Trade stocks, crypto, currencies, indices, with eToro practice account.
An eToro practice account, also known as a demo account, is a valuable tool for anyone interested in trading financial markets.
With a practice account, traders can test out different strategies and gain experience without risking any real money.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of using an eToro practice account, how to set one up, and some tips for making the most out of it.
Benefits of Using a Trading Practice Account
The benefits of using an eToro practice account are numerous.
Firstly, it allows traders to test out different strategies and see how they perform in the market without risking any real money.
This is important because it allows traders to make mistakes and learn from them without incurring any financial loss.
Additionally, a practice account can help traders become more familiar with the eToro platform and its features, such as the different types of orders and charting tools available.
Another benefit of a practice account is that it allows traders to practice their risk management skills.
This is important because risk management is a crucial aspect of trading, and it is essential for traders to be able to manage their risk effectively in order to be successful.
A practice account enables traders to test out different risk management strategies and see how they perform in the market.
To set up an eToro practice account, traders need to create a free account on eToro’s website.
Once the account is created, traders can access the practice account by clicking on the “Practice” button on the top right corner of the eToro trading platform.
The practice account will come with a virtual balance of $100,000, which traders can use to practice trading.
Which Markets Can I Trade with an eToro Demo Account?
An eToro demo account will give you access to trade the following:
Stock market
Crypto market
Commodities market
Currencies
Indices
ETFs
Stock Market: trade stocks such as the SPY, Tesla, Apple, the Nasdaq, and many more.
Crypto Market: trade crypto such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, Cardano, and more.
Commodities: You can even trade commodities such as Gold, Silver, Oil, and even Wheat!
Trade stocks, crypto, currencies, indices, with eToro practice account.
The number of markets you can trade with the eToro practice account is one of its coolest benefits.
One that many other trading accounts don’t have the capabilities of doing.
Let’s now look at some great tips for trading on a demo account you may find extremely useful.
Tips for Trading on an eToro Demo Account
Trade stocks, crypto, commodities, indices, and more with an eToro Demo Account.
Once the practice account is set up, traders can start experimenting with different strategies and testing out different trades.
It’s important to remember that the practice account is not a simulation and the market conditions, spreads and other parameters are real-time (another benefit).
One important tip for making the most out of an eToro practice account is to keep a trading journal.
This is a record of all the trades that you make, including the reasons why you made them and the outcome.
Keeping a trading journal can help traders identify patterns in their trading and make more informed decisions in the future.
Another tip is to make use of the eToro social trading feature, which allows traders to follow and copy the trades of successful traders.
By following and copying the trades of successful traders, traders can learn from their strategies and gain valuable insights into the market.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that the purpose of a practice account is to practice and gain experience, not to make quick profits.
It’s important to approach trading with a long-term mindset, and not to get discouraged if things don’t go as planned.
A practice account will help you develop not just the skills you need to succeed in any market but also the discipline and grit it takes to win.
Closing Thoughts on eToro Practice Account
How to practice trading stocks, crypto, commodities, and more.
In conclusion, an eToro practice account is a valuable tool for anyone interested in trading financial markets.
It allows traders to test out different strategies and gain experience without risking any real money.
By setting up a practice account, keeping a trading journal, making use of the eToro social trading feature, and approaching trading with a long-term mindset, traders can make the most out of their practice account and become successful traders in the long run.
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Why options trading?
Options trading allows you to make money at will, no matter if the price of a stock is on an upwards or downwards trend.
Differentiating calls vs puts is going to help you identify which strategy will best suit you as a trader.
While some traders use one or the other, many traders also use both strategies in different plays.
Trading options isn’t as risky as most people might initially think it is.
For starters, buying a call or put option means you can only lose what you invest in.
Another pro to trading options is you can earn money every day, or every week if your margin account has less than $25,000.
New options traders will find you do not need a lot of money to begin trading options.
To get started, you’ll need to open an options trading account and you can fund it with a few hundred dollars or less for starters when learning how to trade.
Reason why you shouldn’t limit yourself to a 9-5
Options trading for beginners.
A 9-5 might feel like you have some sense of security, but the reality is a 9-5 is never truly 100% secured.
Learning new skills will allow you to increase your income outside your 9-5 without having to take the risks of entrepreneurship.
Two of my startups failed while I was employed, the third one wasn’t scalable, and finally my first real business has been growing since 2020.
But even then, I knew that I didn’t just want to earn money per project.
I asked myself, “how can I earn money on a regular basis?”
That’s when I began to study options trading before actually committing to making my first trade.
The hardest part for me was taking action after I had digested the knowledge on how to make my first trade.
But let me tell you, once I made my first trade, I got a rush.
Because I wanted to do it for so long and I was finally doing it.
I had a strategy in mind I always thought of using and I finally began putting it to work.
I made gains on my first trade, gains on my second, and lost a little on my third.
But by my sixth trade, I was up 10.57%.
If you’re a long-term investor you’re lucky to see these gains by the end of the year.
Here’s why these gains were so important
If you’re thinking to yourself, what’s so significant about +10%?
Well, you’re missing the macro vision here.
