It’s just all doom and gloom at the moment, isn’t it? It feels like reading the financial section at the moment should come with a mental health warning: “may cause uncontrollable feelings of impending doom”. Heck, even this blog gets pretty depressing at times.

Image by katerha

Sorry about that. But is it really that bad? Only this morning, BBC reporter Steph McGovern visited British based shoe makers Hotter Shoes to show that there are indeed some small green shoots in the UK economy.

Things are looking pretty rosy for Hotter Shoes. It has opened 20 stores in the past 18 months, which has created around 200 jobs across the country. It also has a widely expanding online business selling comfortable shoes and has successfully expanded into the American market.

It was announced just this afternoon that Intercontinental Hotels, who own the Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza brands, will create 3,000 jobs in the UK over the next three years. They are just the latest in a long line of brands taking on new staff: both McDonalds and Subway have revealed that they will also be increasing their headcount.

Business spending and retail growth

According to the BBC, 38.5% of businesses intend to raise their marketing budgets this year, compared to 2011 where there was no planned net increase in spend.

And there’s good news for retailers too: last week, it was revealed that retail sales rose in January compared to December, which is a much stronger figure than what economists were expecting.

So put that nervous breakdown on hold – yes, the economy may be in a pretty bad way, but it looks like there are little glimmers of hope beginning to creep through the cracks.

Do you think the economy is beginning to recover? Or is your personal situation still in a bad way? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Freelance Photography

If photography is your passion then there are many advantages to setting yourself up as a freelance photographer. As with any freelance role you will be able to choose your own working hours and be your own boss. As well as this you will have more control of the direction you take your career in and through working with a wide variety of clients you will also gain very varied experience and an impressive CV.

Obviously if becoming a freelance photographer was easy then everyone would be doing it. One of the major drawbacks is that there is less job security working freelance. You will need to be business savvy and good at networking to ensure that you can source enough work to keep you earning a salary to live from. You need to weigh up all the pros and cons and do your research in to the market before deciding whether working freelance is right for you.

Invest in your business

Investing in the best equipment is an essential factor in setting up your own photography business. Since the quality of your work will be directly affected by the quality of your photography equipment. This will in turn affect the variety of jobs you can complete and the referrals you get from clients. As an experienced photographer you should know how to source the best cameras and other equipment, however remember it is unwise to spend a lot of money in one go. Instead, start off with equipment that will allow you to do basic jobs and as the jobs roll in and your earnings increase you can invest more in the range of equipment you have.

Also consider investing in yourself by way of training days. One of the main risks of freelance work is that your skills become outdated so keep up to date with the latest techniques by active learning.

Charging for your work

The way you charge for your work is very important because you need to ensure you are able to earn a professional income in order to work freelance. The most common ways photographers earn money is through commission or through reproduction fees.

Photographers working on commission charge by time. The figure you charge will depend on your own individual circumstances and preferences. Since you are working freelance you will need to work out the optimal fee, which is both competitive and allows you to earn enough to live, cover holidays, illness periods, your pension, administrative fees etc. It can be hard to work out the ideal fee to charge. You will need to do a lot of research into your business costs and even check out what other freelance photographers are charging. Never be afraid to negotiate better rates.

The photographer is the owner of the intellectual property in the work. The commission fee should include an initial limited licence for reproduction, to be negotiated between the photographer and the client, beyond which further reproduction fees are chargeable.

Check out this handy photography day rate calculator form londonfreelance.org which should give you some idea about how much to charge.

Promoting your work

It may be wise to start of working in a range of areas, but as you gain experience you should decide if you will continue to operate in a range of fields, or if you should specialise in sport, food, landscape, or business photography. Specialising should help you to target your market better.

It is extremely important to set up your own website. This will allow you to show off your best photographs and sell your work without needing a bricks and mortar shop.  The next step is to set up social media profiles. This will allow you to network with other freelance photographers and with clients. Spreading the reach of your work and maximising the level of interaction with other potential clients will help you become better known. It will also help you pick up business tips.

