There's one more thing which is absolutely fantastic about being your own boss while waiting for your next flying job. Not having to convince anyone (often by being rather dishonest) that you won't run off the very moment a flying job is thrown your way. It's your private party, you needn't explain to anyone why you are doing more, less or no work at any given time. And this is just one perk which adds up to making your own timetable, deciding how much to work, always having something useful and profitable to do whenever there aren't any flights and so on. So, those tradesman skills will only benefit you and enhance your financial security. And, even if you are fortunate enough to never really need them for a living, doing something with your hands is a good way to take your mind off the flight deck every now and again. Not to mention that being able to maintain stuff in your own home without relying on anyone else is nice in itself and can save you quite a bit of money over the years.