Contracting can be a backdoor to remote work. If you're specialized it's not too difficult to find companies that need help. There's more risk (no benefits, no steady income).
As far as benefits, there are few benefits that are worth having a lower salary. Pension, retirement, all that nonsense – a waste of money – create your own retirement investments with the increased money you make. I’d rather money go into my pocket directly than to some benefit system that necessarily results in some amount of dead-weight loss.
65 per hour gross as a full timer versus 100 per hour gross as a contractor. 35 per hour is like an additional salary.
But, it does take discipline and being extremely organized so it’s not for everyone.
I like having the stability, so easing into contracting might be a viable option for me.