I originally began writing about personal development, and when I spotted the niche – I quickly moved into the world of leadership and management, which I felt was underrepresented on the new web. From there, my leadership articles and matured, and my passion moved to finance, which is more closely aligned with my actual principal profession.

The financial world; particularly personal finance became the centre of my writing in 2011 and much of 2012, and I hope that you have found the content useful. Here – I list a few of my favourite blog posts, and also some of the most popular from the blogs I maintain:

Financial Expert

The most popular article on Financial Expert is ‘How to Invest in Shares’. Which is a broad article covering all the basics for beginners – you should love it!

Leadership Expert

On Leadership Expert, the most read article is without a doubt Leadership Styles, although my favourite is leadership courses, because I enjoy reading and writing about education –related topics.

Get in touch to let me know what your favourite articles are, as I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this topic which is very close to my heart. Thanks for sticking around for the first 200 articles, and who knows – perhaps I’ll be celebrating the 1000^th article in 10 years time!

The great thing about blogging is the flexibility it gives you, and the interactivity between you and your audience. Bloggers may not get stopped on the street for autographs, but they feel recognised in the coverage they receive from other bloggers, and the comments that appear on their blog.

Conversely – I’d even say that there are several leadership qualities that are common between business leaders and bloggers. Let’s take a look!

Discipline

Working without the pressures of others, such as a line manager breathing down your neck is a great relief – however those kind of pressures help maintain a high level of productivity which could easily unravel when those stresses are taken away. With nobody to let down except yourself, keeping to a high level of productivity and article schedule is very difficult when you are working for yourself. This is compounded by the fact that you’re constantly on the internet – ready to be distracted by an ad, email or notification at any moment!

Autocracy

The autocratic leadership style is still a popular one employed in small and large organizations. Naturally – working for yourself means you get used to a high level of autonomy. You begin to solve all problems using your own means, and become experienced at making quick decisions.

Passion

I constantly cite passion as a very important leadership quality when I write in my leadership blogs. Passion builds credibility. Passion builds reputation, and passion forms the basis of trust. When someone believes you are passionate about something, you will instantly earn their trust to take their business. Blogging (particularly the back end, and marketing side) can be very tedious, and requires a strong vision to keep at, even though results may not be forthcoming.

Savings accounts are a safe way of investing, since your money is guaranteed to be there when you need it. You are also shielded from the ups and downs of the investment markets and have the benefit of regular interest payments. The more money you invest with a bank, and the longer you allow the bank to have the use of your money, the more interest the bank will pay for the privilege. Banks do not keep your money safe for you as a favor; they re-invest your money for a profit during the time that it sits in your savings account. Your interest payments are simply a small share of that investment profit that the bank gives you back as payment for the temporary use of your money.

A money market account through your bank (not to be confused with a money market mutual fund, which is a type of investment and is not FDIC insured) is a good choice for investors who are serious about saving, but still need to have some access to their money. Money market accounts pay a higher interest rate, and allow a limited number of withdrawals per month. Your money is as safe in a money market account as in a basic savings account, and the higher interest rate means your money is working harder for you.

The next step up in terms of return on deposit is a Certificate of Deposit account. Known as CDs, Certificate of Deposit accounts will require a larger investment, usually over a term of 3-5 years, and have strict restrictions on withdrawing the money before a set amount of time has elapsed. They also pay a much higher interest rate than a basic savings account or even a money market account.  In general, the larger the CD and the longer the term, the better the return on the investment. CDs are good for long-term investing. It is advisable to shop around to find the best rates, and to calculate the total interest you will earn before choosing an account.

Long-term savings accounts, like money market accounts and CDs, can help build a savings discipline in an individual and lay the foundations for long-term financial security. The interest earned, when combined with the restrictions on withdrawing money from the accounts, make these options an ideal way to save for large purchases, like a down payment on your first home, college tuition or purchasing a vehicle. You work hard. Your money should, too.

