If you are like most people, in these times of economic uncertainty you are looking for a way to earn extra money, that doesn't take a lot of time, preferably from home and that doesn't require a lot of capital to get started. If you fall into this category then options trading might be just what you are looking for. Although trading is a simple business to get started in, it is far from easy and be wary of anybody who tells you differently. Also you may have heard that trading options is risky, and while nothing in life is risk free, there are ways to substantially reduce the risk.
How much money do I need to start?
One of the beautiful things about options trading is it's one of the few businesses that you can take for a free test drive to see if you can be successful at it. By trading in a simulator you can start your business with no money. Obviously you won't be earning anything either, but you will be gaining valuable knowledge. You can find a simulator at CBOE.com. After you've traded in the simulator for a few months and become consistently profitable you can start with as little as $2,000.
Finding a broker
The first step in getting started in an options business is finding a broker. There are many (excuse the pun) options available, a few of the good ones include, OptionsXpress, TradeStation and Interactive Brokers. These are all members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which are two organizations that protect you against fraud from financial brokers.
Putting the Odds in your favor
While this isn't a comprehensive list there are a few things that you can do to stack the odds in your favor when dealing in stock options. First of all rather than buying puts and calls you can use credit spreads. This method of selling a higher priced option and purchasing a lower priced option alone will stack the odds enormously in your favor simply because this method can allow you to make money whether the markets go up, down or sideways. As a matter of fact using this method can allow you to win as much as 80-90% of the time, which is why professional traders use this type of trade to generate consistent income.
The next thing you want to do is a bit of technical analysis and look at the S&P stock index. If the index is moving above it's 200 day moving average you generally want to be purchasing stocks or using bull put credit spreads. If the index is moving below it's 200 day moving average you should short sell stocks or use bear call spreads.
How much can I earn?
This can fluctuate depending on market conditions but by using credit spreads you can make anywhere from 5-20% a month. So with $10,000 you can generate anywhere from $500-$2000 in extra income a month.
Reducing Your Risk
1.Start off by trading in a simulator at CBOE.com
2.Always use a stop loss or have your positions hedged.
3.Never trade with money that you need to pay for you day to day expenses with such as rent and bills. Nervous money always loses.
If you'd like to find out more about options trading and credit spreads click on the link in the resource box below and sign up for a free 10 part course.
How much money do I need to start?
One of the beautiful things about options trading is it's one of the few businesses that you can take for a free test drive to see if you can be successful at it. By trading in a simulator you can start your business with no money. Obviously you won't be earning anything either, but you will be gaining valuable knowledge. You can find a simulator at CBOE.com. After you've traded in the simulator for a few months and become consistently profitable you can start with as little as $2,000.
Finding a broker
The first step in getting started in an options business is finding a broker. There are many (excuse the pun) options available, a few of the good ones include, OptionsXpress, TradeStation and Interactive Brokers. These are all members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which are two organizations that protect you against fraud from financial brokers.
Putting the Odds in your favor
While this isn't a comprehensive list there are a few things that you can do to stack the odds in your favor when dealing in stock options. First of all rather than buying puts and calls you can use credit spreads. This method of selling a higher priced option and purchasing a lower priced option alone will stack the odds enormously in your favor simply because this method can allow you to make money whether the markets go up, down or sideways. As a matter of fact using this method can allow you to win as much as 80-90% of the time, which is why professional traders use this type of trade to generate consistent income.
The next thing you want to do is a bit of technical analysis and look at the S&P stock index. If the index is moving above it's 200 day moving average you generally want to be purchasing stocks or using bull put credit spreads. If the index is moving below it's 200 day moving average you should short sell stocks or use bear call spreads.
How much can I earn?
This can fluctuate depending on market conditions but by using credit spreads you can make anywhere from 5-20% a month. So with $10,000 you can generate anywhere from $500-$2000 in extra income a month.
Reducing Your Risk
1.Start off by trading in a simulator at CBOE.com
2.Always use a stop loss or have your positions hedged.
3.Never trade with money that you need to pay for you day to day expenses with such as rent and bills. Nervous money always loses.
If you'd like to find out more about options trading and credit spreads click on the link in the resource box below and sign up for a free 10 part course.