Think about how often you get a raise at work, are you even in a position to get a raise at work?
Imagine you getting paid 10% more one day at work, that be great wouldn’t it be?
Now let’s break down how much 10% is when comparing it to a few different brackets when trading options.
10% gains on $200 is $20 more per day / additional $600 per month
10% gains on $500 is $50 more per day / additional $1,500 per month
And 10% gains on $1,000 is $100 more per day / additional $3,000 per month
Now that’s a lot better, right?
If you are able to make $1 trading options then you can make $10 trading options and $100, and so on.
And while not every trade will be a 10% gain day, some will be bigger days and some less.
This is where strategy and due diligence will play a big part in your success rate.
I break down the differences in this article and make it very easy for beginners to understand how they work.
Call options are bullish bets a stock will go up while put options are a bearish bet a stock will go down.
You will also want to familiarize yourself with the meanings of OTM (out the money), ITM (in the money), and ATM (at the money), also explained in this same article.
And lastly, you will need to use a broker that allows you to trade options.
Webull has to be the best platform to trade options as it has one of the easiest navigation layouts in the game.
NOTE: you will need to open a margin account and not a cash account to trade options with Webull.
If you’re part of the community newsletter, you received an email regarding a new 3-part video options trading series I have coming very soon.
I’ve completed Part 1 and Part 2 already and will be publishing a video on my personal day-trading strategy in August as Part 3.
I show you the basics; how to buy a ‘call’ option and ‘put’ option step-by-step during a real-life trade.
I will wrap up the third video with the trading strategies that I personally use that no one else is talking about.
Some of you caught the clip I posted on my IG story this morning on calls that printed from CEI.
This 3-part video series will be made available in our private community if you’re interested in learning more about trading options.
Here’s what happens when you trade options
Options trading for beginners.
You gain control of your finances
A confidence emerges that was previously dormant
You unlock the ability to multiply your money at will
Something clicks when you realize that you can literally turn money into more money without relying on an employer.
Those of you reading this who already trade options know exactly what I mean.
By the end of my course, most of you will be able to wake up every morning and make a trade that will yield gains.
Trading online is not just a trend but also becoming a necessity for people.
The modern world is getting fast, and people are trying to grab all the opportunities that can be prominent and survive better.
In this modern world, fixed deposits and savings do not pay much.
However, when the world is getting advanced and innovation processes are roaming around, you cannot wait to just make your savings ready.
Fulfilling dreams in life, consider finance.
Without financial prominence, no one can get to the position where they will be able to get rid of financial tension.
Moreover, fulfilling the dream of life needs financial freedom, which is more than just living the life.
On the other hand, inflation is increasing the cost of living.
You cannot just depend on your income and savings in such a situation.
It will not pay you off better than just living your daily common life.
Here comes online trading with enormous opportunities for stocks.
Why Should You Go for Online Stocks?
Trading stocks online for beginners.
When someone gives you the advice to start trading, that doesn’t mean you have to leave your job or the things you do in general.
But with the presence of digital media and the internet, you just have to focus on investing in stocks through online platforms to use your hard money in the best way possible.
Stocks are also known as shares of equities, allowing you to buy a share of a company and be a partial owner.
So, when the company gets enriched in the future, you will get a share of the profit.
Stocks are most popular these days because they have the ability to provide you with a better return with a calculated risk.
But why should you go for online stocks?
The answer is simple and direct: when you are able to start trading while in bed, why should you not consider the process?
It’s all about investment, and when you know that you are getting a legit source of secondary income even in your free time, no one will lose the opportunity.
Steps To Start Online Trading
How to trade stocks online | Trading stocks for beginners.
After you know the benefits of trading online through stocks, you may want to start trading.
However, do not wait because we share the necessary details to start trading online here.
Find A Stock Broker
It’s the first step to trading online.
Before you start trading online, you will need to find the best platform available in the market.
Try to consider a stocks broker who has the ability to show you legitimate and strong stocks in the current market.
Open A Trading Account.
After you have selected a particular stock broker in the market, you will need to open your account on the platform.
Insert the necessary details, including your address and account details, and open a new trading account simply.
Login To The Account And Add Money
After you open your account, log in to it and add money to the designated bank account.
Here you will be able to add as much money as you can depending on the platform’s criteria, and then you can start trading.
Visit Details And Start Trading With Stocks.
But remember that you have to pick the best stock in the market.
So, you have to analyze the market on the platform and pick which is suitable for you.
So, it’s time to concentrate on your niche and research the market properly.
You can even take advice from online reading experts if you want.
Want to become recession proof? Here are some steps you can take.
An economic downturn, a recession, call it what you will.
The U.S. economy is in a state of emergency and the average American is suffering financially.
From stock and crypto market crashes to the rise of gas prices and increased inflation, the middle class is in desperate need of help.
The problem is no one is teaching the middle class how to pivot.
Cutting back on expenses isn’t going to do it, you can only cut so much.
This article is going to help you identify several ways to pivot during a recession so that you can take care of your family during economic hard times.
Let’s get started.
Shifting Mindset from Defense to Offense
How to prepare for a recession.
