I could never do it. I need 100% concentration while trading and I feel it would be distracting trying to trade in a fast food/coffee joint.
Yeah, everybody is different and I'm like you. Yet, if I'm going to be trading with others in the same room as me...I want those "others" to be traders too, people I know (not random strangers) and in an office atmosphere and not in some coffee shop where some stranger walks by and stops to say... "Hey, can you bring up a chart of Google so that I can take a quick peek at it".
In all seriousness, its a great idea. I do it often ( when i get tired of being at home) and would much rather spend my office rent money on leasing nice cars, going out, and vacations. Baron actually gave me this idea in one of his articles. Why drop $3000 per month on an office when you can be driving a really hot car for the same or less?? http://fiverulesforlife.blogspot.com/2009/01/submitted-by-baron-robertson.html?m=1 Plus, i suggest everyone read the 4 hour work week. That book changed my life for the better and it will for you also.
2009 -- great year, when I first started trading. It was kind of impossible Not to get intrigued in how the markets work and function in Winter 2008/Spring 2009...major headlines were being made practically everyday
For the same cost for Starbucks you can get a workstation spot at a 'coworking' office. Much better internet, fewer people walking around you, 24/7 access, very nice. Free coffee and tea. Good business crowd. No need for private office, but if a meeting is necessary you can schedule an office by the hour. http://siliconvalleybusinesscenter.net/plans/workstation-memberships/ As far as your brokerage accounts, make sure you have an https connection and are using a '2 factor' authentication that requires a cell-phone connect message to verify your login.
How would such a portable set-up look like? I have an Asus Zenbook 13,3" and bought an additional Lenovo 14" LCD screen with the idea being to have a mobile solution. The initial idea was to trade at my local university's library and avoid isolating myself for 6-8 hours per day. However, I now find myself missing screen space and am considering buying a 24" LCD screen. This would definitely not be a portable solution.
The problem i have experienced with those places-- i used a shared office for years with my other biz since i needed a conference room to meet clients-- is that there is always a big mouth loser type in your face since you are now "buddies" at the same office. The one in my home office was a lawyer with a talking problem and another guy who would yell in the phone. My shared office was part of a national group so i tried a bunch of locations around the USA. Without fail there was ALWAYS a derivative of the above irritating users. Starbucks or similar i have not had this same issue ever. surf
I would like to take the question "Trading in coffee shop?" one step further. How about Trading from a Best Buy or Apple Store? You wonder into a Best Buy or Apple Store and use the display desktops, laptops, or tablets for your trading. All of the stores I have been into have the display computers on Wi-Fi. You could even move two tablets side-by-side for a dual monitor setup. The cost savings of not having to buy a computer would be the main benefit.