an emergency savings account which is capable of paying all your domestic bills for six months before you consider jacking in salaried employment. Then if things don't work out, you will at least have some cash to fall back on. Unless your mates are all self-employed and making a good living, I'd take their urgings with a pinch of salt. What does your wife think about it? Would she be in a position to take a part time job to help support you if things don't work out? And are you self disciplined about being about to cope with your own tax, National Insurance, and invoicing, etc and know enough about running your own business to be able to cope in the early stages? If not, get down to the library and read up about being self-employed. You need to be sure you can cope with all these issues before you throw up your salaried job, not after you've done it and then find you're strugging trying to cope with the admin side.