The ISA is an idea that was first put forward in Gordon Brown’s first budget as Labour Chancellor, and consumers have been able to access them since 1999. Their key selling point is that they are tax-free. One of the main reasons they were introduced was to try and encourage long-term saving, as well as to make it easier for people to invest in the stock market – the stocks and shares ISA is one of the key incarnations of this product.

One of the reasons ISAs got off to a bit of a bumpy start was because investment ISAs and cash ISAs alike were seen as less generous than what had come before. Namely, this included the Personal Equity Plans that were designed to help people invest in the stock market, and the Tax-Exempt Special Savings Accounts that designed to help save cash. These products were available in the late 1980s and the 1990s, but once the ISA came onto the scene, you couldn’t get new PEPs or TESSAs.

Also, it was felt by some that as well as allowing people to save less tax-free than previously, ISAs were also too complicated as they came in many variations. However, despite expert misgivings, the public took something of a shine to stocks and shares ISAs, largely due to the state of the market at the time. This included the tech-boom and a generally healthy economy, which inspired people to invest in them.

However, there was another slightly shaky time when the tech-bubble burst and subsequent shocks to the stock market meant that people started to put more into cash ISAs than previously. This was significant as the cash component was originally meant to be phased out with time; now you can invest up to £5340 per tax year in a cash ISA or £10680 in an investment ISA.

Currently, about three quarters of money in ISAs is held in cash ISAs with the remainder being in stocks and shares ISAs. Recent turbulence in the stock market have reminded people about the importance of looking for the best ISAs and investing wisely, such as by choosing investment ISAs that have a lower risk attached to them or by picking one that spreads the risk around.

Also, other recent developments have affected the ISA market too. A notable example of this is the new junior ISA for the under 18s; the aim of this is to encourage saving for children and the junior ISA is meant to replace the abolished Child Trust Fund.

Even though ISAs got off to a slightly rocky start and have had their ups and downs over the years, there is no doubt that they are an important vehicle for savings and investments and it seems they are set to stay with us for a good while yet.

Forex trading is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the financial markets. People who enter the forex market dream of making money in the short haul. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. The point is, just like any other subject in the financial markets, you must have a good understanding of the psychology and mindset of the players if you are going to succeed.

Treating your forex trading as a business means knowing how to analyze forex markets. When it comes to the basics, there are two ways in which a forex market can be analyzed. The first is called technical analysis and the second is fundamental analysis.

 Technical Analysis

This looks at the action or performance of the market in the past and based on that, predictions are made. You may wonder why this approach in a technical field like forex. The fact is, history always has something to tell us. In fact, you can look at past trends in a particular season and compare them to a current trend.

People don’t usually change completely from one day to the next, and what motivated them to buy and react to the market in the past, may be the same today. That is why if you are going to treat your forex trading as a business, you need to consider the psychology and mindset of the players in the industry.

Admittedly, this process can be very daunting since you need to analyze the day-by-day figures of the past and compare them to day-by-day figures of the present upon which you can then make your predictions. For smart analysts, they have learned and mastered the art of looking at the big picture, skipping the minor details and analyzing trends over a certain length of time. Of course, if you are a beginner it is not advisable to go by this method. It is when you have mastered the skill of analyzing day-by-day that you gain the insight and experience to do it this way.

 Fundamental Analysis

The second approach employs the use of current external market forces such as political, governmental, and social factors. This is usually more in-depth and requires a high level of accuracy as you need to be able to examine how these factors impact on the numbers in a forex market.

Good external factors like favorable taxation and financial reforms, confidence in the economy, favorable political climate and the rest may have a positive effect on the forex market. Therefore, analysts are able to predict how the market would fair. On the other hand, bad external market factors like political instability, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, natural disasters and even the weather can affect negatively, the performance of the forex market. Fundamental analysts always have a way of using these factors to analyze forex markets in order to make predictions.

While having the ability to analyze markets is very important for anyone who aspires to treat their forex trading as a business, other factors like money management and the effect of taxation are also key considerations.

The currency we use in the forex market is money and if you do not know effective money management, then you have failed in the first instance. How to manage your money and use it in the forex market is largely in your hands. On the other hand, you may not have control over taxation issues. But as someone who wants to treat forex trading as a business, your responsibility would be to learn how to take advantage of the tax system rather than making it work against you.

