Social & Practical Issues...
Below are our articles on the subject of Social & Practical Issues. If you can't see what you are looking for our other categories are displayed on the left under 'Our Quick Links'...
A Business Plan for Start-up Home Business: A Case Study
Kelly Jane began her own pet grooming business, Kelly's Pretty Pets, and was so successful that within one year that she had to employ two assistants. She is very happy to have a home-based business, ...
A Day in the Life of a Home Worker
As home working has become more popular it has become more important to be effective, so that you stand out from the crowd. This article looks at a typical day and draws some lessons from it....
Advertising Your Home Based Business Offline
We all know that advertising via the Internet is important, but what about advertising offline?...
Are Keywords Relevant Today?
Keywords in website copy have been the mainstay of any online campaign, but with the progress of social media, how relevant are they in today’s media world?...
Beat the Recession at Home
Starting a business at home can bring a number of benefits. Starting a business in a recession can actually be beneficial too. The key point is to find and follow your passion....
Being Wary on the Web
The World Wide Web is a fantastic resource for finding freelance work. But there are things out there you need to be wary of. Read our article to find out more....
Branding Your Home Business
Branding is not limited to huge companies with even bigger marketing budgets. Even small, home businesses can benefit from a branding strategy....
Business Expenses
For new business owners, understanding which business costs can be offset against tax tends to be a source of confusion. Our article attempts to shed some light on the matter....
Business Help from the Government
Setting up and running a new business can be hard at times. Fortunately, support from the government is on hand to make it all a little easier....
Can Social Media Help Your Marketing?
It’s worth investing time in exploring and registering on social media websites as this can pay huge dividends in terms of linking back to your websites and increasing your traffic....
Can Working from Home Improve My Green Credentials and 'Saleability'?
Working from home allows you not only to improve your green credentials but also to improve how others perceive those credentials - your 'saleability'....
Clients Who Don't Pay
It's said there are two kinds of small businesses : those which have been stiffed for payment by a customer, and those which will be. Our article explores your options when you move from one category ...
Constructing a Business Plan
Writing a good business plan is essential if you want to convince others to invest in your business. It's a great way to focus your own ideas, and make sure they're grounded in reality....
Converting Hobbies Into Second Income
Whatever your private passion, whether it's growing orchids or collecting rare Japanese video games, there's probably a way to monetise it. Read our article for options on turning your hobby into a se...
Dealing with Income Tax
Managing your own tax affairs is one of the things you're going to have to get to grips with once you start on a new career at home. Our article gives you an idea of what you can expect....
Distractions in the Home
For your career at home to be successful, you will need to develop excellent time management skills, and the self-discipline needed to cope with distractions....
Eco-Friendly While Working From Home
The Earth is warming. The icebergs are melting. We all want to do our bit for the environment. But if you're working from home, you'll find that helping the environment can also mean saving money on y...
Expenses Allowed for Home Workers
There are a number of tax savings that can be made if you work from home, as long as you follow rules laid out by HM Revenue & Customs....
Finance for Your New Company
There are many sources of capital for new business start-ups. Our article explores some of the options....
Finding Freelance Work
So you've started out as a freelancer but aren't getting enough work. What should you do? Watch daytime TV? No! Go out and find work instead....
Five Ideas for Working at Home
Here are a few simple ideas for working from home. If these are not just right for, let them fire your imagination to come up with an idea that will work for you....
Flexibility of Running a Business from Home: A Case Study
Redundancy led to a new career at home for one individual who had had enough of the large corporate working environment....
Freelance Careers
Work patterns are changing. Freelance occupations are more popular than ever. But what kinds of work can realistically be done on a freelance basis?...
Health and Safety in the Home Office
With RSI hitting the headlines regularly, what steps can you take to ensure that your home office is both comfortable and safe?...
Home Business Contracts
If you want to conduct your new business on a professional footing, you'll need to get used to using contracts. Our article explores some of the key issues involved....
Home Career: How to Achieve Better Cash Flow
Cash flow can make or break a business. Every company at some stage, no matter how big or small, experiences cash difficulties. However, the businesses that have a sound cash flow will survive and gro...
Home Working and Your Local Council
Many homeworkers fail to declare their home office and consequently make themselves liable to fines and back-dated rates. Here we look at how to avoid this, and explain a bit more about what the local...