During a recession, most people tend to contract, they tend to shrink (cut expenses, coupon, etc.).
Very few, however, expand and look for high reward opportunities.
It’s these opportunities that allows the few to shift their mindsets from defense mode to offense mode.
A defense mindset is idle, waiting for the government to do something about their financial setbacks (job loss, cut hours, lost pension funds, market crashes, etc.).
An offense mindset on the other hand is identifying how to keep up and overcome the changes occurring in their environment.
While most people focus on the things that are out of their control, few focus on the things that are within their control.
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re being impacted by our economy today and want to make more money.
Who doesn’t want to make more money?
Money is how we ensure our family’s security and wellbeing in America.
If you want to learn how you can pivot in today’s falling economy by earning more money, keep reading below.
Learn How to Use Leverage and You’ll Never Fall Short Again
How to prepare for a recession.
We all have the same 24hrs in a day, but do you want to know why successful people make more money than the average person?
It’s not because they work harder than you or because they’re smarter than you.
It’s because they use leverage.
Leverage is a multiplier of both time and money.
What would have taken you decades to accomplish, leverage gets it done at a fraction of the time.
Leverage is accessible to everyone, including you.
But we don’t grow up with mom and dad teaching us this.
So, what are some forms of leverage you can take advantage of as soon as you exit this blog article?
Starting a business around your hobby, passion, or skills has the potential to create that world you desire.
How does leverage play a role in building a business?
Think about this for one second.
If you work a 9-5 or commission job, you the employee are generating income for the leader of that organization and getting paid per hour or per sale to do so.
However, if you’re the business owner of a small business or startup, all revenue goes to your business account.
The leverage here is you’re now using your time to build something that will generate positive cashflow instead of giving it away for an hourly wage or commission.
If you don’t have the capital to start a new business, you can always use leverage by taking out a business loan and incrementally paying it back as your business picks up.
Using the banks money to make money is the proper way to leverage someone else’s capital to your advantage.
Day trading uses one of the biggest leveraging tools out there, the stock market/derivatives market.
Here, traders will require intense discipline in order to execute their trades with profit.
Day trading is certainly not for everyone, but if making hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars per day sounds appealing, you can learn more about it here.
The incredible thing about trading the market is that traders can learn how to make money whether the stock market is booming or crashing.
This means that as long as you’re able to develop the skills necessary to become a consistently profitable trader, you will be able to pivot in a recession and actually make money while most of the economy faces turmoil.
Going on the offense means learning new skills and getting out of your comfort zone to be successful at something outside your 9-5.
You can follow my personal trading journey on Instagram or Twitter.
#3. Monetizing a Platform
How to prepare for a recession.
Americans are monetizing on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms such as blogs and podcasts.
If the idea of creating content at scale intrigues you, monetizing a platform could be a great leverage tool for you.
The bigger you grow your audience, the more income you may earn from advertising revenue, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, or other streams.
But the key here is to provide real world value that can help your audience in one form or another.
My blog for example has helped thousands of people invest in the stock and crypto markets for the first time.
Retail investors were able to profit big from investments such as Bitcoin, Shiba Inu Coin, Terra Classic, AMC, and HYMC from early ticker updates on Franknez.com.
Those who took advantage of the information came out profitable before the markets began to tank.
But not everything has to be educational – many creators are publishing content on pretty much any niche that people find interest in.
A platform will help you pivot in a recession by working 24/7 for you.
How to Prepare Personal Finances for a Recession?
In terms of your personal finances, you’ll want to allocate a good chunk of your income into a savings cash account you can build in case of an emergency.
Many opportunities will present themselves in times of an economic downturn, and when they do, we better be ready.
Becoming Recession-Proof
How to prepare for a recession.
Becoming recession-proof is really about taking action.
It’s about creating something or developing new skills that will allow you to overcome any hardships that come your way during economic adversity.
Living paycheck to paycheck is hard, learning new skills is hard, building something new and getting out of our comfort zone is hard, so choose your hard.
FrankNez options trading: Best days to trade stocks.
If you’re a new day trader and are trying to figure out what are the best days to trade stocks, then I have good news for you.
I’ve beentrading optionsfor an entire year now and have figured out which days are the safest to trade, and which days are the absolute worst.
I’m also going to go over a risk management strategy that is going to allow you to have bigger wins, and significantly smaller losses.
If you’re new to the blog, make sure you join the newsletter for more content like this.
And with that being said, let’s get started!
Best Days to Trade Stocks
Monday-Wednesday
During my journey as an options trader, I’ve learned that stocks tend to be significantly less volatile on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, making them the best days to trade stocks.
These are the days where you want to take more than one trade (should your edge present itself to you) with confidence.
Sizing down during these days isn’t necessary unless your risk management strategy demands it.
You never want to overtrade as a day trader, but you should know what days have less risk than others.
How about the other days?
Here’s my personal experience.
Thursdays
Thursdays tend to have moderate risk and stocks tend to gain some volatility here, but charts are typically still very much tradable.
While day trading itself presents the trader with risk in every trade, I’m merely going over which days tend to be riskier in terms of volatility in the market.
