If you're just starting out: reiterating a point

[boofis]

Hello all,

If you're just starting out I want to reiterate a point for you that people have been reiterating to me from the beginning. In the big scheme of things I am also just starting out, but I'm hoping this will save you some heartache, possible delusions of grandeur and hopefully help you increase your odds of 'making it'.

If you're starting capital is:
Less than $1000 = Keep saving
$2000 = Keep saving.
$5000 = Keep saving.
$10,000 = You're getting there, don't lose hope.
$20,000 = Commissions won't be the end of you.

I hated hearing this when I first came to the markets, but one needs to hear it:
If you don't have enough money to approach this as a cut throat business, keep your money in the bank and LEARN before you lose your first lot of savings. Between commissions and just being a general noob and making mistakes, statistically you stand a very small chance of survival with small amounts of money! Note* even 20k isn't ideal, but it's more reasonable.

If you want to be a 'day trader' there are a lot of free simulators available so that you don't have to lose EXCESSIVE amounts of money learning, in what will inevitably be a steep learning curve.
Be patient and persistent.
My 2c.
Take it or leave it, just felt I should share it.

 

[qldfrog]

+1
100% true and I would add : to not borrow to reach the required minimum!!!

 

[TMC93]

I have to disagree. Most beginners will "probably" lose some money. If you're going to lose money in the market at all, i would rather lose $1000 compared to $20,000. I think there is only a certain amount of information you can gather from a book before you have to actually put it all into practice. If the stock market was purely theoretical then there would be a lot more millionaires in the world.

For those that want to start small, look at this good thread that nioka hijacked.

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19955&page=2

 

[boofis]

I have to disagree. Most beginners will "probably" lose some money. If you're going to lose money in the market at all, i would rather lose $1000 compared to $20,000. I think there is only a certain amount of information you can gather from a book before you have to actually put it all into practice. If the stock market was purely theoretical then there would be a lot more millionaires in the world.

For those that want to start small, look at this good thread that nioka hijacked.

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19955&page=2

The reality is though mate, the key part is in learning whilst saving your dollars. You will be in much better stead due to time invested in learning and practising without being emotionally involved e.g. just wanting quick money, big money and the holy grail; all of which no beginner will achieve/find.

That threads got some good ideas for what to do with 1500, but imo those skills aren't going to help you if you one day plan to manage in the hundreds of thousands. You may disagree again!

 

[burglar]

The reality is though mate, the key part is in learning whilst saving your dollars. You will be in much better stead due to time invested in learning and practising without being emotionally involved e.g. just wanting quick money, big money and the holy grail; all of which no beginner will achieve/find.

That threads got some good ideas for what to do with 1500, but imo those skills aren't going to help you if you one day plan to manage in the hundreds of thousands. You may disagree again!

That thread is for those who want to start, have $1500 (and for many reasons, not more than $1500) and are unwilling to wait.
Not all of us are chasing a dream, just putting ourselves in the path of opportunity.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Was this written with short term investing in mind?
I'd like to think a long term investment could begin with $1000.

 

[Joules MM1]

That threads got some good ideas for what to do with 1500, but imo those skills aren't going to help you if you one day plan to manage in the hundreds of thousands.

that implies you do have skills to help us manage 'hundreds of thousands'.....care to share ?

 

[Joules MM1]

Was this written with short term investing in mind?
I'd like to think a long term investment could begin with $1000.

agree...appears the question is not (directly) a stake size, rather, a knowledge basis.......

initially costs eat and at the other end of the scale moving 300g's is easier to move than 3m ...still, the underlying management need not be any different.......

 

[boofis]

Should've clarified. Short term investment definitely in mind as well as mechanical systems trading.

Yes, Joules, I'm biased and believe systems are by far the best management. Would gladly post results of just one year of a backtest of one of the first systems I tried trading with a positive expectancy that takes a loss for that year cause of commissions (especially when smaller capital amounts are used) but takes a profit if lower commission rate is used, just to try and exemplify what I'm saying.

 

[Joules MM1]

..I'm biased and believe..... ... one year of a backtest.

ok, thanks

now show the forward test......with positive outcome.....you could have the dosh and kudos

 

[boofis]

I know what you're inferring that's why I underlined back test
But will be happy to post outcomes at the end of the period I've designated to trade it (4 years).

 

[tech/a]

ok, thanks

now show the forward test......with positive outcome.....you could have the dosh and kudos

I agree re systems.
My first turned $30k to $360k in 5 years.
All traded live --- realtime---and still on the net for those interested over at " The Chartist "
Has a few pages in Nicks latest book " Un Holy Grails "

Enjoy.

