Hello there, thanks a lot for this post it helped me out an awful lot. I have on quick question though, would you recommend using web wallets (are they generally regarded as being totally safe?). Thank you
"Web" wallets, such as MtGox, Coinbase, localbitcoins, etc. where you do not have control over your private keys are definitely NOT safe.
blockchain.info is a "hybrid" wallet. As long as you use a sufficiently secure password, I would consider it to be nearly as safe as any "lightweight" local software wallet (such as Electrum or MultiBit). In some ways it might even be considered safer (depending on how good you are about backing up your wallet and protecting your private keys from destruction).