As traders, we want to trade big price action in one direction or another and refrain from getting stuck in the chop, or from getting stopped out only to see continuation in our favored direction once we exit our position.
These anomalies usually occur due to the volatility in the market.
So, how do we avoid them?
By patiently waiting for an A+ setup or not trading at all.
Remember, cash is also a position.
Friday
Fridays tend to be the most volatile trading days of the week and could even be destructive if not assessed properly.
Most novice traders end up giving all of their weekly gains back on Friday.
In my experience, traders should not trade on Fridays unless an A+ setup presents itself.
And even then, it would be wise to downsize on this particular day.
There are far more experienced traders than I who simply take Fridays off from trading and start again on Monday.
Learning how to manage your risk on these particular days is what’s going to allow you to be consistently profitable.
Below is a risk management strategy that can help you navigate the waters throughout the week.
Day Trading Risk Management Strategy
Set a fixed number of contracts to trade per new trade for Monday-Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday based on your account size.
Limit your number of trades for Monday-Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Place a rule of when to stop trading.
1. Fixed Number of Contracts
Your fixed number of contracts is going to depend on your account size.
How do you identify how much you should risk?
Everyone’s account risk is different, but I would start trading with 10% of my account and only risk 10% of that particular trade should the market turn against my trading system.
This puts your overall account risk at 1%.
Set a rule for yourself to only trade ‘X’ number of contracts per trade for Monday through Wednesday, Thursday, and then lower your size on Friday by half.
This next part of your risk management strategy goes hand in hand with the fixed number of contracts you set for yourself.
#2. Limit Your Number of Trades Per Day
This rule is extremely important when it comes to managing your risk.
You’ll want to establish a ground rule of how many trades you’re allowing yourself to take per day.
[Ex.]
Since we know Monday-Wednesday are less volatile, we can set a max of 3 trades per day, while honoring your fixed number of contracts per trade.
Because Thursday tends to have more moderate risk, we can limit ourselves to a max of two trades on that particular day.
And with Friday’s being the most volatile day of the week, we can set a rule to only make one trade on Friday, granted that our setup presents itself to us, otherwise we don’t trade that day.
This risk management strategy allows us to refrain from overtrading on riskier days, while allowing us to potentially profit largely on less volatile days.
But the goal is to have significantly larger wins than losses, so how do we tie it up altogether?
By placing a rule of when to stop trading.
#3. Place a Rule for When to Stop Trading for The Day
Placing a rule for when to stop trading for the day is going to maximize your winning potential and minimize your losing potential.
Here’s a way you can manage your risk by knowing when to stop trading for the day:
Monday-Wednesday | 3 Trades Max
If you have two wins in a row, stop trading in order to keep that capital.
A third trade has the potential to both increase your capital, but to also eliminate your wins for the day.
If you have two losses in a row, stop trading and take the ‘L’ for the day.
While a third trade could potentially minimize your losses, the probability of accumulating even greater losses is also there.
If you have one win followed by a loss or vice versa, it’s okay to take the third trade to either end your trading day with some profitability, or minimal loss.
You may decide to not enter a third trade if after your second trade you’re still profitable or are merely facing a small loss; the choice will highly depend on whether your ‘edge’ presents itself to you or not.
Thursday | 2 Trades Max, Friday | 1 Trade Max
The same rules apply for Thursday and Friday except they are already limited to 2 trades on Thursday and 1 trade on Friday.
Since the market tends to get more volatile as the week progresses, limiting how many times you trade on Thursday and Friday will help you keep more of your gains made throughout the week.
You may decide to only trade once on Thursday and not trade on Friday.
This is good risk management as well.
By limiting the number of trades you make per day and number of contracts you take per trade on Thrusday and Friday, you eliminate big risk.
Any win you have on Thursday or Friday are merely extra gains to top off your week.
And if you have any small losses, they shouldn’t affect your bigger gains from the previous days, granted that you have a proper trading system in place.
But that’s another article of its own.
The Best Indicators to Trade SPY // Lesson.
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Want to become a successful day trader? Here’s what you need to know.
Majority of options traders aren’t successful, many know that.
Becoming a successful options trader is a journey in itself that requires real-world practice and experience.
The battles one fights when learning how to trade options turns into a war many aren’t willing to persevere through.
In the end, you realize the war was always you vs you.
You are always the boss battle.
This analogy depicts why only a very small percentage of options traders end up becoming successful while the majority fall.
In this article, I’m going to break down the 3 key things that make a successful trader profitable over and over again.
By the end of the article, you will have the knowledge you need to create the income and life of your dreams.
Let’s get started!
Introduction to Options Trading
If you have no clue or any idea about what options trading are, I highly recommend reading this article on what you need to know first before getting started.
The article guides beginners on what call and put options are, as well as what ITM, OTM, and ATM mean.
But if you already know the basics, let’s keep it moving forward.
Options Trading for beginners:
What Percentage of Traders Are Successful?
According to Investopedia, only approximately less than 20% of traders are successful with more than 80% of traders fail or quit.
Those who failed are those who blew their trading accounts and could no longer afford to fund them, leaving them with no choice but to quit day trading altogether.