Are you or your relatives looking to build up tax-free savings for your children? Well as of November 1^st you can do just that using a Junior Individual Savings Account (ISA).

The Child Trust Fund (CTF) launched by the previous government was seen as the main savings account for children, but Junior ISAs have been designed for children who missed out on opening a CTF.

Many people believe Junior ISAs will now become the number one savings vessel for children, with Danny Cox from Hargreaves Lansdown saying “We expect Junior ISA to become the children’s savings scheme of choice.”

It is believed that when the Junior ISA scheme is launched there will be around 6 million children automatically eligible for an account, with a further 800,000 children becoming eligible every year thereafter.

So what types of Junior ISA are there?

When deciding what type of Junior ISA you would like for your children, you will have to choose between a cash account and a stocks and shares account, or you can use a combination of the two.

The maximum you will be able to place into the accounts is £3,600, however please remember that the £3,600 that you can invest tax free is split across both types of account, so if you invest £1,000 into a stocks and shares Junior ISA account, you can only invest £2,600 into a Junior ISA cash based account.

It’s also important to remember that a child can only have one cash junior ISA and one stocks and shares Junior ISA account at any one time, and when the child reaches 18 Junior ISAs will automatically be converted into standard ISAs.

The main advantage of a Junior ISA is the tax free element, which includes no tax on savings if you have a Junior ISA cash account. If you opt for the stocks and shares Junior ISA then there is no capital gains tax or tax on dividend income.

Which type of Junior ISA account should you choose?

Junior cash ISA accounts, you probably guessed by the name, are solely cash accounts, but stocks and shares ISA accounts work differently. You invest the amount you want to save in funds, investment trusts, or bonds.

As the economy isn’t doing as well as we would like, interest rates are pretty poor and this combined with high inflation has made stocks and shares Junior ISA accounts seem more attractive than cash Junior ISA accounts.

Kevin Mountford, head of banking at MoneySupermarket, said: “The long term nature of Junior ISAs means that stocks and shares are likely to prove a better bet than cash accounts – particularly in the current low interest rate environment.”

1. Conduct an energy audit

Accepting that changes are necessary is one thing, knowing where to make the changes is quite another. In order to ensure that energy usage is as efficient as possible, businesses should invest in an energy audit to identify areas for improvement. A comprehensive energy audit is also useful for making a before and after comparison of changes.

2. Install a smart meter

Smart meters monitor all aspects of electricity usage. Providing businesses with invaluable data on energy consumption, including details of all individual items of equipment, the smart meter is able to identify areas in which energy savings can be made. It may be the case that shifting working hours forward by half an hour could save a firm money on a particular energy tariff. It is also possible that one or two appliances – perhaps a faulty kettle or old microwave in the staff canteen – happen to be responsible for a significant proportion of all energy wastage. The smart meter enables companies to make informed decisions as to how they use business energy.

3. Educate workers

Workers are responsible for much of the energy waste by firms. The problem is that many staff are unaware of their impact on energy bills, much less motivated to make changes for the better. Employers must instigate change by educating and instructing the team. Simple changes such as turning off monitors when computers (which should be set to sleep or hibernate) are left idle or closing windows during the colder months can make all the difference.

4. Install new lighting

Commercial lighting is wasted in abundance. Most office buildings are lit throughout the day and night, regardless as to specific requirements. Open place offices tend to be the worst offenders, keeping entire floors lit when only a corner of the office is in operation. While lights can be turned on and off manually, the cheapest and most effective solution is to install energy efficient tube or spot lighting with motion sensor controls. These ensure that lights are only every switched on when people are present in a room.

5. Turn down the heating

Finally, companies ought to turn down the heat on occasion. Current research claims that turning down the thermostat by just one degree can save up to 8 per cent on heating bills, which is certainly no hardship if workers learn to close the windows during the winter!

Due to the current economic situation in the UK many people are saying that if you can afford to spend then now is the time to buy, but if you’re buying your first home do you know where to start?