Don’t forget traditional marketing techniques as well. It’s important to have a business card which you can hand out when you meet potential clients, at networking events or to current clients so they keep you in mind for future work.

Administrative issues

As well as concentrating on your creative work, life as a freelancer will also require you to have a strong business head and organisational skills to ensure that the administrative side runs smoothly.

It is important to keep track of business income and expenses by making sure your clients pay in a timely manner, as well as managing insurance and tax issues. To make sure you are paying the correct amount of tax you should always consult an accountant. However, this can be an expensive resource. It is important to use small business accounting software which will help you keep track of all your business costs but will also result in paperwork taking up less of your time. There are several online versions which will make the process as efficient as possible.

Summary

Success as a freelance photographer ultimately depends how much time and effort you can invest into the project. There are relatively low entry barriers to establishing yourself and experience will be your greatest asset. Remember to make use of online resources to make yourself known and find work more easily.

Do you have any other top tips for starting out as a freelance photographer? If you liked this guide to setting up as a freelance photographer then you can find it in a downloadable format via our PDF sharing account.

Image via osde8info

Sainsbury’s, Waterstones and disability charity Scope are just some who have made their services no longer available. Tesco are facing a huge protest over their involvement which has led to the supermarket expressing their concern to the government.

In light of the criticism, the government have agreed to review the scheme although employment minister Chris Grayling is adamant of its benefits.

Some argue the system exploits young unemployed people. Grayling insists the limit of 8 weeks work prevents this. He also pointed out the scheme is not designed for companies to continuously replace staff in order to find cheap labour. Anyone found doing this will be taken out of the system.

There is always the possibility of employment after. For example, if someone had impressed in their 8 week stint at the company, it would be in the company’s best interest to hire that person. After all, they have gone through the training and know how the company operates. The business would only have to go through the HR process of finding a suitable candidate and training them.

I’ve found work experience to be a useful in job interviews. Work experience allows you to show employers your ability to communicate with customers, work independently or in a team for example. Gaining references is also important. A glowing reference from a manager could make you stand out from the crowd. Lastly, it gets young people used to working in an environment other than school.

Companies are not paid for this either. This allows them to find prospective employees by seeing people on the job, not just a CV and covering letter.

At a time when people of all ages are struggling to find work, I think this project is being undeservedly criticised. Gaining work experience at a young age will hopefully help them prove their credentials to employers throughout their adult lives. I believe those who are determined enough will be given the chance to impress and this will be a huge stepping stone in uncertain times.

The debate continues as spokesperson for Right to Work Campaign compares the scheme to slavery while a participant defends it here.

Do you think the scheme is beneficial or exploitive? Tell us in the comments section below. 

Image by: JD Hancock

As digital technology increasingly infiltrates every aspect of our waking life, it’s hardly surprising that a wide selection of gadgets have appeared to make driving a more enjoyable experience. After all, with long commutes to work through traffic and embarking on journeys to another city for that big meeting it is likely that a good amount of your working year is spent in your car. Plus, with the amount of car worship that goes on amongst the Top Gear generation, it’s an enormously tempting area of life to fit out with all the latest technological wizardry.

A number of luxury car brands are introducing exclusive techy treats to lure in shoppers accustomed to adopting all the latest tech crazes: from Bose sound systems and mood lighting, to backseat wine coolers and keyless ignition, there’s an endless array of clever features to appeal to your inner James Bond. However, even if you’re not in the market for a luxury vehicle, there are still a number of nifty gadgets to tech your ride and make your  time in your car more enjoyable – here are our five favourites:

SAT NAVs

How did people ever get anywhere before the dawn of these impossibly handy GPS navigation systems? Program the in-car device to plan your route, estimate driving times, and receive audible instructions on every step of the journey, as well as warnings about road closures and traffic. Many current models offer extra large screens and text-to-speech features; others offer advice on attractions and itineraries in unfamiliar cities, integrate with Twitter to let your work pals know where you’re going this week, or even point out the most fuel-efficient routes to your destination.

