Day Trading for Beginners does not have to be an Ordeal - Investing Money & Mastery (2024)

I remember when I first started day trading. It felt like I was in Vegas. Seriously. I felt like I just gathered all my pay slips and cashed in all my paychecks and went straight to Sin City. I mean, what could go wrong, right?

Well, the problem with day trading is that it’s very easy to lose money. I’m sure I’m not really saying anything profound or earth-shattering here. You probably already know this first hand.

However, it really is very easy to lose money with day trading because you feel like you are just making trades on impulse. Sure, you can see some patterns but, ultimately, it all boils down to your gut feelings. It all boils down to whether you get a hunch or not. You start listening to that internal intuition and then you just click on that Buy button or that Sell button and hope for the best.

I don’t mean to diminish day trading here. This is definitely not one of those negative articles on day trading, but I just want to keep it real because the longer you keep your head in the sand regarding what you’re actually doing, the longer you will take from actually making money from day trading. It’s time to get real.

You have to look at yourself and at what you’re doing and be completely honest. Are you just taking shots in the dark, and crossing your fingers and hoping to get lucky? Are you operating with the assumption that somehow, some way things will work out in the end and you will find extra dollars in your bank account?

Well, if that is your “grand strategy,” you might as well as drop everything now. Seriously. You’re not investing. You’re not trading. You’re not doing anything except positioning yourself to lose possibly large sums of money. Stop it. Don’t do it. Don’t even get started.

Unfortunately, a lot of people insist this becomes a long-drawn-out and all-too-painful experience. They bleed red financially for a long, long time until that light bulb goes off and they start seeing the glimmers of a strategy. They keep at it while the losses just keep on piling up until finally they reach a point where their wins outnumber their losses. They keep at it until they can predictably win.

This sounds like an optimistic story and it really is, but the problem is not all of us have that much money to waste in a long-drawn-out day-trading learning curve. Not surprisingly, day trading for beginners can be quite an ordeal.

It’s like a financial, emotional and psychological roller coaster. You make $5,000 one day, and you’re at the top of the world. You’re like Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie the “Titanic”. Nothing can stop you. Then, you hit a snag, and you lose $3,000 in a day, and it seems there is no hope. If that day is followed up by another $3,000 loss, it becomes bleaker and bleaker.

You don’t have to go through this process. While day trading can be rough on your nerves, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to do things this way. Again, day trading for beginners does not have to be some sort of punishment or some sort of long-drawn-out, excruciating experience.

To improve your game or to step it up to a whole other level, you just need to achieve one fundamental initial realization. You have to wrap your mind around the fact that banking on that one solid trade is not worth it. If you have this idea in your head that you only need one $100,000 a day and you’re good to go, I’m sorry but you’re just fooling yourself. That’s not how the real world works.

Sure, you’ve heard of anecdotal stories of day traders hitting six figures or even seven figures in a day, but they don’t tell you the rest of the story. They don’t tell you what happened before and what happened after that magical day. It may well turn out that they’re losing thousands upon thousands of dollars every single day until they hit at one-million-dollar trade in the black. That does not make those painful days go away. It definitely doesn’t vaporize all that red ink. Do you see where I’m going with this?

So, it’s much better to get that idea of one solid head or one solid trade out of your mind. Instead, focus on day trading as making a living off multiple trades. These may be small trades, these may be percentage trades but what matters most is that you’re making multiple trades. This is the key because if you’re able to turn the corner here, then there is hope for you.

However, if you remain stuck on that idea of banking on that one solid trade, day trading is going to suck for you. Seriously. There are no two ways about it.

Day trading for beginners such as yourself does not have to be an ego-crushing experience. You just have to stick to a win percentage and cut. I know this is easier said than done, but if you find the discipline and the focus to do this, you will succeed. What do I mean by this?

Well, if you say that your win percentage is 2%, if you get into a position and the stock hits a 2% appreciation, you’re out. It doesn’t matter whether it’s shooting up like a rocket and by all indications, it looks like you’re going to double your money, you’re out. If you’re able to do that, you will make money in the long run.

Now, it’s very tempting to wait it out. It’s very tempting to wait it out. It’s very tempting to hope against hope that once it reaches the 2% loss threshold that it will bounce up like a rubber band, and you will end up with a plus two.

Well, anybody’s entitled to wishing and hoping, but that’s not the strategy. You have to cut. This really all boils down to overcoming your impatience. Stocks rise and fall all the time. The key is to exit when it’s time. You cannot allow yourself to get so impatient that you basically leave before you appreciate or you hang on too tightly when the stock is actually going to drop like a rock. Set a goal and stick to it.

Again, this is easier said than done, but if you pair this with multiple trades, eventually, you will develop a thick enough financial skin. You’ll get used to it. It’s only a matter of time. Sooner or later, whatever the market does, you will get used to perform based on your goals. Stick to a percentage and cut. That’s the bottom line.

