5 Need to Know Facts About
Online Options Trading
You ever heard of online options trading?
If so, then you've probably seen some get rich quick ad promoting options trading as the key to all riches and glory. Now I admit, I have earned more than 100% return on my investment several times, but to state that this is guaranteed would be misleading.
Fact 1: Sadly, I've seen more people fail then succeed
We won't go into the reasons why, but I just wanted to put that fact out there. As I tell my options coaching students; be realistic. It would be nice if everyone could succeed, but sometimes things don't quite work out that way. So what is online options trading anyway? Essentially it's the same thing as options trading. It's just another way to say you are trading options online, usually through an options broker like Thinkorswim or OptionsXpress. Option trades were once made over the phone through a full service broker. Now with the influx of discount option brokers you can place the same trade online in a matter of seconds with the click of a button. One thing to keep in mind is that with discount option brokers you have to do all the research yourself. All they do is provide the trading platform for you to trade with.
Fact 2: You DON'T need a lot of money to get started with online options trading
Actually you don't need any money. Most option brokers allow you to set up a demo account (paper trading account) to practice with. You can learn how to trade from this site, or some other one, and then practice your skills without risking any money. When it comes to using real money it would help if you had a lot ($10,000 - $30,000), but it's not needed. I once took $90 and bought a stock option and wound up making a $240 profit or 267% return on my money. And I was only in the trade for 15 days. I admit, it was part skill, part luck.
Fact 3: You DON'T have to be an expert on finance and stocks in order to participate in online options trading
I've led many people down the road to successful options trading and one thing was in common with all of them. They were ALL average ordinary folks with regular jobs. There were no wall street whiz kids or multi-millionaires in my options trading classes.
Fact 4: If you buy an option there will ALWAYS be someone to sell it to. Most people are scared that if they buy an option they will get stuck with it and won't be able to sell it. That's so not true. What people don't know is that the Options Clearing Corporation ensures that there is always a buyer and always a seller for each and every options transaction (even if they have to take one of the sides).
Fact 5: Trader Travis (me) will NOT teach you how to get rich quick
Even though most of my students are doing fairly well and one even doubled her retirement account I do not teach a get rich quick strategy. It's actually a very boring (yet profitable) 4 step system to trading the markets.
Online options trading is very profitable, but it's not as easy as folks make it out to be. It can actually be rather tricky at times. So if you're in a hurry to make money, don't be. Just take your time and realize that the stock market isn't going anywhere.
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