Top tip: with this you could avoid potential traffic areas and even speed cameras on your way to work to make your day at the office a less stressful one.

Stereos and Digital Adaptors

With the advent of iPods and MP3 players, we’re now accustomed to taking our music everywhere with us. For a long time cars seemed trapped in the CD age, but now most car stereos can be adapted to work with a range of digital music devices. Many stereos now have built in USB connections, while others can be fitted with FM transmitters, digital adaptors, or iPod docks to give you on-the-go access to your music collection. Some stereos even come with built-in GPS systems, touch screens, data voice tagging or dvd playback functions.

Top tip: with this you could listen to a motivational audio session off your iPhone through your car’s stereo system before that presentation at work.

Bluetooth Speakerphones

Everyone knows the danger of using a mobile phone while driving, but sometimes conversations are necessary. The solution is either a nifty headset or, if you feel this is a little daft and want to take it up a technological notch, a Bluetooth speakerphone. This wireless receiver is mounted inside the car and integrates with your phone to allow you to chat in hands-free style.

Top tip: with this you can take calls from your family if it’s been a few days on the road between business trips or even take a client call while on the open road to save time when you get back to the office.

DVD Players

Portable DVD players with attached screens are handy for the car, but many vehicles nowadays also offer built-in versions with screens that drop down from the ceiling or are built into the back of the front seat headrests. Some even offer features such as wireless headphones, television channel streaming and separate DVD player connections so each passenger can watch their own programme – perfect for keeping the kids entertained and avoiding arguments on long car trips.

Top tip: with this you can not only win big with the kids on longer holiday trips but also with any work buddies you carpool. You can take turns driving and watching DVD’s, news or related client videos on long business trips to break up the journey.

Cold Weather Conveniences

In the depths of winter, some gadgets aren’t just fun – they can also make your car journey more comfortable. Remote ignition systems let you start the car and heat up its interior without leaving the comfort of your house (and some automatically lock the doors at the same time, so you don’t have to watch for thieves). Heated seat pads take the chill off leather seats and provide an extra layer of cosy warmth, while a solar auto battery charger sits on your dashboard and converts the sunlight pouring through your windshield into a trickle of charge for your car battery. This makes sure your battery is consistently topped up and will be less likely to fail you on cold mornings or after long periods of inactivity – handy for lengthy stays in airport parking lots.

Top tip: with this you can be assured that getting up for that early flight on a Monday morning won’t be so difficult in the winter. What better reason could you need for these, most useful, appliances?

What car gadgets can you not live without? Let us know in the comments below.

Image in the public domain

Rangers Football Club was effectively forced to bring in their own administrators when HMRC started proceedings to have a court appoint administrators to run the club. The move to put Rangers in administration could see the club losing many of their players, employees losing their jobs, assets being sold off, the club being denied access to lucrative European competitions and possibly even liquidation.

Administrators Paul Clark and David Whitehouse, of Duff and Phelps, have assured fans that their first priority is to keep the club operating and that “Rangers will continue as a Football club”.

From a business perspective it’s interesting to look at what has brought this high-profile club to such a low financial point. There seem to be two main factors which have contributed to the club’s predicament: spending more than was being brought in and tax avoidance.

Rangers are currently awaiting the outcome of a major tax tribunal. The club is accused of avoiding PAYE tax and National Insurance payments for 10 years by paying employees through a specially setup offshore Employee Benefits Trust (EBT). If the case goes against the club it could be ordered to pay the tax man as much as £75million.

While the outcome of this big tax case is the greatest threat to Rangers ability to operate as a business it was actually another tax dispute which sparked the move into administration. This week it has come to light that Rangers have failed to pay HMRC £9million in VAT and PAYE taxes. The non-payment of these latest tax bills was the reason why HMRC made moves to have rangers put into administration.

Aside from the tax problems, it was widely believed that Rangers had been operating at an unsustainable level of loss. This hit home particularly hard at the start of the financial crisis when Rangers’ bank got tough regarding the club’s level of debt and insisted that it be massively reduced.

