You commute too long. That's where those missing 2 hours are going. My example's extreme, but:
8:30 Wakeup, shower, breakfast
9:00-9:50 Browse the net, email
9:50-10:00 Walk to work
10:00-18:00 Work
18:00-20:00 Buy groceries, cook, eat, do dishes
20:00-21:30 Relax in some way. May include tv, movies, exercise. Sometimes extra hacking.
21:30-01:00 Hack (may include leftover work)
You seem to stay up quite late. Unsustainable for me. Also making and eating breakfast takes for me at least 30 minutes at the moment.
Three years ago I had exactly the same 10 minute walk to work and then I did have more time available. However have to consider that:
1) Consultant usually works at client's location and client may change often, though I'm a counter-example of that myself. Moving often is not worth it. I consider my current location pretty optimal. A more central location creates more stress and costs way too much. I would believe it's more effective to just decide to work less hours every week for reduced pay but I'm not yet strong enough to commit to it :)
2) I do not spend any time travelling to shop, to exercise location or to do fun stuff. My travel time maximum is 2 hours every day - the shops, bars, movies, etc. are along the same route and do not increase time spent travelling in a day at all.
3) Car would not improve the situation. In fact it would be slower due to traffic. Or I would have to leave at 06 from home, way too early. And the tradeoff of money to time is ridiculous with so few other uses for a car. And there's the maintenance.
Thanks for the example. Maybe somebody else can chime in too.