Home Working: Drawbacks and Advantages of Different Business Types
All business types can offer certain advantages when working from home; here are some tips to help you assess the good and bad points of each before going it alone....
How to Get Paid Without Incurring Currency Exchange Charges?
If you're looking to receive money from foreign currency sources, there are a number of online options which are both faster and cheaper than traditional banking methods....
How to Serve Customers When Your Office is an Upstairs Bedroom
In a world where technology leads the way and outsourcing is on the increase as a cost-effective business model, many businesses are run out-of-sight of customers. Companies can, and do, compete witho...
How to Stay Healthy When Working at Home
Making time for exercise, keeping an eye on the dangers of stress and ensuring your workstation isn’t building up problems for you are all ways to be a healthier home-worker....
How to Use Google Ads to Best Advantage
Google Adwords is the search engine’s paid for advertising medium that enables you to target a specific audience. Use it cleverly and you will guide more traffic to your site....
How Will Home Working Affect Others in My Household
Many of us work at home to sped more time with the family, but that opportunity brings responsibilities with it....
I Set Up a Leaflet Delivery Business: A Case Study
When John Harris had to take a pay cut during the recession, his thoughts turned to how he could start up his own business at home to boost his income....
I Work from Home as a Graphic Designer: A Case Study
For Jan Borzymowski, working from home was the only way to go when he arrived in the UK....
Insurance - Do I Need it?
When you start up in business for yourself, there is a variety of insurance options you should consider to help you manage risk effectively. Our article considers some of them....
Is Self-Employment Right for You
Are you considering self-employment? Our article will help you decide whether it's the right option for you....
Issues With Clients Abroad
Doing business abroad adds an extra layer of complexity to your business operations, but it can be lucrative if you're prepared to make the effort involved....
Juggling Home Business and a Baby
It is not an easy task to juggle a business with a baby but succeeding in this challenging task has many rewards....
Key Tips for Your Website Content
To get good traffic to your site, it needs to have good, relevant content. In doing so, you will increase visitors and your web presence....
Leafleting as a Business Or For Your Business?
Leafleting is a relatively cheap way of notifying the local population about your business. It could also be an idea FOR a business, if you're looking for a new career at home....
Making a Website for Your Business
Should you set up a website for your new business? Of course you should. And don't worry if you're not technical. It's easy for anyone to create a basic web page these days....
Market Research For Your Home Business
Your business doesn't need to be a blue chip to benefit from market research. And it doesn't have to cost the Earth either....
Marketing for Next to Nothing
Marketing is critical and the feeling is that it costs too much. However, there are plenty of things you can do to market your business on a small budget. You will, however, have to invest some time....
Marketing for Your Business
A good marketing strategy is essential if you want your business to grow. Surprisingly, though, it's something many new business owners neglect....
Mortgages for the Self-Employed
Getting a mortgage tends to be much more difficult for the self-employed, but it is by no means impossible. There are some good options out there, as our article demonstrates....
Obligations in Running Your Company
Red tape unfortunately is part and parcel of what's involved in running a company. Our article provides an overview of exactly what your legal obligations are....
Online Advertising
Your company website can do more than just showcase what you have to offer. It can also bring in money as an advertising platform....
Online Marketing For Your Business
The internet can be a great tool for marketing your home business. Our article explores some techniques you can use to enhance your online profile....
Pensions for the Self-Employed
If you're self-employed, you need to recognise that you won't have the same level of support from the state pension system as an ordinary employee. As a consequence, you should give serious thought to...
Presenting Your Home as an Office to Customers
Working from home has, as we all well know, its advantages and downsides, but one thing is certain - if you intend to invite clients to your home office, you need to create a professional, if homely, ...
Pricing Your Services
One key dilemma confronts you when you start a new business : how much should you charge? Our article walks you through some of the issues involved....
Printing Business Moved Office Functions to Home: A Case Study
Moving your business’s office functions home can be a cost saving exercise with unexpected benefits. Here we look at how a printing business refocused itself and made significant savings....
Questionnaire Taxation for a Small Business Working at Home
Tax is one of the most taxing (sorry!) aspects of running your own small business from home. Although the detail is best left in the capable hands of your accountant, there are some things that you sh...
Questionnaire: Am I Self-employed?
If you do not know whether you are classed as self employed, then this questionnaire will help you to discover which category you are in....