The history of Rangers financial difficulties seems to date back to policies put in place by the previous owner of the club, David Murray; the EBT was set up during the era when he controlled the club. Many believe that Murray’s desire for success on the park led to overspending, debt and the implementation of the risky tax avoidance scheme.

However many fans and stakeholders have recently become concerned about new owner Craig Whyte’s (who was once banned from being a company director) approach to managing Rangers’ finances. The latest unpaid tax bill has built up during his ownership of the club; however it seems that Whyte has cleared the £18million bank debt that he inherited when he bought Murray’s majority shareholding in the club for £1.

Another major concern for those who care about the club relate to revelations that the club has borrowed £24.4mil against the next three years season ticket sales. On top of the money raised by the season ticket borrowing Rangers also sold Nickita Jelavic (the club’s top scorer) for £5million. Fans are concerned about how the cash is being used and there have been many calls for an AGM to be held, but Whyte has stated that any AGM must be delayed until the club’s accounts are signed off, and that the accounts are being held up due to the spectre of “potential tax case liabilities”.

All of these issues are set against a backdrop of difficult times for football clubs in Scotland. Hearts are another high-profile top-flight club with mounting cash problems, they’ve been experiences issues with players not being paid on time and are heavily indebted to their bank, fortunately the club’s owner also owns the controlling share in the bank; however he seems reluctant to put more cash into Hearts. With the collapse of the Irish broadcaster Setanta the SPL had to accept a significantly less lucrative TV deal with Sky and ESPN. Combine this with a gradual drop in average SPL attendances and it looks like austerity will have to be the order of the day in Scottish football.

What do you think needs the happen for Rangers to get back on track financially. Let us know in the comments box below.

Zurich has moved up four places in comparison with last year. The city has always been considered as a safe haven for investors, and in the last year these have been moving their funds out of the Euro zone. Another Swiss city, Geneva, currently holds the third position.

Zurich by Travis Crawford via Flickr

Tokyo is now in second place on the list. Although the city has moved down a position, it still remains the most expensive city in Asia. Osaka and Singapore are the other two Asian cities on the top 10, in the fourth and ninth positions.

Five Australian cities are part of the top 20. Sidney and Melbourne are in the seventh and eighth places, followed by Perth (12^th), Brisbane (13^th) and Adelaide (17^th). Jon Copestake, editor of the Worldwide Cost of Living survey, ascribe this fact to exchange rates.

“Exchange rates have been the greatest influence for the Australian cost of living, with the Australian dollar seeing its value to the U.S. dollar double in a decade.”

Several European capitals are also on the first places of the list. Oslo holds the fifth place, followed by Paris in the sixth position. London remains in the same position as last year (17^th) and Madrid also occupies the same place (21^st).

Surprisingly the most expensive city in America is located in South America and not in North America. Sao Paulo is on the twenty-eighth position of the list while living in Vancouver (37^th) is more expensive than in Los Angeles (42^nd) or New York (47^th).

On the bottom part of the list Karachi in Pakistan is considered the least expensive city in the world.  Mumbai and New Delhi in India are also on the lowest positions followed by Tehran, Panama City or Algiers.

Have you lived in any of the most expensive cities of the world? Can you think of any other city that should be on the list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Source: @mmgeissler / via: @Alex_Ogle via Buzzfeed.com

Portions of Athens’ city centre are now in ruins after rioters burnt down historic buildings and vandalised shops in protest over planned austerity measures. After days of fierce debate, the Greek Parliament voted to approve the austerity package Monday morning, in return for a 130bn euro bailout from the EU and the IMF.

Over the next three years, the Greek austerity plan will involve cutting the minimum wage by 22 per cent and laying off 150,000 government employees.

Incensed by these stringent measures, over 80,000 people took to the streets of Athens on Monday evening to voice their disapproval. Portions of the crowd turned violent, throwing rocks, sticks and firebombs at various nearby buildings and shops. Sixty seven people were arrested for their part in the riots, and 75 more were taken in to custody for questioning. Among the 45 buildings that were damaged by protesters were two historic cinemas, two police stations, a number of banks and a Starbucks Coffee shop.

