If you have the dream of being a professional, full-time trader, you are in good company. People like Cory Mitchell at VantagePointTrading.com and Danyel Perez Novoa are just a few examples of successful day traders.
Many people share your online trading dream. You may want to give up the hassles of commuting to work, dealing with an overbearing boss and more. Online trading can be conducted from the comfort of your own home and on your own terms, and this means that you can change your entire life when you make this transition.
However, only a handful of these individuals who share your dream take the proper steps required to trade professionally and on a full-time basis. When this is going to be your full-time job that provides you and your family with a reliable and hopefully stable source of income, you need to follow a few important steps.
Increase Your Investment Capital Over Time
Unless you have already saved up, you will need to develop a nest egg over time. This can take many years to do in some cases, so be patient. The stock market typically earns a yield of approximately eight to ten percent. Day trading, such as investing in the stock market and Forex market, can produce a higher yield.
However, you will still need a substantial amount of investment capital to produce a large enough yield to live comfortably on. Because the market has its ups and downs, it is best to have a larger nest egg that you actually need to get started with.
Using online resources can enable you to learn the ropes before you put your own capital at risk. While generating a great return on your investments can help your money to grow more quickly, you also need to make plans to contribute more funds to your accounts on a regular basis.
Learn About Alternative Investment Options
New stock market investors often look most heavily at blue chip stocks. These are perceived to be a safer option because they often have a good dividend yield and the companies are usually stable and established. However, there are many other investment options that can be far more lucrative.
If you’re not sure about how much an opportunity might yield, you can always set up try out various Forex trading strategies.
The Forex market trades in foreign currency, and it operates 24 hours each day. While this can be a riskier market to invest in, it has incredible benefits and opportunities for tremendous profits. A smart idea may be to learn about investment alternatives such as this one and to invest at least some of your money in riskier and potentially more profitable investments.
At all times, your portfolio should be moderated based on your tolerance for risk as well as your need for growth.
Scale Back Expenses
If you are interested in living entirely off of your online trading income, it can be helpful to scale back your regular living expenses as much as possible. By doing so, you will need to generate less income each month to live off of. You may therefore be able to transition into full-time trading more quickly and with less risk of failure.
You can scale back expenses by refinancing and paying off your outstanding debts, moving to a more affordable home and adopting an improved lifestyle. Consolidating high interest credit cards into a lower interest rate personal loan with a fixed term is an excellent way to improve your current budget and to eliminate this debt faster.
Make an effort to scale back expenses as soon as possible. When you reduce expenses while still working at your full-time job, you may be able to save and invest even more money. This can ultimately help you to reach your goal faster.
Monitor Your Investments Regularly
When you are building up your capital and refining your knowledge in investments and trading, you likely will still be working at your full-time job. After all, you need to accrue enough capital to pay those bills.
During this period of time, you will need to regularly devote several hours each day to your investment activities. Your goal is to make strategic and thoughtful financial decisions that will grow your nest egg quickly. In the process, you can learn more about investments and trading so that you can more confidently leave behind your day job and become a full-time trader.
It may seem like you are working at a day job and a part-time evening job as a trader. This can be tiring, but the effort will be well worthwhile when you eventually leave your day job behind.
Consider Taking on a Part-Time Job
Over time and with regular effort, you may see your nest egg grow in size, and you may quickly approach the time when you can quit your day job. It is important that you contribute as much money as possible into new investments so that your nest egg can grow at a faster rate.
However, eventually, you may be able to generate enough income from your investments that you feel comfortable downsizing your employment status.
Rather than jump ship entirely, it may be wise to transition to a part-time job for a few months or even years. This way, you can continue to learn more about investments and trading. You can also have a reliable source of income to at least partially pay your bills.
In the event your trading efforts go south, this part-time job can be a saving grace. Ultimately, your transition to becoming a full-time trader can be easier and less risky with this approach.
Conclusion
Eventually, you will be able to transition to being a full-time investor. Some people think that they can enjoy leisurely days on the golf course and enjoy a life that resembles retirement when they are a full-time trader. However, this is a fallacy.
Full-time traders spend a great deal of time connected to their phones and computers. They must actively monitor their accounts, execute trades and take other steps to produce a profit on a regular basis. After all, this will be a profit that you and your loved ones need for financial sustenance.