Those who quit found day trading too challenging or never sought out solutions to the problems they were facing during the process.
Business Insider says only 6% of people who attempted to become ‘professional’ day traders actually succeed, claiming that those who fail is due to lack of passion.
That passion is what drives traders to continue to learn until they are no longer repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
But do you require passion to become a successful options trader?
The short answer is no, absolutely not.
I know options traders who earn upwards of $8K per day and trading is not their passion but rather the tool that provides them with freedom to pursue their passions.
What’s required is commitment and desire.
3 Key Elements That Creates a Successful Options Trader
Options Trading: How to become a successful options trader.
The commitment I’ve put into trading options over the course of the year has allowed me to identify 3 key elements that creates successful options traders.
I’ve made a lot of money but have also taken heavy hits in the past.
Losses are part of the game, there’s no denying it.
It’s how we overcome these losses that allows us to sustain profitability.
And it’s the number of wins we have compared to these losses.
Big wins, small wins, and small losses will keep you consistently profitable, but big losses won’t.
Here are the 3 key elements every successful trader masters to create the income and life of their dreams.
#1. Finding a Trading System That Works
Every options trader takes the time to find a trading system that will make them money in the market every single time that system or setup presents itself to them.
Without a proven and ‘back-tested’ system that works, options traders will not stand a chance against the market.
Every trader has their own system, many are similar in some ways, but never exactly the same.
Some options traders enter a trade based on candlestick patterns, some based on supply and demand setups, and others on crossover indicators.
Because every person has a unique perspective, every trader will correspond to a different set of trading methods different from others.
How do you find a trading system that works?
There are two ways to find a trading strategy that will make you money.
By back-testing your own unique strategy on a practice account. Find out what makes money every time and what doesn’t. Take your time before you commit to trading real money.
By replicating a proven trading strategy that works from a successful options trader. Some of my readers are using my personal trading system to make money in the market. Find a trader you trust and who posts their gains for other traders to see what’s possible to achieve in the market.
A successful options trader will have their system locked down before anything.
This system will be the platform that will make you money every time it presents itself to you in the market.
#2. Trading Psychology
Trading psychology has to come next because once you find a trading system that will put you in profit every time it presents itself to you, you’ll need to understand how to execute properly and exit with profits.
Most novice options traders eventually find a trading system that works but let profits turn into losses due to a weak trading psychology.
Trading psychology often times has to do with fears in the market.
The 4 primary trading fears are:
Being Wrong
Losing Money
Missing Out
Leaving Money on The Table
These 4 primary trading fears signal painful information to our brains which often times cause traders distress in the market which leads to painful losses.
*When you are fearful, no other possibilities exist in the market. Fear blocks all available information from the market.
Here are examples of how the 4 primary trading fears cripple options traders:
Example:Afraid of being wrong: not getting out of a trade when you should; Afraid of losing money: not buying enough contracts to make a lot more money; Afraid of missing out: chasing plays; Afraid of leaving money on the table: failing to take profits.
Options traders must learn to master their emotions in order to become successful traders.
Emotions in the market will always lose, data will not.
How do you overcome the 4 Primary Trading Fears?
Afraid of Being Wrong: If you find yourself in a losing trade, you must overcome your fear of being wrong by cutting your losses. If you are afraid of being wrong, you will let your losses grow much bigger in hopes that you are right and the trade reverses in your favor. Losses are part of trading, it’s how small you are able to keep these losses that matters.
Afraid of Losing Money: Sometimes a trader might not open a trade when their setup presents itself to them simply because they are afraid of losing money. You can overcome this by downsizing the number of contracts your purchase. Conversely, some traders might only stick to the minimum number of contracts due to being afraid of losing money if they scale up just a little. Successful traders learn to trust their trading systems and manage their risk accordingly.
Being Afraid of Missing Out: FOMO, or fear of missing out, is something every trader experiences at least once. Successful traders don’t blindly jump on a trade because they missed their setup or because price is moving quickly in one direction. If their setup does not present itself to them (or they missed it), they don’t take a trade and give into FOMO. Successful options traders always follow their setup.
Afraid of Leaving Money on The Table: When traders are afraid of leaving money on the table, they let their winners become losers. Failing to take profit (FTTP) often times occurs due to the emotion of greed, of wanting more. Successful traders overcome this emotion by always taking profits. When traders learn that there will always be money left on the table, that’s when they will begin to consistently become profitable traders.
Book recommendation
A book I highly recommend reading on the psychology of trading is ‘Trading in The Zone, by Mark Douglas’.
The first chapter alone is enough to provide you with the clarity necessary to improve your trading psychology and succeed in your trades.
Now on to the third and final key element that creates successful options traders, risk management.
#3. Risk Management
Options Trading Risk Management.
Risk management is what keeps successful options traders from blowing their accounts and losing all their money.
I was scalping $1K per day and entering trades with nearly 50% of my account (1:1 ratio) and also scalping approximately $3K-$7K paper trading – so I know my trading system works.
