BabyPips.com FX-Men Team
BabyPips.com
For forex traders, nothing embodies freedom more than those who trade full-time. After all, full-time traders enjoy freedom from their box-type offices, freedom of time, and freedom to choose which trading opportunities to take.
Unfortunately, this brand of independence isn’t for everyone. Just like too much freedom can do more harm than good for some economies, not all traders are ready to trade full-time.
So how do you know when you’re ready for full-time trading? From what we’ve seen from online forex communities, we can narrow it down to four signs:
1. You have enough capital
Trading full time means that you’ll be quitting your job, your primary source of income. And, because you’re realistic, you know that you probably won’t be making any serious trading money in your first few months.
Now imagine months of not getting salary and not making profits while STILL having to pay for your food, rent, utilities, and Netflix and Hulu subscriptions. Can’t live without your salary yet? Can’t afford to take big drawdowns for weeks and still maintain your lifestyle? Don’t trade full-time.
2. You have tried and tested other methods and strategies
Traders say that full-time trading just means that you’re a part-time trader and a full-time backtester. In a way, this is true.
Full-time traders know that you can’t make your living off of one good strategy alone. Not only do you need to have a strategy that has proven to be profitable for you, but you also have to have other equally qualified methods that would work for other trading conditions. After all, you never know when and for how long the market trends will shift!
3. You have spent a considerable amount of time trading LIVE.
Just like how doctors, lawyers, and pilots have simulations and internship programs before they do their jobs round the clock, traders should also spend a considerable amount of time trading live before trading full-time.
Trading a live account brings forth trading psychology hurdles that you wouldn’t get from trading demo accounts. In addition, you have to have a fairly good grasp of your trading strengths and weaknesses, and, more importantly, you should know how to stick to a trading plan before you make trading your full-time job. Make sure you’re mentally prepared to risk real money and maintain your trading strengths before you trade full-time!
4. Forex trading is your passion
Trading currencies is what motivates you to get up and get busy every morning. If you’d rather trade the RBA statement than watch the NBA finals or visit the PBoC’s economic calendar than the Great Wall of China, then do yourself a favor and trade full time. No sense in not doing what you love, right?
Remember that while full-time trading would provide you more opportunities to catch market movements, you don’t need to be a full-time trader to be consistently profitable. In fact, I know of part-time traders in the BabyPips.com community that are better than some full-time traders! In the end though, it just boils down to how much money, time, and effort you’re willing invest in your forex trading education and career.
BabyPips.com does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness to its service or information it provides. BabyPips.com does not give, whatsoever, warranties, expressed or implied, to the results to be obtained by using its services or information it provided. Users are trading at their own risk and BabyPips.com shall not be responsible under any circumstances for the consequences of such activities. Babypips.com and its affiliates will not, in any event, be liable to users or any third parties for any consequential damages, however arising, including but not limited to damages caused by negligence whether such damages were foreseen or unforeseen.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains
EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.
GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360
Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.
Japanese Yen bulls have the upper hand as hawkish BoJ outlook offsets risk-on mood
The Japanese Yen remains on the back foot through the early European session on Friday, though it lacks bearish conviction amid hawkish Bank of Japan expectations. Traders have been pricing in the possibility that the BoJ will hike interest rates as early as next week.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains
EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.
GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360
Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.
Gold losses momentum, challenges $4,300
Gold now gives away some gains and disputes the key $4,300 zone per troy ounce following earlier multi-week highs. The move is being driven by expectations that the Fed will deliver further rate cuts next year, with the yellow metal climbing despite a firmer Greenback and rising US Treasury yields across the board.
Litecoin Price Forecast: LTC struggles to extend gains, bullish bets at risk
Litecoin (LTC) price steadies above $80 at press time on Friday, following a reversal from the $87 resistance level on Wednesday. Derivatives data suggests a bullish positional buildup while the LTC futures Open Interest declines, flashing a long squeeze risk.
Big week ends with big doubts
The S&P 500 continued to push higher yesterday as the US 2-year yield wavered around the 3.50% mark following a Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut earlier this week that was ultimately perceived as not that hawkish after all. The cut is especially boosting the non-tech pockets of the market.
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