Though Greece, or more specifically the flailing Greek economy, has been in and out of the headlines since 2009, it seems like the country’s financial troubles have now come to a breaking point. Many are questioning whether the troubled country would be wise to embrace a default and leave and the euro, though others fear that Greece’s dishonourable exit would severely damage the Eurozone’s reputation within the global economy.

What do you think is the right step forward for Greece? Are the austerity measures fair? Should the country choose to default? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Between now and August more than a million 16-24 year-olds are expected explore the farthest reaches of the world.

It’s more common now for young people to shorter skills focussed trips, with the hope of coming back with practical skills that will increase their chances of employment.
Spending up to a year on a journey of self-discovery on the beaches of South-East Asia or the Australasian fruit farms no longer holds as much appeal.

Image: AlphaTangoBravo/Adam Baker

Today, arguably we have the most economically aware young people in Britain for a generation – how could they not be? Well, if they’ve been on that South-East Asian beach for the last few years it’s possible.
At the moment one-in-five young people in the UK are unemployed, and overall unemployment in the UK this year is expected to peak at 2.85m – nearely half them will be 16-24 year-olds.

This doesn’t stop us from donning a backpack and seeking adventure on the other side of the world.However, before you go there are a few financial issue you should consider.

Insurance

Everybody assures themselves that bad things happen to other people. However, no matter how cautious you are, there’s still a chance that belongings can be lost or stolen, or even suffer serious injury.
Quite a scary prospect, especially when you consider that a quarter of “gappers” travel without insurance.
When you do look for tht insurance not only should you shop around, you also need to make sure you get the right sort of insurance.
Standard insurance won’t cover you for a gap year, so you need to look for a specialist insurer who will be able to cover you for arounf £80 for six months, or between £150-£300 for 12 months.

Staying in touch

Sending that message home to mum and dad has never been easier with the internet when you can skype them, but there are lots of international sim card companies out there, that specialise in keeping costs down no matter how far away you are. If you find yourself settled on the other side of the world these SIM companies are just as good for the folks back home to stay in touch with you.

In an interview for thisismoney.co.uk, for Mike Wilson, manager of mobile phones at comparison website moneysupermarket.com, says:

 ”Although a lot is being done by the European Commission to bring down costs for using mobiles in Europe, there is no such action in process when travelling further afield. It is vital consumers are up to speed with the charges they might face.”

So, be wary of the contract you have with your domestic provider deals including text messages, minutes and data download usually become void and receiving calls and texts could be more expensive.

Are you about to go on a gap year or have you just returned from your travels? what preparations did you make? Share your advice in the comments below.

So, Valentine’s day is nearly here and the shops are bombarding us with all the things we “should” be buying in order to show our loved ones just how special they are; because clearly no one will know how special they are unless they have been gifted an overpriced heart shaped box of chocolates, a cuddly toy too big to fit anywhere in the house and a tacky cupid emblazoned card complete with insipidly sweet sentiment of just how amazing and gorgeous said person is!

And the worst thing about all this valentines tat? It comes at a price.

Image by: danielmoyle

If you too are wishing Valentine’s day would just disappear off the calendar because you simply can’t afford to buy into this stupid sickly sweet, hearts and roses, nonsense of a  day so soon after Christmas, (but your other half has a different idea) then we are here for you!

There is no need to spend an arm and a leg to show your other half how much you love them (because that is the point of Valentine’s day right? Not chocolate and roses) here are a few tips for getting through Valentine’s Day on a budget:

Discount vouchers

Now this may seem like a bit of a cheat but there are many Valentine’s day dinner worthy restaurants that offer discount vouchers online, why pay full price for a dinner out just because it is Valentine’s day when you can get two meals for the price of one.

If your other half doesn’t think you should be using vouchers for your special dinner, just point out that the money you will save means you can take them to the cinema too (which you can find vouchers for as well of course).