However, when one weak entry combined with the fear of being wrong1 led to the inability to cut my losses short, I paid the price and lost nearly half of my account due to overleveraging.
I was forced to inject my account with enough cash to maintain above the minimum margin requirement if I was to continue day trading.
This loss was such a valuable lesson because it provided me with clarity I didn’t have before.
The capital in my account wasn’t set up for large trades like the ones I was making yet.
I scaled largely because my trading system worked, and I had learned to trust it despite the number of contracts I was purchasing.
I figured out how to exit my trade with profit, but the issue was that although I welcomed risk, I wasn’t managing my risk properly in comparison to the size of my account at the time.
Risk Management Lesson
I had to identify and choose one of the following:
Trade at a much smaller volume, or
Continue to trade with large volume, but double down on trading psychology discipline to refrain from creating big losses
But of course, the most successful traders only risk a small percentage of their accounts and gradually scale up as their account grows.
So that’s what I decided to do.
I went from trading 60-80 contracts per trade to only 10 contracts per trade.
I then printed out a scaling system to help me identify when to scale up again based on my account size goals.
This was by far the cherry on top for my success as an options trader and has been for other successful traders too.
If you’re a beginner, start with one contract and identify how to gradually scale up later on as you gain confidence in your setup, improve your trading psychology, and understand the importance of risk management.
How to Stop Losing Money Day Trading
Options Trading for beginners
Losing money is part of the process when learning options trading.
The most successful options traders have lost a lot of money investing the knowledge in themselves but have succeeded by not repeating their mistakes.
It’s important to understand that big wins, small wins, and small losses are normal, but big losses shouldn’t be.
Successful options traders still lose money on trades but keeping them small is the key to long term success.
You can avoid big losses by finding a trading system that works, improving your trading psychology, and writing a plan for your risk management.
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Wealth Building: Differences between Long-Term Investing, Short Squeeze Plays, and Day Trading
Today’s article is going to be extremely educational; I’m going over the biggest differences between long-term investing, short squeeze plays, and day trading.
In this article you’re going to discover what makes each one more susceptible than the other to market manipulation and overall risk.
When you’re looking to build wealth in the market, it is important to identify the major differences between the three.
Be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it in the future for a mental refresh.
Let’s get started!
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I’ve helped people learn how to invest in stocks, crypto, and how to day trade options as well.
My goal is to help you take your finances to the next level. Be sure to browse the blog for market news, wealth building tips, and other valuable content.
Let’s dive right into it!
#1. Long-Term investing
Long-term investing is the #1 traditional way to build wealth over a long period of time.
Here, an investor’s portfolio compounds over time as dividends are rolled over or reinvested back into the asset – further purchasing more stock on its own.
During the years of retirement, investors may decide to stop reinvesting the dividend and accept the dividend as cash instead.
This is how a dividend stock portfolio may yield investors with big passive income in the form of cashflow many years later.
Many of these stocks are not heavy victims to market manipulation due to the security and minimalistic risk there is to invest in these funds.
Short squeeze plays have a high risk/high reward ratio that has attracted many new investors into the market.
When a stock is being heavily shorted, the short interest percentage of the stocks float tends to rise.
This means that with enough buying pressure, investors may increase the probability of squeezing short sellers from their positions.
We saw this occur when AMC ran from $2 per share to $72 per share and when GameStop skyrocketed into the hundred-dollar levels.
While both these two stocks are still heavily shorted, these are just two examples of short squeeze plays where investors could have taken advantage of an opportunity to make big bucks.
Short squeeze plays are more susceptible to market manipulation since market makers tend to have a lot of control of retail investor’s orders.
They may drive share prices down by overleveraging their already bias positions, which means a lot of momentum is required for a short squeeze play to be successful.
Short squeeze plays are a form of swing trades that may last weeks to months of holding a stock before trading it for profit.
This type of investment strategy may be viewed as mid-term investing to cash in big on a rather unique opportunity.
#3. Day Trading
Day trading uses leverage as a multiplier to trade stocks in a short-term timeframe.
What makes this investment strategy attractive to most investors are the possibilities to earn massive gains in such a short period of time.
Traders are earning money whether the market is up or down through ‘put and call options contracts’.
Unlike long-term investing or short squeeze plays that have a buy and hold approach, day trading is a skill that requires focus, discipline, and a deep understanding about the psychology of trading.
Day traders can earn hundreds to thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars on a daily basis (you can view my gains here).
While day trading is mainly a form of income, traders may still allocate earnings towards long-term investments to further build their wealth.
As investors, we need to identify the best way to take advantage of the tool that is the stock market.
Long-term investors should focus on increasing their income to flood their portfolios with compounding effects.
Short squeeze traders should draw out a macro vision board to determine which path to take after short squeeze profits are secured.
Day traders would be wise to invest a portion of their income towards dividend paying assets or physical assets (such as property or a business) that will produce cashflow.
Building wealth is about having your money work for you so that you can have the time freedom to do what you love most.
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I’m curious to know your thoughts, leave a comment down below.
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Learn how to create multiple streams of income
The best way to beat inflation in 2022 is by learning how to create multiple streams of income.