Questionnaire: Claiming Expenses When Working from Home
Claiming back expenses is part of the benefits from working from home. But what exactly can you claim?...
Questionnaire: Do You Have a Professional Working Environment?
An organised and professional environment is essential to the smooth running of your home business. This questionnaire will help you judge the efficiency of your home office, and thereby make improvem...
Questionnaire: Do You Know the Home Working Regulations?
We all hear how health and safety is important at work. But does that just apply to big businesses, or smaller businesses with offices? Do you know how or even whether such rules apply to home workers...
Questionnaire: Have I Got the Right Attitude?
Setting up your own business at home is a serious move, but to succeed you have to have the right attitude. Take our questionnaire to find out....
Questionnaire: Health & Safety Rules for the Home Worker
It is worth making sure that you are aware of the rules regarding health & safety at work if you run a business from home. Take our test to see how much you know....
Save Tax When Working From Home
Whether you’re running your own business from home, or working as a tele-commuting employee, there are opportunities to save on tax by claiming against business-related expenses. Our article presents ...
Self Employed National Insurance
When you start out on your new career as a self-employed person, you'll need to take care of your own National Insurance Contributions. Our article tells you how....
Self Employment Tax Legislation: IR35
If you're self-employed, you enjoy a number of tax advantages. In some circumstances, though, the government may challenge your right to these advantages under legislation known as IR35....
Setting Up a Home Office
To operate a home business successfully, you’ll need to set up a home office. But what exactly should be included in it, and how much is it all going to cost you?...
Setting Up Your New Company
Setting up a company is very easy in the UK. Our article tells you all you need to know....
Simplest Way of Keeping Accounts for Your Home Business
Accounting for your home business can be a daunting task, but the key rules are to keep track of all money coming in and going out of the business, and do so in a timely manner so you are always up to...
Taxing Issues Affecting People Working from Home
When working from home, you must keep your affairs in order and that involves keeping your tax issues up to date....
Ten Potential Businesses to Run from Home
If you feel like going it alone and wish to work from home you will find that there is ample opportunity to use your own talents in a home based business of your very own....
Tips for Time Management
Suggestions for maximising your effectiveness when working from home...
Tips to Blog Your Way to Career Success
What is so important about blogs in social media? How can they help to improve your presence on the internet? Read on to find out how you can present blogs that will bring in visitors....
Understanding Business Cashflow
Even if your business is fundamentally profitable, it can still collapse if you fail to stay on top of cashflow problems....
Using Electronic Payments
Cheques, bank transfers and credit cards aren't the only ways your business can receive payment any more. Consider adopting electronic payment methods too....
VAT for the Self-Employed
As a new business owner, VAT is one of those bothersome topics you will have to confront sooner or later. Here's what you need to know....
Virtual Business, Work at Home: A Case Study
WriteItClearly.com is a virtual business with three partners working from home, separated by hundreds of miles. This article looks at how they make it work....
What Do You Know About Broking?
If you’re motivated, have great sales skill but prefer to work from home then broking might be for you....
What Type of Company to Set-Up
If you're thinking of setting up a new company, you need to think carefully about what kind of company you want it to be. There are a number of options, each with advantages and disadvantages of its o...
When a Home Business Hits a Recession
A recession can seriously affect a home business. Here are some tips to help create new ways to attract customers, cut costs and diversify in order to ride a dip in the economy....
Work at Home Photographer: A Case Study
Not everyone manages to turn their passion into a career, but for one man the pursuit of his passion for photography through training, employment and freelance work has enabled him to build a solid ca...
Work At Home Scams: Facts & Figures
Research has revealed that most Work At Home schemes turn out to be scams that do not work. However, the research also revealed two programmes that can make money....
Working Abroad
Many British people would love to leave our rain-soaked island and do their work somewhere sunnier. Here are some practical things to bear in mind if you're thinking of waving goodbye to Blighty....
Working as a Remote Employee
Working from home may sound appealing, but could it damage your career? Here are some things to consider before you opt to become a teleworker....
Working for Someone Else from Home
If your goal is to work from home, you don't necessarily need to start your own business to do it. A surprisingly large number of us are now busily working for employers from the comfort of our own ho...
Working With Your Spouse
When you’re running a business from home, it seems almost natural for your family members to get involved. But there are important things to consider before going into business with your spouse....