If you are good at programming in general I recommend Sierra Charts. You can accomplish virtually anything, users are happy to help in forum, generally some pretty smart people frequent the forums,etc. Plus their support usually replies to you when you post a question in the support forum in less than 1/2 day I would say at most. They have added things to the application for me personally when no work around could be figured out with IB. They did it rather quickly too. Sierra is also priced extremely cheap IMO compared to everyone else. PM me and I will shoot you a link.
get a copy of "market wizards" buy it used or get it from a library. Sorry to hear about your dad. Some sites to peruse. http://stockcharts.com/ http://finviz.com/ see their screener http://www.barchart.com/ http://www.marketwatch.com/ http://www.briefing.com/ (not free but many traders use this) http://www.reuters.com/ etc. some interesting et threads http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46620&highlight=trend+following+delusion http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53037 http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=99283&highlight=aneks+holy+grail http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64965 http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=187779 http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showt...thing ever seen in a prop thread&pagenumber=1 The last one is just for fun, either way enjoy the ride!
No need to worry about remote trading, get the lowest cost/free datafeed you can find (IB for example is like $10/month, or free if you rack up $10 or more in comms), download Ninjatrader or another free charting package, and sim trade until you're consistently profitable for 6+ months. Unless you can find a genuine mentor to teach you his/her system, the free information available on this site and elsewhere on the net is as good as any (though of course you have to wade through masses of crap). I suspect any formal "training" you'll receive through a firm won't be worthwhile, except perhaps as a very, very primitive base to build on. Try to get more savings if at all possible. Don't even start unless you're willing to do this fulltime for 3+ years without seeing a dime. Have a plan B in case of failure, I wouldn't put off med school or something to trade, if there's a career you're interested in you should probably get started on it and trade on the side. You can always quit your job if the trading shows results, but you don't want to be 25 and just starting out in a career if trading doesn't pan out. Although, if your parents have a business (family farm?) where you can work, earn some cash and marketable skills while also having lots of time to trade, that seems like a good deal. Do not under any circumstances place a live trade with real money until you're consistently profitable in sim (it will take several years at a minimum). Search for posts by Anekdoten and "Stealth Trader", the AHG thread and some of ST's posts are a good (but very very basic) intro to discretionary price action trading. "Grinding it out" (in the journals section) provides some info on a more quantitative/stat-based style. Good luck and follow the trend
Hey, Most people are pointing you in the right direction... Study is really important especially at this stage in life... I'm a couple years ahead and I'm really happy I went to University. But you should follow your dreams and if you want to be a trader then study trading... There are a heap of good books out there.... Market Wizards I and II,Trading in the zone, One good trade, Way of the turtle.... these have all been helpful for me. Also there are plenty of good ideas on the threads here as well... search for the 'best of' threads... I really can't comment on the automation thing as that is not how I trade. But what I would say is if you have never traded before then how can you automate anything... your better of giving manual trading a go with real $$ and see what works for you and what doesn't.... that being said it can be quite costly as unless your an awesome trader right away you will lose $$ very consistently until you start to figure things out. If I was in your shoes I wouldn't trade my own $$ at the start of my career... this is when you are most likely to lose and you really shouldn't risk what is probably a large chunk of $$ for you at the moment. Read a lot of books and when your ready to move and to take on trading full time go to a firm where you risk their $$$ not yours. If you become profitable you can always trader your own $ or search out a better deal. But really nothing beats trading someone else's $$ and if you have some time to learn then there is no reason to think you won't make it btw Ignore everyone telling you that you won't make it... there are a lot of idiots on these boards mixed in with the really good advice.
Sorry to hear about your Dad. The good news is God created the human body to be able to heal. Btw, you're ticking me off!!! Home cooked meals, no rent, and other entertainment?!?! Oh to be the young guy again... You lucky dog! Lol! Hope your Dad heals up quickly!
OP, you just received $1,000,000 worth of advice for free! Great post kinggyppo! I'll also add some reads: Reminiscensces of a stock operator Pit Bull Trading in the zone Trader Vic Methods of a wall st master Do NOT read every trading book out there though. There are a handfull imo that are the cream of the crop for what you're looking for.
Disagree with some (much?) of the advice here. There's only one real way of learning to trade and that is to trade. Read the books mentioned, buy Amibroker (or whatever), buy data, do simulations, look at charts, talk to people. Find something that works, study money management, understand your own psychology. But in the end, if you can't pull the trigger, you're no good. The only way you are going to know that is if you trade.