By all means go for it, but remember that you will be trading your $2k for an introductory education and not to make a living... educate yourself in how not to trade... you will, in all probability, not last more than a few weeks (cos, as a beginner, you will make mistakes that you will not, a priori, be aware of), but the $2k will have been worth if you have managed to learn a few things about how and how not to trade... once you have gotten through your $2k, go get a job and put together at least $20k which would be a much more realistic amount to start with... then come back to the table... Remember, even people who start with $20k will, in all probability, be wiped out... trading is a game for the 5% in other words... the main thing is to continue to learn, so that when you come back to the table with a more realistic grub stake, you will be better armed to be one of the 5%... A few practical considerations... you won't be able to daytrade US stocks with $2k... so swingtrade em with a conventional broker and some cheap or free end-of-day charts... forget about futures and options for the time being...
Nothing personal, Dantheman, but lighten up. Too heavy. It's just a small amount of money this person wants to play with, not someone's life. This isn't about conquering the world either. Have fun with this ChildsPlay. Don't let people discourage you. P.S. I always liked Datek as a good beginning broker. Lots of free stuff and good people. But they were bought out by Ameritrade so I don't know how they are now. And lastly, and most importantly, the most important thing you can learn as a trader is how to minimize your losses and protect your capital. Remember this. It's very important.
There's a bad ass trading program that you can buy on late nite infomercials. It lights up green when you need to buy and it goes red when you need to get out. Amazing !
TRUE ENOUGH IF Y0OU'RE ON YOUR OWN - BUT YOU NEED NOT LEARN THE "HARD" WAY, THERE ARE PLACES THAT WILL SHARE YEARS OF POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS
hi dottom Yes, IMHO it really is. Overwhelmingly unlikely. Just ask a discount broker. Out of 20 people who try, how many do you think are still trading after 6 months? I mean still in the game, not up $400. "trad(e) your $2k for an introductory education and not to make a living... educate yourself in how not to trade... you will, in all probability, not last more than a few weeks (cos, as a beginner, you will make mistakes that you will not, a priori, be aware of), but the $2k will have been worth if you have managed to learn a few things about how and how not to trade... once you have gotten through your $2k, go get a job and put together at least $20k which would be a much more realistic amount to start with..." this from candletrader sums it up. Notice the word PROBABILITY. That is my point.