[bigmanwalter]

You can expect to find short term contracts for 2-3x the hourly rate you would get at a regular job. They can be difficult to find on your own though and it's generally easier to work with a recruiter.

In my experience, you are more likely to end up with a bad commute on one of these contracts than you would with a full time job. And if you let your savings run too low you might end up taking a not so great contract out of desperation.

Beside that, all the upsides you mention are certainly amazing :) I don't miss full time employment at all.