Free dates

If a special date is what your other half values most about Valentine’s Day and you simply can’t afford a nice meal (even with the wondrous discount vouchers) there is no need to panic.  There are plenty of options for a special Valentine’s Day date that you can take your special someone on, and it’s absolutely free.

If your Valentine is an outdoors type (and it isn’t raining) plan a special walk in the park, hike in the woods or a picnic on the beach. If they are the cultural type you can take them to a free art exhibition or for a day visiting museums or a poetry reading.

Does this all sound awful to you? Good… your other half will appreciate the gesture all the more if the activity is one they normally have to drag you to kicking and screaming.

A special night in

No… a special night in is not just a way to be lazy and not bother taking your other half out for a romantic night; at least it isn’t if you do it right! Choose a DVD to watch, but don’t choose one you will enjoy, choose the one that never comes off the shelf because you hate it so much you will never let them watch it.

Then either cook their favourite meal for them, or if cooking is just too much like hard work or would result in them having food poisoning, get the take away menu out. Again, the choice of take away menu is what takes this option from being the lazy way out to being a thoughtful gesture; make sure you choose their absolute favourite even if you hate it.

Then all you need is to arrange some comfy pillows, light some atmospheric candles and Bob’s-your-uncle, you have a special and not at all lazy special night in.

Make your gift

Now that you have saved all that money on your Valentine’s date you could in theory buy a super amazing present… or you could spend minimal money and make one instead!

Here is a little secret the shops don’t tell you, your Valentine will appreciate a thoughtful handmade gift more than a generic box of chocolates or fluffy teddy. This however is not true of ladies and flowers, all women love to get flowers, I’m not sure why. It is just the way we are made.

But you don’t need to buy the flowers; if you are lucky enough to live somewhere where flowers are growing freely a lovely bunch of handpicked flowers would be perfect (and free!).

Say I love you

Unfortunately one thing you can’t avoid on this wonderful day of love and romance is being a little bit sappy. It is after all the whole point of the day. But the best thing is, saying ‘I love you’ is completely free!

Finding adorable and cute ways to say I love you all day long could even be enough to allow you to not bother with all the rest of the Valentine’s Day guff.

Here are a few ideas; you could write it on the mirror for them to see when they step out of the shower, you could write it on a note and slip it in their wallet/purse to find when they buy their lunch. You could steal the newspaper they take to read on their commute and write it over their horoscope (If they bellieve in that sort of thing).

So there you have it a few simple tips to get through Valentine’s Day without having to shell out a fortune, or even put it that much effort!

Do you have any great ideas for a great Valentine’s Day? Let us know below!

The Bank of England has announced that it is to increase its Quantitative easing (QE) programme by a whopping £50 billion.

This is extremely bad news for thousands of people thinking of retiring in the near future because the interest rate consumers get on an annuity is linked to the rate the government pays on its debts – which is pushed down by QE.

Image: Images of money

When the Bank of England (BOE) creates more money in the economy through their QE programme, it buys governments bonds, or as they are also known, gilts. Since the price of buying a pension is determined by interest rates on these bonds the lower the interest rate on the bond, the lower your pension income will be.

When you retire you can buy an annuity and insurance companies will promise to pay you a set amount of money each year of your retirement, but if bond yields are lower (because more of the bonds in the market have been bought) then you will get less income from your pension.

This announcement will not affect those people who are already retired and are receiving their pension. But it will affect thousands of people who are looking to retire in the near future and looking to buy an annuity. All of these people will have had their pension income reduced for the rest of their lives by the Bank’s policy, which ironically, is aimed at stimulating the economy. It means that many people will now be facing a difficult decision about their retirement plans, and may even consider continuing to work.

The BOE announcement brings the total size of the QE programme to £325 billion. More worryingly it signals that the BOE Monetary Policy Committee do not feel there is enough momentum for demand in the economy for it to recover on its own.

Do you thing the BOE have made the right decision? Have you been affected by this announcement? Let us know in the comments section.