Ask for advice

Probably the most important tip I can give you is asking someone who has done it before. Whether you decide to ask your parents or a friend who has bought their own property, it’s important to ask someone with experience in the property market.  They will have invaluable experience that should help to answer some of your questions.

Do your research

You would never spend a small fortune on a property without doing your research would you? By the time you make an offer on a property you should know everything about it. You should know about the location, the property itself, the type of mortgage you would need and you should make sure that you are following all the latest market news.

Working out your budget

You won’t be able to make an offer for a property without knowing how much you can realistically afford to spend. A mortgage calculator is a great way to work out whether you can afford the repayments on a property.  There are loads of free mortgage calculators on the web like this mortgage calculator at MoneySupermarket.

Don’t make any quick decisions

Buying your first home can be one of the most important decisions you make and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Try not to panic and you should never put in an offer for a property without knowing what you are actually buying.

Compare prices

Before you decide to apply for a particular mortgage you should make sure that you have evaluated all of the options available to you so that you get the best deal for you. Use a price comparison site like moneysupermarket.com to compare the different products available and make sure you speak to an adviser before you commit.

Consider moving away

When you are looking for your first home, you won’t want to pay too much money and when it comes to price, location is critical. If you consider moving to a different area, even just a couple of miles outside of a city or town centre, then your money could go a lot further.

When you decide that the time is right and you want to take your first step onto the property ladder, you should make sure you’ve done it the right way. By researching and asking other people’s advice, it can really make you feel at ease, good luck!

Having a bad credit rating is not necessarily the end of the world, and there are ways in which you can rebuild your credit rating to prove that you are once again on the right financial track.

Know how bad the situation is

Before you can start trying to recover your bad credit, you have to know how bad the situation is. You can do this by checking your credit score via a reputable credit bureau, such as Experian or Equifax.

Once you receive your credit report, you should look at the major hindrances so that you know where you have gone wrong.

You should also look for any mistakes that might be on your credit file. If you find any mistakes that are making your credit score seem worse than it actually is, you can contact the credit bureau and ask for the information to be removed from your file.

Start the re-building process

Once you know your actual credit situation you have to create a plan of how you want to rebuild your rating so that it’s at an acceptable level. You have to start slow as nobody is going to give you a lot of credit if they think you are untrustworthy.

Use a bad-credit credit card

One of the more popular ways to start rebuilding a credit rating is to use credit cards for bad credit. The main purpose of a bad-credit credit card is to help someone to start or rebuild their credit score.

The main benefit of a bad-credit credit card is that it gives you the opportunity to prove to lenders that you can be sensible with your spending, and that you can handle debts and subsequent repayments.

The best way to rebuild your credit score slowly is to repay the balance of your bad-credit credit card in full each month. You then demonstrate that you are trustworthy and that you can be responsible with your spending.

The negatives of a bad-credit credit card

The main negative of a bad-credit credit card is the rate of interest as the APR (annual percentage rate) is significantly higher than that of a normal credit card.

It’s important to remember that these cards are only supposed to be used for the purpose of rebuilding or building your credit score, so you shouldn’t borrow significant amounts of money unless you can pay the balance off in full at the end of the month.

In my new articles ‘How to invest in commodities‘, ‘How to invest in Shares‘ and ‘How to invest in Property‘, I hope to provide the first step up for a financial newbie. Using low-jargon language, I attempt to explain the routes you can take when investing. I also like to be clear about the risks and uncertainties involved in investing in various products, and how we can mitigate those risks by being wise.

As I highlight in those pieces, successful investing is not always about picking the right shares, but investing using the correct method. One method I favour – passive investing, almost takes the choice out of the equation, and provides the investor with close to the ‘market return’. Success is also about keeping costs low. It may be tricky to improve your returns by 1%, but it can be simpler to reduce your costs by 1%, which has the same overall effect.

I invite you to dip into the articles above and fill yourself in on these investing essentials. Commodities is an asset class you should only invest in after several years of experience, but gaining some knowledge now won’t do you any harm!

Simon Oates