 

[StumpyPhantom]

I agree re systems.
My first turned $30k to $360k in 5 years.
All traded live --- realtime---and still on the net for those interested over at " The Chartist "
Has a few pages in Nicks latest book " Un Holy Grails "

Enjoy.

Tech/a - Everything I've read on ASF over the last couple of months on ASF tells me you're going about this with real skill.

So link us in to your online teachers referred to above, please. And also to ASF threads where you've applied your thinking and your systems.

 

[qldfrog]

Has a few pages in Nicks latest book " Un Holy Grails "

Enjoy.

I do not regret purchasing this book: are you one of the interviews?
I have built a basic system and am ready to follow it, but the rules I ended up choosing are preventing me from buying anything this months.
And probably for the best..

 

[boofis]

Tech/a - Everything I've read on ASF over the last couple of months on ASF tells me you're going about this with real skill.

So link us in to your online teachers referred to above, please. And also to ASF threads where you've applied your thinking and your systems.

Just google thechartist and it's the australian website not international.
The forum on system design is a wealth of information.
*Note, it seems I can't post a direct link to the website?

 

[Boggo]

Seems like the more money people have the sillier they become.
Then again though these people are "investing" other peoples money I suppose.

There is a lot more to be learned both on here from some of the overactive stock threads and from examples such as the one below of what not to do rather than trying to learn what to do.

Below is an extract from a QAN investor report to the ASX yesterday, the shares referred to closed on $0.97 yesterday (run that by your calculator !).
Admittedly it may be part of a bigger plan that will eventually unfold but it seems like they are hitching a ride in the wrong direction.

 

[qldfrog]

Seems like the more money people have the sillier they become.
Then again though these people are "investing" other peoples money I suppose.

There is a lot more to be learned both on here from some of the overactive stock threads and from examples such as the one below of what not to do rather than trying to learn what to do.

Below is an extract from a QAN investor report to the ASX yesterday, the shares referred to closed on $0.97 yesterday (run that by your calculator !).
Admittedly it may be part of a bigger plan that will eventually unfold but it seems like they are hitching a ride in the wrong direction.

Probably some tricky off market transfer for tax minimisation purpose; I would not make too much of these

 

[TMC93]

The reality is though mate, the key part is in learning whilst saving your dollars. You will be in much better stead due to time invested in learning and practising without being emotionally involved e.g. just wanting quick money, big money and the holy grail; all of which no beginner will achieve/find.

That threads got some good ideas for what to do with 1500, but imo those skills aren't going to help you if you one day plan to manage in the hundreds of thousands. You may disagree again!

How does having more money help you exactly? Essentially what your saying is if i gave $20,000 to one person and $1,000 to another, the person with $20,000 will have more success?

Personally as long as you meet the minimum requirement for your broker and you have worked out your appetite for risk then IMO no sum of money is too small to invest. Hell, i'm glad i started investing with small amounts , I don't think theres a substitute for putting real money on the line, paper trading only gets you so far.

 

[Trembling Hand]

How does having more money help you exactly?

So you don't have to aim for stupid % returns just to cover cost and survive.

I don't think theres a substitute for putting real money on the line,

Yes there is. Knowing before you do that you will be profitable and under what situations you will not be.

paper trading only gets you so far.

How has that worked out for you?

 

[Joules MM1]

How does having more money help you exactly? Essentially what your saying is if i gave $20,000 to one person and $1,000 to another, the person with $20,000 will have more success?

+1 to TH

the easy and quick answer is; if both strategies are equal the larger account can take more hits and not have the cost of doing business shred the profits or add to losses

....and the reason scared money is called scared money is the level that scared money lays out for their expectant return, the larger the capital the smaller is your risk exposure in terms of time to benefit from the same price travelled and larger accounts can negotiate discounts in transaction costs.....most importantly capital size reduces risk due to less time in a transaction......a 1 lot trade on a 1g account cannot be scaled out as a 5 lot trade on a 20g account and keep the same risk all of which comes long before strategy.....

no sum of money is too small to invest..

again, add in costs and this is not true....recall, even if youre talking about stocks alone, buy a stock with a $1,000 and the value needs to rise relative to how you divide the stock itself otherwise you cannot scale the stock without costs eating heavily into the divisor ....if you were to take advantage of yield, buy the stock and exit on post divies the cost you incur on 1g is heavier than the yield you gain on 20g even tho the yield itself doesnt change

underfunded is one of the leading reasons traders get beaten up then beat themselves up......