Is it even worth the effort to learn how to trade?

The thread creator has failed at trading and thinks everyone is the same.

 

Hello,

For me, I trade futures because I "eventually" want to make $3000 average monthly starting with at $5000 balance. I can not achieve this by investing $5000 in a SP 500 index.

Every trader should be investing for retirement as well as trading for income if they choose. If you had invested about $1000 per month in SP 500 index the past 30 year, you be a millionaire today. So I am doing both trading and investing.
http://www.buyupside.com/calculators/dollarcostave.php Input VFINX

 

Most on here that trade options are probably in the business, and think that options trading is the only way to make money trading.

Very few plebs get into serious options trading, as it requires a v.g math background, access to expensive software, and constant adjustment of trades.

IMHO, it is not worth the time and effort for a pleb. Much easier ways to make money trading.

 

Appreciate your coaching and advice.

As an amateur, I know I am against long odds and I know I am not capable of competing against professionals. So, I don't trade against them, I trade against MM. Why because I made directional bets whereas it seemed they hedged and made money via bid/ask. So essentially I was trading against my own judgement and paid with bid/ask spread instead of beat my brain out trying to figure why someone took the other side. It worked but I need to keep a step ahead of the game as the MM handling the options I traded seemed to be reacting to my trades a little different now and the trades are less predictable.

Just like your posts, many of the posts are very helpful explaining convexity, long/short delta, gamma, vega and risk of OTM options....

For us small retail guys, ET is extremely helpful. Thank you all.

 

Care to explain and expand on this too?

Thanks.

 

You will find that most option traders are not v.g at reading charts. If they were, then they really would have an edge worth talking about.

Serious chart traders look at charts in a unique way
.
It involves counting, very basic maths.

Counting correctly can tell you if a market is currently over balanced or in balance.

Option trading is a completely different game, which of course can be very profitable, but can also cost you a lot of money if you get caught out holding positions when extreme volatility like Brexit happen.

When Brexit results were just out, you had no bother trading ES futures, but if you tried to trade ES options you had no chance, as the MM's widened the spreads so much, you would think the system was not working.

It is hard enough to make money and keep it, the last thing you need is an unfair advantage, and with Options you often get this.

So, why even bother, when there is absolutely no need!

Don't mind those who explain the intricacies of Option valuations, not worth a dime if you are locked out

 

This was actually true even for the equities I was trading at the time.

 

You are always better off with the futures mrkt during extreme volatility.

 

For you it is not worth it. For me it is worth it.

 

Great comments. I actually understood what you said.

Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. I owe you one.