metoo, Yep - ertrader has been in the chatroom - he is from Chicago as well so we started chating - sounds like a real nice guy... nitro
I know of numerous traders who started like you describe. Works particularly well on the West Coast for those with flexible schedules. They trade the morning session 6:30-8:30, and then go to work. Some also take a long lunch 11:00-1:00 to do the closing session and just work a little bit later into the evening on their day job. Some work a job as a waiter in the evenings. Some deliver pizzas in the evening (these work on both coasts). Just be careful about bartending... work till 2am, then have to trade at 6:30am? Will you have time enough to prepare? Will you get enough sleep to trade sharp? I know of one guy who was an apprentice chef. He was working his way up the ranks and loved what he did. On the east coast, he traded just the morning session, made $300-$400 a day and then went to work. He only traded for extra income as being a gourmet chef was his true love. Lots of ways to do it if you REALLY want to.
seeing as you have to get up so early to trade I would ote against the bartending. You need to have a well rested mind to trade. I cant tell you how many late nights cost me 10x the actual cost of the night the next morning. I thin you should either move to NY or look at waitering. The hours are much earlier. Remember the important thing is trading. Make enough money to live. To kill the trading to bartend is stupid.
How about Vegas?...cheap to live there. Jobs were plentiful (could have changed after 9/11). You can deal dice or roulette and keep your mind sharp. Makes you think fast on your feet. Good to keep your brain in shape for trading. (not so with black jack IMO). Shift hours can work with trading. The money is enough to get by, the job can be fun, the cocktail waitresses are fun to play with (they won't date touristst) and you get to be in the same city as Don Bright What more can you want??? RS7 PS.. I believe that the major casinos give you benefits after 60 days...health, etc.
If you don't have experience tending bar, it is not that easy to get one of those jobs without knowing someone. Delivering pizza from 6-9 pm should "deliver" about fifty bucks, most of which is cash. The negatives are wear & tear on your vehicle (get a cheap one that gets good mileage), not very much pay even though the hourly rate is good, and delivering pizza is not the safest of jobs. Of the jobs in which you are most likely to be murdered while working, it's #3, behind police officer, and taxi driver. http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com/
It's Vegas all the way, baby. How about room service waiter, or valet. They take home some good $ and you WILL keep busy.
That is the nice thing about the hours on the west coast, with the trading day over by 1:00 pm, it leaves time for a ton of other activities. My brother is moving to San Diego to trade with me and he is definitely going to have a second job while he learns the trading game. What an advantage he will have over others because he will not have to worry since his monthly nut is being carried by his "other job". JK