Multiple streams of income will generate your household money no matter what is happening in the world.
A diversified web of income streams can be viewed as a safety net when hard times hit home.
The costs of living is skyrocketing due to inflation but it is up to us as individuals to adapt to these changes and find ways to overcome these hurdles.
How do you create an additional stream of income?
There are many ways to create an additional or multiple streams of income.
Each type will vary from individual to individual depending on lifestyle, level of risk, capital, and attraction towards the desired stream.
Here is a list of the best ways to beat inflation in 2022 through additional sources of monetary means:
#1. Additional spouse income
If your spouse has been meaning to get back in the field, now could be a great time to do it.
Having two parents working oppose to just one has great benefits to a household’s financial health and net worth.
This additional stream of income can help offset the costs of rising inflation even if it’s only temporary.
#2. Find a way to work for yourself
You don’t have to quit your 9-5 or salary job, but finding a way to work for yourself outside your regular job/career is one of the best ways to beat inflation in 2022.
The reason being is that you maximize your income through any profits you make working for yourself.
Find what interests you and build something that can generate income around it.
This could be something as simple as freelance work or even starting a small business.
You can manage these types of gigs outside your current work and build them during the weekend too.
Perhaps you’re an expert in your industry.
If you’re great at doing what you do, why not learn how to pay yourself for it too?
#3. Generate dividend stock income
When you discover the power of dividend income, you’ll wish you had started earlier.
That’s because dividend stock income can generate passive income forever while gradually compounding over time.
Investing in stocks such as AT&T, the S&P 500, and other ETFs will allow your money to work for you.
Dividend stocks for the most part pay you quarterly (depending on the company or ETF).
You will have an option to collect that dividend as cash, or to reinvest it back into the asset where it will compound over time.
Put enough cash into these types of stocks and you’ll be able to retire with an income a lot earlier than most people in the U.S. ever will.
If you are new to trading, you might wonder what is MACD?
It stands for moving average convergence divergence.
This indicator is used to measure both trend momentum and direction.
It consists of two lines, one blue (signal line) and the other orange (MACD line).
Crossovers of these lines present the most opportunities for scalpers since if the signal line crosses the MACD line to the upside, it means upside price action can be expected.
On the other hand, if the MACD crosses over the signal line, then downward price action can be expected.
Scalping indicators | Day Trading Tips | Options Trading Tips
The RSI or relative strength index is an algorithmic trading tool that measures a currency’s price action momentum change.
The indicator will take price action data and convey the information through a simple line graph.
This indicator displays the relationship between current price action and buying/selling conditions.
It ranges from 0-100, with most traders using parameters 30 – 70.
The logic of the indicator is simple: if the asset price is trending between 0-30, it is said to be oversold, thus considered cheap, while if the price is trending above 70, it is said to be overbought, thus expensive.
If you are scalping an uptrend, you want to buy “cheap” on the RSI and sell at the overbought level.
The opposite applies in a downtrend.
Additionally, watching out for divergences between price and RSI can indicate an imminent change in trend.
Another thing you need to remember is scalping requires use of platforms with high liquidity.
Therefore consider using the likes of PrimeXBT for fast trade execution.
Also, as mentioned earlier, remember, price action is king.
First of all, determine the direction the asset is headed, then use the above indicators to strengthen your bias.
This increases your confidence in taking a given position and tremendously improves your trading success.
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What is a call option?
What is a call option? – Calls vs puts explained
A call option is a bullish strategy that allows a trader to profit from a trade on the upside.
The trader essentially bets that the price of a stock is going to go up by buying call options.
How does a call option work?
When you open the options chain, you will have many contracts to choose from, ITM, ATM, or OTM, which I’ll use as a quick example for now.
If you are betting on the price of a stock to go up, you might buy a contract with a strike price of a few dollars above the underlying securities’ current price, depending on your risk.
If the stock does indeed move up in price, you will begin to see gains on your contract.
You may then sell your contract and profit from your play when you are ready.
What is a put option?
What is a put option? – calls vs puts options – puts vs calls stocks
A put option is a bearish strategy that allows a trader to profit off a trade on the downside.
Unlike calls, traders buying put options are betting the price of a security will drop.
How does a put option work?
I’ll use another OTM example for now and explain the other scenarios below.
You will have many options in the options chain to choose from.
Here you will be able to select a contract to buy based on the ‘strike’ price you’ve selected.
The strike price you’ve selected is where you believe the price of a security will go down to.
If a price of a stock is at $20 and you buy a contract for a strike price of $17, you’re betting that the price of the stock will fall in the future.
If the stock falls to $19 then $18, you will begin to see gains on your bet.
The closer the price of the underlying security gets to $17, the more gains you will see.
You can then close your position at any moment before the contract’s expiration date and take profits.
Both these examples are examples of an OTM contract which I’ll explain more below.
Here are other examples of how calls vs puts work.
What is ATM and ITM?
Options trading: ATM vs ITM
ATM stands for “at the money”.
At the money (ATM) is the current price a stock/security is trading at.
When your strike price is near the current share price this is considered to be “at the money” (ATM) for both calls and put options.
