Just HOW do you make money in the markets?

Ayepee, first of all attitude. You can not make well something you dont believe at. For most of us it took years to make our activities profitable and it may be he same for you. There is much to learn and there is much to understand. After many years in the markets, trading only forex and only two pairs of it i have managed to make enough money each day that i can live well from it, these is not easy, these is not something from wonderland where you will simply harvest money you must be prepared and it can take time, once you have reached that level i can tell you you will live well from the markets. Respect where you want to eat from and it will respect you back.
 
hi guys, does anyone know if there are any decent real-time chat applications out there?
 
I don't agree with your opinion on automated trading system. many of my friends are using trading systems and they are earning a good amount. You can use a reliable trading system to earn profit. I used online robotic stock trader system and I must sat its great. I have recommended it to my friends too.
 
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The math is simple - look at how many active posters there are on here. Perhaps a couple of hundred. Look at the fact that trading is a minus sum game with the whole of Wall St being a big casino intended to part the investing public with their funds. Look at the amount of people regurgitating trading methods that Wall St wants you to use and you will have your answer.

Hi DT, it may be a bit off topic here but its not a minus sum game or a zero sum game. Its a positive sum game, everyone can win!
http://www.trade2win.com/boards/home-trader/184584-zero-sum-game.html
I would be interested to see the 'simple math' that your using to back up your assertions.
 
Hi DT, it may be a bit off topic here but its not a minus sum game or a zero sum game. Its a positive sum game, everyone can win!
http://www.trade2win.com/boards/home-trader/184584-zero-sum-game.html
I would be interested to see the 'simple math' that your using to back up your assertions.

Just saying... it is a zero sum game if you are the broker. If you use a broker it is a zero sum less brokerage fees. As a scalper, I see the market as a minus sum because broker fees could eat my tiny profits.
 
One bit of advice, in my experience, can help successful trading:

Don't trade with capital that you can't afford to lose. If you are trading in order to put bread on the table and pay the rent, you are quite likely doomed to failure - unless you have balls of absolute steel of course.

To test your strength (e.g. balls of absolute steel), double your number of contracts until you hit a loosing trade. If you change your system based on that loosing trade (because the loss hurt too much) then your system isn't ready. When your system is solid, then you will be strong.
 
Hello,
I'm trying to figure out which route to go to take a shot at making consistent money trading. I've been reading a lot of these posts here, and basically it seems like there are quite a few opinions on how NOT to make money. For instance: day trading-no way 'cause your computer/system/execution/bankroll etc... can't compete with the big boys & market makers; buying a canned system (i.e. "AbleTrend")-no way, 'cause if it was that simple everyone would be doing it, or, too expensive and trend following using EMA MA's is just as good & a lot cheaper; using " 'bots " for a fully automated system-no way, Star Treks' Mr. Data would have a hard time designing a good one;

And on and on and on...

So everyone, is ANYONE making money, and how?

I'm thinking a swing trading time frame, to help eliminate the execution headaches with active intraday trading; seems like it has become a high stakes video game rather than a exercise in strategic thinking. Options maybe?

Thanks in advance for your input!

If you find a way, please post it here so we can all have some.
 
This thread came to an abrupt stop in 2010, only to restart 4 years later. If it follows the same line, it should have some good posts.
 
They say that 90% of people that attempt to trade fail. I'd say the percentage on forums like this is much, much higher. Certainly higher than 99.9%.

I see little merit in testing things that sound good written by people that are more than likely losing money.

I think the time would be much better spent sitting on your **** than following the advice from 99.9% of the people touting trading advice on the internet. That includes this site.

You have a valid point. Without looking at the market, testing makes no sense. A trader cant really test without first trading and loosing. Who can accurately describe, understand and embrace risk, without experiencing loss?

Can't speak for others, but I spent time, months and years testing. The testing paid off in the end. Found an ity bity strategy that was OK, traded it an and kept testing. Found another slightly better strategy and switched to it and kept trading. Then I found my sweet spot by testing and I am currently trading my sweet spot.
 
Why would anyone trade without any form of testing. It is free, other than your time. And how could you build a system or copy a system without testing. Surely testing is part of the process?
 
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“Selling something only to steal it back to sell again is not only dishonest, but highly profitable.”
― Jarod Kintz
 
Testing always makes sense, even if it is putting one toe into the bathwater first but it is astonishing how many jump into trading without doing it.

Would you call trading without testing, "gambling"?

Gambling is not trading.

Therefore entering the market without testing is not
even trading.
 
Would you call trading without testing, "gambling"?

Gambling is not trading.

Therefore entering the market without testing is not
even trading.

Testing is a method of trying to increase the odds of winning. By itself, though, it does not make a trader out of a gambler.

Do all the testing you want but, once in the the trade, the reluctance to close it when in loss, in the hope that the trade will turn into profit later, is another gamble.

In fact, the whole of a trade, for most people, has an element of gambling, or luck, in it.

It is a fact, IMO, that traders, in general, like to be known by others as stockmarket traders, not as gamblers. It is a question of ego--of burying one's head in the sand to the facts.
 
Did you get a useful answer from anyone? I've never understood why queries are attacked...but such is life. If you had the stomach to read all the responses to your post, some of them, hopefully most were not negative, then you're on your way...it's takes some intestinal fortitude and a plan. If you are looking for risk..you will find it. If you want to protect your principal you can do that. Be honest with your risk tolerance and what your objective is. Options provide the answer to most of what you want to accomplish. If you know their are bulls and bears and that means their is money in the market betting it will rise and fall AND that money is made both ways...you're ahead of the game. Not sure why you want to trade on your own, but if you do make sure you qualify for MTM status to take advantage of the tax benefits. Good Luck!
 
If you consider the probable fact that 95% fail to make profits then it's rational to do something different from the crowd.

Think it through
 
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I am sure you have not got any useful answer, but one thing is sure, as someone said before, trading without testing is not trade, is a bet and betting is not trading...
Make sure you have a plan, make it, test it, prove it under any market condition, as to the point to identify all weakness of your method, that is meant to build confidence...
This is not about luck, but anyway good luck...
 
The site exist but google seems to know nothing..., i havent heard anything either...
 
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