If you’re able to do that, you will make a living off day trading. It may not be a spectacular living at first, but the more you develop the expert day trader mindset, the more you will be able to see opportunities and stick to them. By being methodical, patient and focused, you eventually will be able to write your own checks.

Yes, that’s how powerful this could all be. It’s really rough at first because day trading for beginners is essentially a battle with yourself. You have to overcome your fear, and you have to get past your greed.

Recommended Read:

Day Trading for Beginners does not have to be an Ordeal - Investing Money & Mastery (3)

Day trading is not for everyone but this book, based on hard-won personal experience, gives you the information you need to see if day trading is good personal option for you on your journey to financial freedom and security.

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Day Trading for Beginners does not have to be an Ordeal - Investing Money & Mastery (2024)

FAQs

What are the requirements for a day trader? ›

Starting as a day trader requires you to open a brokerage account, have a minimum equity of $25,000 and have the ability to conduct at least four trades within five business days.

Can a beginner do day trading? ›

Day trading can be lucrative, as long as you do it properly. However, it's not just challenging for novices, but often a losing way for newer investors to trade.1 The only way to improve these odds is to learn the ins and outs of technical strategies and other crucial parts of the market.

Why do you need $25,000 to day trade? ›

Ultimately, the purpose of the $25,000 minimum equity requirement is to ensure that day traders have enough capital to cover their potential losses and to prevent market manipulation. It also protects brokers from financial risks and helps maintain the stability of the trading industry.

Can you day trade with no money? ›

That means you'll have to maintain a minimum equity level of $25,000 in your margin account any time you day trade. That $25,000 can consist of cash, securities or both.

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? ›

The 3-5-7 rule in trading is a risk management guideline that suggests limiting the amount of capital you put into any single trade. According to this rule, you should not risk more than 3% of your trading capital on any one trade, no more than 5% on any one sector, and no more than 7% on all trades combined.

Can day trading be self taught? ›

Many day traders, like myself, learn day trading on our own. We learn from free resources, and some trading books that we buy from the bookstore or borrow from the library. This is a cost-effective and exciting way to learn. However, with the myriad of resources out there, you might be at a loss as to where to start.

How much money do you realistically need to start day trading? ›

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) requires at least $25,000 in your brokerage account to allow day trading. Otherwise, the broker will restrict your trading ability. You may need more capital depending on how many trades you plan on making.

Which type of trading is best for beginners? ›

Overview: Swing trading is an excellent starting point for beginners. It strikes a balance between the fast-paced day trading and long-term investing.

Can you day trade with 100 dollars? ›

Traders profit from short-term price fluctuations and do not hold trades overnight. Day trading allows for trading in various assets such as currency, stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrency. If you have limited funds or are risk-averse, you may choose to start trading with a small amount like $100.

How do day traders pay taxes? ›

You'd report most sales and other capital transactions and calculate capital gain or loss on Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets, then summarize your capital gains and deductible capital losses on Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital Gains and Losses.

Can you day trade with only $1000? ›

Believe it or not, you can start forex day trading with $1,000 or even less. It requires mastering position sizing and managing risks, but if you navigate your way to success, the rewards can be significant. In this article, we will discuss in detail how you can day trade with $1000.

Can you go broke day trading? ›

Day trading is extremely risky.

A study found that traders who lose money account for anywhere between 72–80% of all day trades being made.

How should a beginner start trading? ›

  1. Understand market trends and patterns.
  2. Use risk management strategies, like setting stop-loss orders.
  3. Focus on liquid assets with high volume.
  4. Keep emotions in check and stick to a trading plan.
  5. Limit the number of trades to manage risk.
  6. Constantly educate yourself on market dynamics and trading strategies.

Can you make a living just day trading? ›

If you want to earn money with day trading on your own, you will in all probability incur enormous losses; however, high profits are theoretically possible. It is possible to earn money with day trading and make a living from it and generate high income - but the chances are extremely low.

What qualifies as a day trade? ›

Day trading, as defined by FINRA's margin rule, refers to a trading strategy where an individual buys and sells (or sells and buys) the same security in a margin account on the same day in an attempt to profit from small movements in the price of the security.

How do I become a qualified day trader? ›

There are no explicit requirements for becoming a day trader, but a technical and expansive knowledge of how financial markets work, as well as a comfort with electronic trading platforms, and the rules and regulations of trading is essential.

How to qualify as a day trader for tax purposes? ›

Traders
  1. You must seek to profit from daily market movements in the prices of securities and not from dividends, interest, or capital appreciation;
  2. Your activity must be substantial; and.
  3. You must carry on the activity with continuity and regularity.

What is the minimum deposit for day trading? ›

Minimum equity requirement: As a pattern day trader, you are required to hold a minimum of $25,000 in your account at all times.

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