ITM puts
ITM stands for “in the money” and will be a little different for puts vs calls.
When a strike price is in the money for put options, it means the price is above the “at the money” (ATM) price.
Example: You’re betting the price of a stock will go down, so you buy a put options contract “ITM” for $11 while the stock is currently trading at $10 (ATM).
You contract has a higher probability to earn gains since the current share price (ATM) is already below your strike price (ITM).
The further the price of a stock goes down from your strike price, the more money you make.
ITM calls
When a strike price is in the money for call options, it means the price is below the ATM price.
Example: You’re betting the price of a stock will go higher so you buy a call option contact “ITM” at $9 while the stock is trading at $10 (ATM).
Your call option contract has a better probability of making money from the start since the current share price is already above your strike price.
If the price of that stock continues to surge, then you will continue to make gains.
“In the money” (ITM) contracts are a little more expensive to buy since your probability to make money is higher.
“At the money” (ATM) contracts which are closer to the “current” share price had a medium risk factor and are cheaper than ITM contracts.
So then what are OTM contracts?
OTM “out the money” explained
Calls vs puts explained – OTM – Calls vs Puts options
OTM, or “out the money” is the strike price above the ATM for calls, and the strike price below the ATM for puts.
Call option example: If you buy a call options contract OTM at $12 and the price of the stock is currently at $10 “at the money” (ATM), you are betting the price of a stock will rise above $10 per share.
Put option example: If you buy a put options contact “out the money” (OTM) at $8 and the price is currently at $10 “at the money” (ATM), you are betting the price of a stock will go below $10.
Remember, the closer a stock’s price gets to your strike price, the more gains you will reap.
So, the further out the money your strike price is, the higher the reward may be.
Should you buy ATM, ITM, or OTM?
Every trader will use the strategy that best tailors to their risk.
Out The Money (OTM) = High Risk / High Reward
At The Money (ATM) = Medium Risk / Medium Reward
In The Money (ITM) = Low Risk / Low Reward
Traders will need to study the performance of an underlying asset to get a feel and understanding of where the price may go.
Once you have determined whether you will be buying puts vs calls or vice versa, then you may begin to look at the contracts available.
Options contracts explained
Every 1 contract equates to 100 shares of a particular stock.
OTM contracts are usually less expensive.
With these contracts you can buy 100 shares of a stock for only cents.
ITM contracts are more expensive because they are the safest choice.
ATM contracts are in between ITM and OTM in pricing.
The options chain will allow you to choose when contracts based on short-term or long-term expiration dates.
You can go short or long on both a call and put options contract.
These expiration dates may vary from only a few days to weeks, to months, and even years.
Whether you should trade short-term or longer-term expiration options contracts is a strategy that will be highly based on your trading goals.
Where can you trade options?
Options trading with Webull – calls vs puts options – calls vs puts explained
The most popular platform to trade options is Webull.
Webull is where I personally began learning reading charts and familiarizing myself with the options chain and data.
Here traders will be able to purchase calls vs puts or vice versa.
Some traders use both strategies to make money during a bull and bear market.
Other platforms where you can trade options include:
TD Ameritrade
ETrade
Robinhood
Fidelity
If you’re already invested in stocks, you might already be using one of these platforms.
The difference between trading stocks and trading options is that you will need to open a margin account for options.
A cash account will not allow you to buy calls vs puts.
You can earn 5 free stocks from Webull when you sign up using my affiliate link.
If you choose not to keep these 5 stocks, you can sell them and fund your margin account to trade options.
Puts VS Calls: Why trade options?
Puts vs Calls stocks – calls vs puts options – calls vs puts explained
Buying puts or buying calls allow traders to bulk up on stock and use leverage to make money in the stock market.
There are 4 different ways you can trade options.
Buy Calls
Sell Calls
Buy Puts
Sell Puts
All four essentially allow you to use leverage and make money whichever side of the play you want to begin trading options.
However, selling calls and selling puts from the get-go will require further in-depth explanation, which I will do in another article.
For today’s breakdown, I’ve explained buying both calls and puts.
There are a variety of things that attract investors to trading options.
Short-term gains
Big returns
Losses are limited to what you put in your contract
Quick accumulation of cash / shares
If you’re here today, it’s because you’ve probably seen people in your space talk about how much money they’ve made playing options.
And while options can yield a full-time income stream, new traders should also be aware of the risks.
Is trading options risky?
Calls vs puts options – puts vs calls stocks –
Trading options has its risks as bets aren’t 100% guaranteed to play in your favor.
However, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances at becoming profitable.
Familiarize yourself with technical analysis / chart patterns
Only buy what you can afford to lose
While traders can certainly trade based on market sentiment, it would be wise to gain some understanding of how prices move through technical analysis.
TA can help traders determine the trajectory of a stock’s price moves in the coming minutes, hours, days, and even weeks.
It’s best to armor yourself up and learn as much as you can to properly set yourself up for success.
If you’d like me to do a write-up on bullish and bearish patterns leave me a comment below.
When it comes to choosing between calls vs puts, it really comes down to adapting to the changes in the market to help you increase your income potential.
If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below.
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