Weighing a contract offer against waiting - any advice?

The pay is fair but there are no benefits. There are 7 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. I have 13 months of savings left. How did you handle benefits?

If savings are low, I would accept and keep applying. You can leave for a permanent role if one appears.

I took a contract and it converted after four months. The time also kept my skills current.